Ore Community Library Safe and Secure
Ore Community Library has secured a 20-year lease to secure its future and ensure it will remain a community cornerstone for years to come.
The library was closed in 2018 following a series of East Sussex County Council budget cuts and faced the prospect of being knocked down and sold for development, recalls Library Trustee Jim Breeds. The local community had other ideas, however, and a team of dedicated volunteers took matters into their own hands. With the help of an initial grant from North East Hastings Big Local, matched by Orbit Homes, a local housing association, they raised £15,000 to keep the library open.
Their efforts have been rewarded with over 1,000 members and a collection of over 6,000 book titles. The library offers a range of services, including a book club and story time sessions for children under five. The library’s computer and printing services also provide essential support for residents applying for jobs or needing assistance applying for universal credit and other benefits.
With its long-term lease secured, Heather Bishop, the Chair of the Ore Community Library Trustees, said the library “would continue to provide essential access to learning and enjoyment for the local community and would push ahead with future plans to make structural improvements to the building to ensure it can continue to serve the community for generations to come.”
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