Sue Matthews, Chair of Friends of Shenfield Library, updates us with news of their latest event …

I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear that Tom Hodgkinson’s concert on Saturday at Shenfield Temporary Library was a resounding success! The library was packed with enthusiastic music-lovers who listened with rapt attention to a programme of music by Albeniz, Bach, Debussy, Poulenc and many others, played with virtuoso brilliance by young guitarist, Tom Hodgkinson who has just turned 18. In true virtuoso style, Tom played all of the works from memory.

Each of the pieces Tom played was followed by loud applause, and the beaming smiles on the faces of the audience as they left, spoke realms about how much everyone had enjoyed the evening!

We are delighted that our first Friends event was such a success. We attracted a large audience of local residents to listen to talented musician, Tom Hodgkinson, at Shenfield Temporary Library.  This was  the first of an exciting programme of events we plan to put on in Shenfield Temporary Library and elsewhere, with proceeds from ticket sales being used to fund free events, and to benefit library users in other ways.

We’d like to express our thanks to Tom Hodgkinson for a wonderful performance, to Essex Libraries for working with us to set up the Friends of Shenfield Library and allowing us to use the library outside opening  hours, and to all of those who came along to support our inaugural event.

We’d also like to  let people know  that Shenfield  Temporary Library will be offering most of the usual library services, including Rhyme Time,  until the new library opens at the end of 2023/early 2024.