Book-loving Denvilles mum creates lockdown library thanks to the community's generous donations

TUCKED away in a Denvilles cul-de-sac is a community library born out of lockdown thanks to a book-loving mum who wanted to bring people together.
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During lockdown, Sarah Kirby of Camelia Close put a vintage trunk out on her driveway with a selection of books for neighbours to choose from if they wanted to.

Literary fans from the neighbourhood loved the idea so much that mum-of-two Sarah decided to put together a fundraiser for a more permanent feature in the street.

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After the community raised nearly £400, Sarah and daughters Alice, 18, and 15-year-old Hannah, were delighted to be able to create their own lockdown library: a blue structure with shelves to hold books, CDs and DVDs next to a bench and community herb garden.

Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. 

Pictured is: (right) Sarah Kirby (49) with her daughters (left) Alice (18) and Hannah (15) at the Lockdown Library.

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2150)Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. 

Pictured is: (right) Sarah Kirby (49) with her daughters (left) Alice (18) and Hannah (15) at the Lockdown Library.

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2150)
Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. Pictured is: (right) Sarah Kirby (49) with her daughters (left) Alice (18) and Hannah (15) at the Lockdown Library. Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2150)
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Teaching assistant Sarah said: ‘I’m quite emotional about it because I’m just so delighted with how people have got on board with it. In the early days of lockdown, reading kept me going.

‘I wanted something good to come out of lockdown because it’s been a rubbish time. It’s been really wonderful and I have met so many neighbours that I now see in the street and wave and say hello.’

They held an opening ceremony on Monday complete with cake and prosecco, inviting special guests including Havant MP Alan Mak and the new mayor of Havant, Prad Bains.

Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. 

Pictured is: (right) Sarah Kirby (49) with her daughters (left) Hannah (15) and Alice (18) at the Lockdown Library.

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2133)Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. 

Pictured is: (right) Sarah Kirby (49) with her daughters (left) Hannah (15) and Alice (18) at the Lockdown Library.

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2133)
Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. Pictured is: (right) Sarah Kirby (49) with her daughters (left) Hannah (15) and Alice (18) at the Lockdown Library. Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2133)
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People have been so generous in donating old novels, non-fiction publications and children’s books that Sarah cannot physically fit any more under her bed.

The library even has its own Instagram account @lockdown_library2020, with the family’s dog Toffee and kitten Louis helping to show off their wares.

Sarah said: ‘I’d love it if other areas did something similar because we have all got books we have read and put to one side - it’s such a nice thing to share your love of reading.

Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. 

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2189)Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. 

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2189)
Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2189)

‘I’m so delighted and blown away by how people have taken it to their hearts, I’m very proud of what the neighbourhood has done.

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‘No matter what else is going on, when you’ve got a book you can take yourself to any world you want to go to. Books give you a place to go even when things are difficult.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Thank you for reading this story. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on our advertisers and thus our revenues.

Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden.

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2173)Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden.

Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2173)
Sarah Kirby from Camelia Close in Denvilles, and her daughters set up a box at the end of their driveway during lockdown for neighbours to take books from, and through a fundraiser they have managed to create a permanent lockdown library at the end of the road with a bench and a community herb garden. Picture: Sarah Standing (060820-2173)

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