The Europe Challenge

The Local Challenge

Located in an area with significant social challenges and high levels of economic deprivation and anti-social behaviour, Stockport Library aims to shift its identity away from a traditional haven for borrowing books to a lively community hub. With economic and social crises looming large, the library wants to boost local biodiversity accessibility and empower the community, build cohesion and encourage sustainable living. Serving neighbourhoods with high levels of deprivation, the library team wants to work with the local community to encourage unity through initiatives like a community garden.  

 The Initiative  

Residents are transforming a disused library space in Stockport – turning it into a buzzing community oasis complete with beehive. “Bookworms Gardeners” from the local community will lead the design, creation and on-going care of this new space. Visitors are actively encouraged to spend time in the garden, to get involved with growing or using the space to reflect and to connect with nature. Partnering with local schools, early years settings and seniors’ clubs, the initiative is bridging generations and building community cohesion by encouraging sustainable living and collective pride. From design workshops to mindfulness sessions, habitat building to litter picks and story-telling under the sky, there are plenty of opportunities for engagement. 

After The Europe Challenge

Participating in the Challenge has changed the perception of the role of libraries in their local community by creating a real sense of fun and comradery in the library. The initiative really encouraged people to take ownership in a way that changed how they engage and how the library engages with the wider community. Local businesses and came out to help with in-kind support offered and they are recognised on a local and national level as an exemplar of climate action work and in turn have influenced their local government’s strategic Green Business Plan. 

Contact theeuropechallenge@culturalfoundation.eu if you have any questions or want to be connected with the team behind the project.