Peterborough knitting group team up with CPSL Mind to breathe life into neglected library and promote mental wellbeing

Peterborough’s Woodston Library continues to go from strength to strength as local residents work hard to bring the library back to life and save it from closure.

Woodston Library, located on Orchard Street, was placed on Peterborough City Council’s asset disposal list in 2023 and remains there to this day but the community has rallied to breathe new life back into the library through the Friends of Woodston Library Group.

One of the most popular ang growing groups in the Knit and Knatter, who meet on Saturdays, bringing local people together to share time, learn new new skills and support one another and help bring their community together.

The group has even been successful in securing funding from Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind’s Good Life Fund, which offers grants of up to £1500 to people to help set up groups that connect people.

As part of the link-up, the Knit and Knatter group were invited to take part in CPSL Mind’s Mental Health Awareness Week event in Cathedral Square on Tuesday afternoon (May 13).

Visitors were treated to an exclusive performance by The Rock Choir – a leading contemporary, award-winning choir- as well as a music workshop, DJ sessions and learn how to play the keyboards. Members of CPSL Mind were also on hand with its friendly team to share wellbeing tips and give people the opportunity to play board games and have meaningful conversations; alongside providing a listening ear to anyone willing to chat about their day or how they’re feeling.

Jennie Storey, Chair of the Friends of Woodston Library, said: “This a such a valuable and meaningful initiative by CPSL Mind – raising awareness, promoting wellbeing and reducing social isolation in our communities. Our Knit and Natter group are delighted to be part of the Pop-Up Good Mood Cafe and to share the joy and benefits we are finding as our community comes together.

"We have created a real community where people have made friends, sharing skills and knowledge and they are learning. It’s a wonderful thing. People are supporting and helping each other.”

Olivia Hubbard, CPSL Mind Communications and Engagement Manager added: “Our whole theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is community. We are all about community connections and brining moments of joy to moments in Peterborough. One in four people will experience a mental health challenge in any given year so we are here whenever people need to talk.”

Woodston Library has received further boosts from popular community evens such as Rhyme Time for children, surgeries with Police officers every three weeks to allow members of the community to meet the officers on their streets.

Funding has also been granted by Connecting Cambridgeshire for the library to become a digital hub.

To find out more about all of the services available at Woodston Library, visit the Friends of Woodston Library on Facebook.

To access support from CPSL Mind, visit www.cpslmind.org.uk.