Testimonials

From Sir Iain Duncan Smith, patron of SCCL
“I am enormously proud to have been asked to be a patron of the South Chingford Community Library. As the Member of Parliament for Chingford and Woodford Green, I have seen firsthand the incredible asset this community library has become since the closure of the original library and its move to its present site (265 Chingford Mount Road) right in the heart of the community. The library is run by volunteers for residents and often many community groups use the library to meet and do diverse activities such as knitting.  It is not just a library, but it is also a place where people of all ages can visit and be part of that community. It is a vital asset for the community, and I pledge myself to campaign to keep the library there and support it by the local council as well.”

From Jemma, Conservative Councillor for Valley Ward, without whose efforts over a decade ago, SCCL might never have been born
“The SCCL is a registered charity and a hub of activity with well over 2k members.  SCCL is more than just a library, as well as lending books they have helped an enormous amount of people, both young and old, with reading skills, cv writing, language & computer skills.  As well as offering and giving assistance with accessing Council services.
They offer lots of activity groups like knitting, poetry, Christmas parties and quiz events which not only help with their fundraising but brings the community together and brings people out of social isolation.  All of which we know helps bring down Council costs.
They also offer themselves as a safe & warm space in the coldest of months and as a cool space in the hottest. They have even been utilised by other charities such as Age UK and Diabetes Action as well as regularly hosting ward forums & surgeries for local councillors.  The local safer neighbourhood policing teams also hold regular surgeries in their premises.  Please note that if the SCCL were to close then there would be no suitable venue for any of these purposes which would be catastrophic for community engagement.”

Kath who runs Rhyme Time says
“We have been running rhyme time for almost a year. It took a short time for word to spread but we now have our regular visitors. We usually average 10- 12 children, but also get occasional visits to our session from a local nursery, with an additional 8-12 children.
It is great to hear the carers giving advice to anyone worried about their child. We have one Mum who has been coming since her son was a new born and it is wonderful watching him grow, with his interest in what is going on at rhyme time constantly increasing.
There doesn't seem to be very much available in the immediate area for carers of small children and they have been able to chat with each other and advise on any other local suitable activities.
I feel we provide a valuable service enabling carers and children to enjoy each others company in a safe and happy environment.” 

From Jean who has run the knitting groups since the first year:
Twelve years ago I couldn’t find my perfect knitting group, so I decided to form my own. It had to be local as there were none in South Chingford, held every week in the daytime , welcome everyone , cost nothing per session  ( though over the years we have given the library about an average of £1000 a year)and members make their own rules by majority vote. The Community Library was just starting to open new days. We were welcomed in and the Knit and Natter group has continued to flourish, adding in a Saturday group , Sit and Knit after a year or so. From the original 15 members weekly attendance has varied between that and 20, including all nationalities, ages, language speakers and abilities. As we are totally visible to passers by over the years we have had so many donations that we can offer members free needles, yarn , patterns, buttons and other knitting items The benefits to our members are many ,not just improving skills. We have become a family supporting each other as families do , through life’s problems , loneliness, ill health and even death( of  partners and members themselves). A lot of us rely on the group to give us a purpose in life. Over my time as a member of South Chingford Community Library I have been a Trustee as well as a volunteer. Organised sales , Quiz Nights , buy supplies of equipment , the Twixmas parties and Macmillan fund raising Tea parties. Every Christmas , instead of giving everyone a card I knit or sew them a little present . I am certain South Chingford would be a very dull place if the library did not exist”

 Message from Isabella who runs  the Monday afternoon craft group:
“I just feel we are not just a Craft Group but we are also contributing to the community by making twiddle muffs which we donate to Walthamstow Forest Dementia Hub and a Clinic in Hawkwell CT.
We are also making scarves and fingerless gloves which we will be donating to Heavitree Court/House.”

