When we first heard the Council wanted to close, and potentially demolish, Wallasey Village Library we stepped up to save it.
Working with St George’s Primary School and Wallasey Village Library Friends, we submitted a business plan to the council to take it over.
Thanks to the support of some great council staff and managers who worked with us throughout the process, our application for ‘community asset transfer’ was eventually agreed.
At the same time, our four ‘founding’ trustees (Sarah, Ian, Ray and Nadina) registered with the Charity Commission to ensure we had the legal framework needed for potential funders.
Since then, we have been delighted to welcome new trustees to help us grow and develop our library and community centre in the years ahead.
Our trustees are registered with the Charity Commission and work within legislation and guidance provided.
Wendy Alderton is a Wallasey resident with two children that attend St George’s Primary School where she is also a parent governor.
Wendy works in educational publishing as a project manager and editor.
Wendy is looking forward to being involved as a Trustee and contributing to the reopening and running of the library.
Chris Byrne works as an editor for a small Higher Education Charitable Trust producing two academic journals while he is in the process of completing his PhD degree in British postwar social and cultural history at the University of Southampton.
He lives in Wallasey Village with his fiancée Gemma and their Westie Rufus. In his spare time he enjoys reading, film, video games and experimenting in the kitchen. He wanted to get involved with this project in order to ensure that Wallasey Village maintains a sense of community and to safeguard the value that a local library and community space can bring to a neighbourhood.
Lisa Duggan is a retired civil servant. Married with two grown up sons, Lisa has lived in Wallasey Village for more than 50 years.
Lisa also volunteers for Wallasey Village in Bloom, Forum Housing and Claremount hub.
Lisa has always used the library and is very pleased to be a Trustee and looking forward to being involved in this exciting venture.
Sarah Jones: School business manager, St George’s Primary School
Ray Lyons is local resident, educator and broadcaster whose family accessed facilities at the library for 40 years
Ian Lewis is a local Conservative Councillor representing Wallasey Ward since 2016 and, before that, Leasowe & Moreton East (2008-14).
Ian is also a trustee of Number 7 Social Supermarket. He qualified with the Chartered Institute of Marketing and was previously employed as Media & PR Manager promoting apprenticeships to school leavers and young people.
Jane Pugh is a civil servant with 34 years of service.
A mum of three, Jane has been a Wallasey resident for the past 11 years.
“I love the joy of reading and am excited to support the great work happening with our community library.”
Sue Simpson is a retired Chartered Librarian with 40 years experience of promoting the value of reading and libraries.
Sue has lived in Wallasey Village for almost as long, and know what a positive part Wallasey Village Library has played in the life of the community.
Ellie Sturgess is employed as a litigator at a national law firm.
Ellie is a Wallasey Village resident with two young children.
Ellie and her family have missed the library very much and Ellie is excited to be involved with its reopening and to work with the other trustees
Stephenie Walsh is a Solicitor, born and raised in Wallasey, with a background in working within the NHS and the Private Sectors.
Stephanie brings a range of skills and advice on legal processes, compliance and best practice to the Wallasey Village Library Community Centre project . She is passionate about the role of libraries within the Community, having used the local library as an invaluable resource, to study for exams at various points in her education and career path.
Bill Wyllie is a Chartered Security Professional with a long career at a senior level in international risk management and consultancy across the military, public and private sectors.
He currently works remotely with Dubai Police as well as clients nearer to home, and has a particular interest in the NHS, being Chairman of Healthwatch Wirral and a former lead governor of the Wirral Community Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust. Once the Chief Security Adviser to the Governor of the Bank of England, Bill now lives in New Brighton with his wife Annette and reports that, a million years ago, his “gap year” job (before a degree in philosophy & politics) was as a research librarian within the Durham County Library service!