Free green-themed activities for all ages next week at libraries across North Northamptonshire

29 September 2023

This year’s theme for the annually celebrated ‘Libraries Week’ is sustainability, nature and the environment and libraries across North Northamptonshire will be enticing visitors with a variety of green-themed events.

Between 2 and 8 October activities will include recycling games, community litter picks, pre-loved book sales, knitting, make do and mend workshops, up-cycling craft activities, energy saving advice sessions, plant swaps, and much more.

Each of the libraries at Corby, Oundle, Irthlingborough, Rushden, Kettering, and Wellingborough will also be making a sustainability pledge and committing to help achieve the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals by supporting local communities with good health and wellbeing; quality education; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; climate action and responsible consumption and production.

We are all once again supporting Libraries Week, this time with the topical theme of the environment. I would urge all residents to pop along to their library next week to find out what is happening near to them.

Libraries have long been firm advocates of reduce, reuse and recycle – in a book’s lifetime it will be issued and returned to countless borrowers. When the book’s condition is deemed too poor for lending, it will be put on sale or recycled. Also, as we all know, in recent years libraries have developed new ways of providing reading material via digital means, including e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines.

Let's all get together to find out what we can do in our own communities to make life better for ourselves and the planet.North Northamptonshire’s Council’s Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr Helen Howell

We can all make a difference towards saving our planet, and I urge residents to visit their local library to get some new and fresh green ideas. It’s the little things we can all do that help to make a big difference for the future.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council

Activities

Details of some of the activities are below and each library will also share activities on their Facebook pages.

Corby library

Monday 2 October Monday’s adult craft group 12:30pm to 2:30pm and is a drop in, so no need to book.
Friday 6 October Friday’s Story Time is 10:30am to 11:30am and is bookable.

Oundle library

Tuesday 3 October – Litter Pick. A joint venture between Oundle library and Blooming Oundle. The litter pick sets off from Oundle Library at 2pm.
Sat 7 October – 10:30am to 12:30pm – Sustainability Showcase – Free drop-in session with stalls providing information on how to become more climate conscious. Local organisations such as Transition Oundle will be there to talk to people about sustainability. Children’s craft using recycled materials. Refreshments.

Irthlingborough library

Thursday 5 October Green Libraries Week Health walk. The group meets every week outside the library ready to begin a local walk at 10.30. Come in after and enjoy refreshments for £1 and socialise.

Kettering library

Monday 2 October, 2pm to 3pm - Pick a Bin - come and make a fun game about recycling to take home with you! Booking is open NOW!
Thursday 5 October, 2pm to 3pm - Throwback Thursday for round two of previous crafts, or throw the instructions out the window (and recycle them properly!) and use the bits and pieces to make your very own ‘BinAnimals:’ little creatures stuck together from things saved from the bin! Booking for craft this opens on Thursday! Both of these crafts are aimed at children over 5. To book your place, just drop us a message, or contact the Library via email ([email protected]) or phone (0300 126 3000, option 5, then 3). Or, of course, you can pop in and book in person!
As well as that, they’ve got a week-long treasure hunt!

Wellingborough library

Monday 2 October - Introduce our “Make a Pledge” Tree (social media and in the library). Asking the public to make a pledge of their own and add it to our “eco tree”.
Tuesday 3 October - Swansgate Centre We will be in the Swansgate shopping centre on Tuesday 3rd October, from 11am until 1pm, celebrating all that goes on in our library with a focus on sustainability and climate change. Come along and chat with us about all the services we offer and have a go at making a craft using discarded books. We invite you explore the innovative and surprising things that libraries are doing to support their communities.
Thursday 5 October - Preschool Play – Under 5’s Eco crafts, 9:30am to 10:30am and 10:30am to 11:30am
Thursday 5 October - Wellingborough Repair Café, 10am to 2pm. Wellingborough Repair Café are joining us for Throwback Thursday! They will be on hand to look at small items and book appointments for larger items that can be repaired. Come in and find out more!
Friday 6 October - Storytime, 9:30am to 10am. Stories around the environment and a litter pick in children’s area. Sorting recycling into boxes (paper, plastic, cans, etc) from the litter pick.
Saturday 7 October - Family Fun Club, 10:30am to 11:30am, Eco crafts ages 4 to 12 years old