Library grant to help create eco-friendly hub

A Surrey library will receiver a share of over £1m in National Lottery funding to help create environmentally friendly spaces.

Guildford Library will receive £30,000 a year until 2028 to create a "green library hub" designed to help raise awareness of environmental issues and help people change their habits, Surrey County Council says.

The initiative is part of a scheme providing £1.2m in grants to ten libraries across the UK to help them promote awareness of climate change and other issues.

Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council deputy leader, said: "We're incredibly excited to see the positive impact this project will have across Surrey."

She added: "This funding will not only allow us to expand our green activities and reach more residents, particularly those in disadvantaged communities, but also strengthen vital partnerships with external groups like Zero Carbon Guildford."

A council spokesperson said the green library hub would be used as a community space for people to learn about the environment, focusing on how it affects the local area.

The library will also partner with schools and environmental organisations to spread messages to the community.

Currently the library already operates a "library of things", where people can rent household items to use, a seed bank where people can swap pollinated seeds, and runs tree giveaways.

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