Sue Matthews, Chair of Friends of Shenfield Library came in to talk about the library and up and coming concerts.

INTERVIEW

Shenfield Library can now be used for fund-raising events, out of normal library opening hours. 

Tom Hodgkinson, our performer on Saturday,  is an exceptional musician – who won the Essex Young Musician of the Year competition in 2022, against musicians aged up to 25 who had attended university or conservatoires.  Tom, who is in the 6th Form at Brentwood School, is being mentored by the world-famous guitarist and composer, John Williams, which is a tribute to his phenomenal abilities.   

Tom’s concert on Saturday 01 October has been a sell-out and we’re sure it will be a very enjoyable evening! 

The Friends of Shenfield Library – which is a newly formed public group and is putting on this concert as its first event – wants to encourage people to make the most of all the services offered by Essex Libraries (many of which people don’t know about). Apart from books, Shenfield Library offers free access to computers, free software such as Ancestry.com, and driving test theory practice tests, and a wide range of online magazines – a bonus now that everyone’s budgets are being really stretched, due to huge fuel price rises and inflation. 

Shenfield Library is also a place that anyone is welcome to go to – and keep warm! – without spending any money.  

Shenfield Library is currently in a temporary location, behind the Bishops Hill ACL on Rayleigh Road, Hutton but it will be returning to a brand-new building on the original library site at the end of 2023.  The temporary library is in a nice bright building with plenty of parking outside. A bus runs past the library – but people will need to check the times 

Our next big event is going to be a Ukelele band concert with Chas and Dave songs to sing along to – quite a different style of music!  – on Saturday 26 November.

(16) Shenfield Library Supporters Group | Facebook

Sue Matthews

Chair, Friends of Shenfield Library

07759 741 272