Belsize Community Library - The Winch

Join us for on Wednesday 10th June 6 PM - 8 PM

"The Great British Yarn" is the latest documentary by film director Xaymaca Awoyungbo. It explores the communities behind postbox toppers.

The film explores the talented yarnbombing communities responsible for the toppers to uncover the motivations and challenges associated with their selfless acts of whimsy. The 11 minute film is an ode to British eccentricity, craft and heritage.

By spotlighting a range of people, from a 70-year-old man who owns 260 postboxes on the Isle of Wight to a Ukrainian woman who brought Belsize Park together through a postbox topper that celebrated the area’s diversity, the film focuses on what unites us.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-british-yarn-film-screening-tickets-1989389434351?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1*17ocliv*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTg5MzQyMTE2Mi4xNzc4ODY1MTA1*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*czE3Nzg4NjUxMDQkbzEkZzEkdDE3Nzg4NjUxMTMkajUxJGwwJGgw&keep_tld=true

🎉 Celebrating our young authors! 🎉

A few weeks ago, we officially launched 'The Forest that Saved Us'—a brilliant children’s book written and illustrated by a fantastic group of young creatives as part of our Arts Council project here at the library.

This beautiful book was the culmination of so much hard work from our young writers, our incredible workshop facilitator and author Venessa Taylor, and our talented designer Lucie, who worked magic to turn a varied collection of drawings into a stunning final product!

A massive thank you to everyone who made it possible and put so much thoughtfulness into making it a truly memorable day for these young people.

📖 To get your copy please pop in to the Library

⭐ Book Review Spotlight ⭐

"Adventures laced with some magic are perhaps what we as adults expect children to like to read. It is the formula in books as diverse as Wind in the Willows and Harry Potter. Well, it seems children do want just that.

This delightful book was collaboratively written and illustrated by seven children aged between 8 and 12, ably helped by two older teenagers. It tells the story of a family of a mother and father and their four children flying from America to England when near their destination the plane crashes in a forest. Separated from their parents, the children manage to wander off amongst the trees and get lost.

Their adventures involve encountering an owl, a squirrel, a fox and a swan (interestingly in a forest). And the animals can talk. Fortunately one of the children is able to understand them. Then it turns out that the forest is under threat from loggers with their destructive machinery (echoes of the Amazon here in England) and just as the animals help protect the children who are adrift amongst the trees so the four boys and girls help save the forest.

It is a tale of magic, of a stone circle and mysterious magical carvings, with charming and colourful illustrations. And guess what (spoiler alert!) it has a happy ending."

✍️ Review by Neville Spencer-Lewis, one of our volunteers.

Celebrating Our Young Authors

We are thrilled to invite you to a very special Book Launch.

WEDNESDAY 6th May
at 5:45pm - 7.30pm

Our talented Young Writers have spent the
last few months collaborating on a brand-new adventure collection, and it’s finally ready for the world to see!

Join us to celebrate their hard work and creativity.

Live readings and a book signing.
Free Copies on a first-come,
first-served basis.

Join us for our monthly talk on 21 May at 7:30pm in the library

Find our more: https://www.friendsofbelsizelibrary.org/whats-on/upcoming-events

We’re live! Our brand-new website is officially up and running. 🎉

Explore our fresh look, updated content, and easier ways to get involved with everything we do. Check it out here: www.belsizelibrary.org

We’d love to hear what you think! 💬

Join Marsha Ribeiro for an illustrated talk exploring the life and work of her father, the Indian Expressionist painter Lancelot Ribeiro. Through photographs, letters, diaries and materials from the family archive, she traces his experimental practice alongside his connections to the evolving cultural scene of NW3, following his arrival in Belsize Park in 1962.

Marsha Ribeiro, custodian of her father’s archive, has led exhibitions, publications and events across the UK, US and India, and recently collaborated with the V&A Academy on the Lancelot Ribeiro: A Risen Voice symposium. She is currently working on a personal account of his life and work, drawn from the family archive.

Thursday 16th April at 7.30pm

Find out more: https://www.friendsofbelsizelibrary.org/

Your Feedback Shapes Our Work!

Listening to our community is at the heart of what we do. Feedback helps us evaluate the impact of our work and adapt our services to meet the needs of those we support. By sharing your thoughts, you help us improve, grow, and make a real difference.

Complete our Survey: https://app.upshot.org.uk/survey/3d9990d6/11307/d389df97/

We'd Love Your Feedback

Our library is here for you – and we want to make sure we’re getting it right. We’ve put together a short survey to hear your views on our space, activities and services. It only takes a few minutes, and your feedback helps us improve what we offer and shows funders why this library matters to our community. Your responses help guide what we do next and support the future of the library.

Take our survey here: https://app.upshot.org.uk/survey/3d9990d6/11307/d389df97/?dm_i=7SWR,2HNM8,2P9C80,5CT4T,1,0,0,0

Join us on 19 February at 7:30pm for a talk by author, Francis Beckett. He will be speaking about his book which details how his father, a former Labour MP, became the propaganda chief for Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists and later founded a National Socialist League before being imprisoned during the war. The book explores themes of racism, nationalism, anti-semitism, and the impact of the father's controversial career on his family, particularly after the son discovered the extent of his father's Jewish ancestry.

Find out more: https://www.friendsofbelsizelibrary.org/whats-on/upcoming-events .f336j29s7bdm