The Friends of St Ives Library secured National Lottery Community Funding in 2019 to deliver a range of educational courses in response to a gap in formal adult education provision within the Parish. The Covid-19 pandemic not only halted plans, but also dramatically changed the way in which people wanted to access learning and different types of courses.
St Ives Library and the Friends commissioned a phase one public consultation in 2022 which brought together organisations, individuals and venues across the Parish creating a network to share learning opportunities and respond to gaps in provision.
“After Covid-19 caused the pause in activity after the initial excitement of being awarded £8,500 by the National Lottery Community Fund, the Friends of St Ives Library are delighted that learning opportunities are now being delivered in the building in response to what our local residents need” says Tricia Friskney-Adams, education lead, Friends of St Ives Library.
The first workshops programmed in St Ives Library as phase two of this project are taking place in July. Jane Pugh, stage and screen writer and spoken word performer, will be sharing three elements of writing so you can ‘Discover your story’ on 11th in a full day session. There is the option to ‘pay what you can’ as well as a ‘supporter’ rate to enable as many people as possible to be able to access the creative writing experience. Outdoor First Aid on 4th July and Emergency First Aid at Work on 12th July provide essential practical training for small organisations and individuals in a cost-effective group.
Cultural Services Manager at St Ives Town Council, Emma Gibson, adds “We are working with the Friends of the Library and other organisations to listen to our residents and develop an accessible range of learning opportunities alongside our neighbouring organisations. We are delighted that a creative course and practical, vocational course are being offered in our building to kickstart the next stage of the project”.
More information can be found by visiting St Ives Library and Visitor Information Centre in person or on social media channels @stiveslibrary.
View the research report produced for Phase One of this project below:
