THE British Library in London is among more than 135 libraries around the country lighting up on:- Wednesday 11 December 2024, on the eve of the reopening of a Liverpool library that was torched during the racist riots in the summer.

The arson attack on Spellow Library and Community Hub in Walton prompted a huge outcry and a nationwide response, with book donations from Her Majesty the Queen and a host of famous authors, as well as a £250,000 fundraising campaign.

To mark the reopening, the Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, called on local authorities across the country to be part of a nationwide symbolic moment on the evening of:- Wednesday, 11 December 2024.

Scores of libraries – from Lancashire and Newcastle to Southampton, Cornwall and even the Isle of Wight – have agreed to light up in solidarity and share photographs of it on their social media platforms using the hashtag #ShareTheLight.

At the same time, there will be a community-focused event for local people in Walton, part of which will be broadcast live on The One Show on BBC One.  

The building is being officially reopened on the morning of:- Thursday, 12 December 2024 at a civic event, which will include members of the local community, schoolchildren, 1st responders and political leaders.

There will also be contributions from poet Levi Tafari and Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Following the event, the venue will welcome the public from 12.30pm.

Following the reopening, there will be a weekend of family Christmas events on:- Thursday 12, Friday 13 and Saturday 14 December 2024, which the local community are welcome to attend. More information is available by searching for Spellow Library at:- https://liverpool.gov.uk/libraryevents.

The Council areas and venues that have confirmed they are taking part in #ShareTheLight are:-

British Library
Barnsley
University of Bath
Bath and North East Somerset
Blackburn
Bracknell Forest
Brent
Calderdale
Cambridgeshire
Camden
Cardiff
Cheshire West and Chester
Cornwall
Durham
Gateshead
Gloucestershire
Great Ayton Discovery Centre
Halton
Hampshire
Hertfordshire
Isle of Wight
Kent
Knowsley
Lancashire
Leeds
Manchester
Medway
Nottingham
Newcastle
Oldham
Reading
Sefton
Sheffield
Southampton
St Helens
Suffolk
Wakefield
Wandsworth
Warrington
Wirral
Worcestershire

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, said:- “The torching of Spellow Library and Community Hub affected not just the local community, but also people across the country. The #ShareTheLight moment on Wednesday evening is an opportunity to show that hate will never win in our communities. Spellow Library and Community Hub’s rebirth is testament to the spirit not only of this City, but to the people across the country and beyond who reached out in support. I know that the library staff can’t wait to welcome back the local community and show them the work that has been done to restore this valuable resource. The reopening of Spellow Library Hub marks the start of a new beginning for Walton, which we will be saying more about in the coming weeks and months.”