From our oldest volunteer Marie (91 years old)
“I have been volunteering at the library since the end of 2021. For me personally, the library has been incredibly helpful after losing my husband at the end of that year. It has given me a sense of purpose, an extended family, an amazing support group.
The library is such a welcoming place to everyone that needs it, whether it’s staff or general public that needs help and this makes it a necessity to the community.
Within the library we hold different groups and activities such as rhyme time, craft afternoons, knitting groups and poetry afternoons. These help create a safe space for some, a place where mums are happy to bring their babies, a fun and social environment for others, and just a general sense of community amongst everyone. For the people that work”

Below you can see Marie in action!   

From Shashi who runs the weekly police surgery:
“Valley Safer Neighbourhood Team have been using the South Chingford Community Library-SCCL as their venue to conduct/schedule Police Surgery for the many years as a meeting point for the local Community Residents to assist and report any Police matters/issues.
Over the years Local Police Team have engaged with the Community Residents who found it useful to be able to talk to the Police face to face either about Police Matters or just a chat over a coffee. The Library was the central Hub to the community of being on the main street-Chingford Mount Road E4 with access to the buses nearby who were able to come along and sit down and have a chat over a hot drink or use the facility such as access to the reading, computers, printing and so on.
It will be a such a loss to the Community Residents to lose the Library as it provides a place to go and see/talk to other MOP  as well as all the dedicated volunteers who give up their valuable time to assist and make a little difference in people lives.
Hope the Council can see how valuable the Library is for the Local Community and stays OPEN.”

From Emma in “Steps into Work”:
“My name is Emma Kempster and I work for the London Borough of Waltham Forest in the Employment team.
My job is to support the most vulnerable in Chingford.  There are a few locations within Chingford, but they are inaccessible to residents who are in need of employment support.
  Since the government drive to get people with disabilities back into employment the Chingford residents require a service locally and the need is greater than ever, the residents we see at South Chingford community library have no other venue to attend locally many of whom are unable to use public transport or have severe mobility issues alongside Anxiety of leaving their local community .
We have worked with South Chingford community library over a number of years and every year has been more beneficial than the previous year. We have an outstanding footall and a great network of professionals who are currently using the location as a base on a weekly basis to see some of their most vulnerable clients such as social services, adult early help, the early help team and many other advisors, who all provide vulnerable residents a statutory service for support that they need, so that they can develop confidence and progress with their journey back into employment .

The location is vital for my continued success and for the local residents, again unless we keep SCCL we will have no other location to work from which will impact on the council’s outcome delivery and the ability to provide a streamlined service across the borough as stated in the recent development plans of North of the borough (Chingford).”

From Jan CO chair of the LoveSouthChingford Group
“South Chingford Community Library is far more than just a library!   This Library has been running since the original one closed and has been a vital part of our community ever since.  It’s been a first port of call for many needing help or just to pass the time of day with someone, possibly the only people they interact with. The computers are available to all ages and are a major part of the library which are used for tasks including homework, CV’s, research, printing and much more. They also hold several classes including rhyme time for the little ones, crafting, knitting, poetry reading, Valley Ward meetings and several more at various times, which all give value to the community and the wellbeing of it’s users.  To remove the library would adversely affect its residents and the area as a whole and without it these vital services would not be available to those who need it.”

From Veronika, one of our younger volunteers
“I am actively volunteering for the South Chingford Community Library on Saturdays, because I have a full time job from Monday to Friday.
I started volunteering there in January 2023, and it's been an absolute pleasure doing such a wonderful and meaningful thing for the local community. I met really decent, intelligent, dedicated volunteers who are willing to help and support anyone.
The library itself has a wide variety of books on different topics, from children's books to adult fiction, crime, romance, cook books or DIY.
We also offer services for every generation such as rhyme time for children and craft group and knitting group for adults.
Everyone is welcome there; it's a safe space and friendly environment. It's always busy, we have a lot of customers coming in and buying books.
It'd be a shame to close it down; the entire community would lose a precious little place, the last one around the Chingford Mount area.”

