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.
Nadina McShane was previously Head of Information & Communications at the National Oceanographic Laboratory Liverpool, holding a 1st class honours degree in Information & Library Management.
Nadina is also a former Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.
Nadina is also one of the founding members of Wallasey Village Library Friends – the group that did so much to expand activities in the library prior to closure in 2022.
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