YORK EXPLORE'S HIDDEN GEMS, RELEASING THE MAGIC ACROSS THE CITY OF YORK!!

Yesterday, I had a really amazing day with Fiona Williams, Chief Executive of Explore York, and Robert Powell, Explore Community Director. We visited five of the Explore libraries and met some wonderful people who shared their passion, enthusiasm and commitment about what their library or library cafe offered to their community.

We started the day at Acomb Explore with Katie Atkinson who talked passionately about the work the team are doing in Acomb, the opportunities, activities and challenges. From story time and Space Chase; The Summer Reading Challenge to Botcha, Acomb Explore is clearly an exciting place to be!!

We moved on to Bishopthorpe Library with Sonia Murray-Kidd who talked enthusiasticlally about the work the team are doing in Bishopthorpe, where story time and Space Chase; The Summer Reading Challenge are grabbing the imagination. Another exciting place working hard at the heart of this community and it has a beautiful garden adjacent to the library and some wonderful flowering tubs, and vegetable and herb raised beds!

We moved on to Dringhouses Library with Lucy Pell-Walpole who shared her passion for the library and the magic of reading... you could easily miss this wonderful building with its welcoming courtyard space and where we were entertained by "Little Green Rascals' storytime magic!

We had an amazing visit and lunch at Rowntree Park Reading Cafe with Marchin, the manager of the Reading Cafe, whose enthusiasm bubbled and burst against the glorious backdrop of the Rowntree Park. This is another one of the hidden jewels of the Explore family here in York. A place where you can read, return your books, sit and watch the world go by or simply grab and go during a busy day! Simply wonderful!

We finished the day at Fulford Library with Rachael Daggett at Fulford St Oswald's CE Primary School. Rachael talked enthusiastically about the opportunities and the challenges this co-location brings. Bringing local services together potentially provides a fantastic opportunity to connect services and provide community spaces where people can come together and the magic can happen... a work in progress!

WOW what a day!!!