From Mahnaz who runs The Discovery Space
"SCCL - The library/community hub has been a vital resource for our community. An open and welcoming space where people can walk in, have a chat, attend free sessions (knitting, language, poetry, craft classes, etc). The beauty of the space is that it is literally run by the community and local residents for the wider community. All volunteers gain something from it - as do the service users. A real warm community space. 
I have been using SCCL since we moved into the area. My daughter has really enjoyed reading books there over the past 8 years and we often pop in when we are in the Mount. We have attended the Twixmas and quiz events there - my husband ran a quiz night there too.   I also run the Discovery Space there which has been created to support people with their mental health through the art of coaching. The venue is conducive for this work as it is open to all. We often get passers by walk in and join as they see smiling faces when they look through the large windows where we sit. It’s the perfect location for what the Discovery Space is about! Our community."

From Aamina Khazna, EYFS Phase Leader, Subject skills coordinator , Chase Lane Primary School & Nursery Unit
"Over the past 10 years, our walks to the community library have been an important part in nurturing a love for books amongst our nursery children. Beyond books, it has been a gateway to our community, where we have met and interacted with library members and developed social skills. The library’s presence has not only enriched our children’s lives but also encouraged families to explore the library, strengthening bonds and community involvement.
Its potential closure would be a devastating loss, not only would it deprive our children of invaluable learning experiences but also fracture an important and valuable part of our community."

From Letitia & Mabel, Managers, Hearts Day Nursery
We are saddened to hear the news about a possible closure of our favourite library, South Chingford Community Library. Our children love this library, we visit it every week and they request us to visit it as often as possible. We appreciate the effort of all the staff here and our children's learning and development would surely be affected if it had not been for this amazing library in our neighbourhood.
The library is definitely a great asset to our community and we will be doing our best to see it grow and used by many young generations!
We wish our Library and the staff  the very best of luck! Please let us know how we can support you.

An SCCL  member; Amanda & the Grigorescu family (the Beast Quest fans!)
“Twelve years ago, when I came to live in the UK, the South Chingford Community Library represented my first step towards integration, the place where I went to practice the English language (inside an ESOL Conversation Club, which welcomed my children as well), where I made my first friends, where we organized charitable events and gathered the courage to read our first English books.
Later on I would take a Spanish class at SCCL and introduce my children to their first book club and the amazing items created by the local knitting club. They still visit the library regularly and regard it as a cozy, friendly and inclusive environment, where they can chat with the amazing volunteers and discover a new magical world in each book they read.
Our local community needs this welcoming spot!”

From Michael Parkes, who attends the library with his son David.
“I’m writing on behalf of the South Chingford Community Library as a service user. I have used the library for nearly eight years and have found it to be a welcoming place.
The staff there are helpful and always go beyond their duties. They make notes of authors to see if they can find them in the upstairs bookstore or elsewhere. I’m a Jo Nesbo fan and I acquired several of his books from there. A staff member even saved some Jo Nesbo books as he knew I wanted them.
There’s a selection of newspapers and the odd tea or coffee too. The library is multifunctional and acts like a community centre that hosts clubs, meetings, parties, where people are welcome to share ideas or just have a natter.
The fact that the library is so popular highlights the need for it in the community; where else would the poetry group, the knitting groups, the discussions on the latest books be had? There is a library in North Chingford , but that’s quite a way to go for the local elderly. I also like the fact that talking is allowed in the library, if a little too loud sometimes though.
I take my son to the library and he likes to read, when I can get him to sit long enough. He liked to lounge on the bean bags with picture books, now more word books as his vocabulary is growing.
It is also a centre for learning and runs language courses and IT basic learning courses.
I will continue to support the library, as I know the good work that is done there.

From the owner of the property
“As the landlord and previous owner of Rossi’s, a business serving the local community for many years in these premises, I see SCCL as taking up the baton where the local council stopped, after the closure of the main library. The volunteer run centre provides a much-needed library and community hub. This follows on a tradition that Rossi’s offered, a business that successfully provided a much-loved service to the local community. The fact that SCCL running costs compared to a commercial run library is far lower should be applauded and encouraged by the local council. Closure of such a well-run community asset would be a great loss.

Keith Hibberd  Director  K.E.Hibberd Ltd”