An award winning library project is ‘saving lives’ approaching its tenth anniversary of being run by volunteers.
Now others are looking to Pinchbeck Community Hub as to how such a facility should be run.
“It’s helping the community to information that saves lives,” said one of the 26 current volunteers, John Smith. “We had one lady come in all flustered because she was feeling ill, couldn’t the NHS app to work and get an appointment.
“We helped her get online, book an appointment and two days later she was diagnosed with cancer.
“Now she’s had treatment and thankfully is recovering.
“We’ve also done work on falls with Lincolnshire County Council funding 50 new slippers for people in Pinchbeck and it’s set to provide 12 new watches that will alert authorities if those wearing them are believed to have had a fall.
“Pinchbeck Community Hub and library is about the bigger picture.
“It’s about seeing what the community need and knowing how they can get the answer.”
It was around a decade ago that Lincolnshire County Council announced it was closing a number of libraries, including Pinchbeck, unless volunteers stepped up.
Pinchbeck residents came forward and it’s proved a huge success with around 1,000 different people coming through its Knight Street doors once a month.
A host of organisations call it home, from parent and toddler groups to Pinchbeck Photographic Group and the U3A.
Last year it was named a winner in the Community Libraries Network Awards 2024.
Now others are looking to learn from its success including villagers from Ryhall in Rutland whose own village library faces closure.
Members of the Ryhall Library Action Group recently attended the hub to see what it does and how they might step in to save the community facility in their own patch.
Member of the group and parish councillor Andrew Nebel is one of those from Ryhall leading the push to keep the library open in whatever way possible: “We’re very grateful for those behind the hub giving their time and advice.
“We want to learn everything about how to build a successful community hub.”
Charlotte Davis, the action group’s chairman, said: “Our initial plans for the library was to keep it as it is, but when you see what’s on offer at the likes of Pinchbeck you think that, actually, we could provide better than what it is now.”
The group asked John for his advice.
“It’s about getting the community involved,” he said. “If you can get them to believe in you then nothing is a problem.
“We were here over Christmas redecorating and everyone is proud of the service we can offer.”
