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Moving towards September
Where has the summer gone, the whole of July was very wet and now, halfway through August, the sun has returned!
The courtyard garden has blossomed and is a tranquil space, especially with the addition of a bistro set.
We have held our book club and FOIL(Friends Of Irlam Library) meetings outside.
Strawberries, herbs and flowers Books we have been reading.
Voted a depressing read 
Mixed reaction, a tale of 2 ranching brothers, so different, yet their closeness destroyed by one of them getting married and leading to a relentless pursuit of destroying his brother’s wife. 
Very mixed reviews and some of the books not finished and abandoned altogether. “My Name is Leon ” was enjoyed by most. A thoughtful and sad insight into the world of fostering and care from a child’s experience.
This month’s choice Holidays are coming to an end, soon we will have darker evenings and cosy times reading new books and planning for Christmas!!!
Foil are manning a stall at the Irlam and cadishead community Festival on bank Holiday Monday, promoting Irlam library….. more to come soon.
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Friends of Irlam library FOIL
Since wanting to develop the garden space, amazing things have been happening…
A committee was formed and out of that FOIL was born. Weekly planning meetings are actually making the garden on the way to being a reality, starting with developing the inner courtyard into a garden space for community use.
A dedicated team have worked hard to secure funding bids and gaining a lot of support in the community.
The book club goes from strength to strength, fully supportive of FOIL.
George showing us a selection of carvings, many ideal for the proposed garden. Starting the year off with an interesting book about the second world war and Bletchley Park.
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Flower power
The garden now has a wildflower meadow, perfect for bees and butterflies. Can’t wait to see all the different flowers emerge.
This month’s book is all about crop circles and a two man mission to create more and more elaborate patterns, working secretly at night.
Our next Book Group meeting will be the 21st May where we will be discussing this book. Ask at the desk for your copy and join us. Everyone is welcome.
On April 14th Friends of Irlam Library were invited by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to a guided tour of Little Woolden Moss. We were shown how they are bringing the old peat bogs back to life, introducing many bog plants and managing water levels to restore the peat. It’s taking many years to restore a small part of the moss after peat extraction and drainage changed the landscape.
Many thanks to the Lancashire wild Life Trust.
A lot of volunteer work has been going on in the garden. Planting sensory plants, and many seedlings together with the wild flower meadow. We also received the gift of a literary bench, which is beautiful.
Wild flower lawn Exciting to see birds exploring the bird box..
Will we have chicks? Watch this space!
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April Showers
This month’s book choice is
A great classic Join us on the next book club meeting Tuesday 16th April. Pick up a copy at the desk to read.
Some of our book group members have read this as part of school studies. The film is also
moving and memorable.
Another workshop took place on 5th April 
Lovely creations We hosted Jancraftypots for a day of workshops on Friday, 5th April, funded by Friends of Irlam library.
Jan drying the pots 
Happy volunteers Exciting Easter egg hunt, finding the letters and working together to solve the puzzle… spelling out ‘secret garden’
Hunting for eggs It was so good to see the library reaching into the community and the children having so much fun. Many chose books or played with the toys in the children’s library. Some made scratch card Easter book marks.
The garden was voted a great place to play out.
Irlam library is also going to be organising story time on Fridays for pre- schoolers. Well worth a visit.
Maybe the story teller chair may get to be used in nice weather!
Roll on the next school holiday!
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Spring….Almost
So good to see some sunshine and spring flowers everywhere. The library garden is looking good.
We have received a beautiful Storyteller chair and bench commissioned by FOIL from Rosewood Timber Designs. It will be great for the warmer months when the children have Story time.
Ahhh a great throne for Santa too! We were privileged to host Jane from the CVS at our last book club. She wrote a lovely article about us… thank you, Jane. “
No spoilers here”
https://www.salfordcvs.co.uk/no-spoilers-here.
Can be viewed on their website. Author:
Jane Williams, Wellbeing Matters Development WorkerHalf-term saw this all day workshop held in the library
A very sucessful event run BY Jancraftypots 
The library also played host to 3 different well- being events
Our latest book,
“Trespasses” by Louise Kennedy
Set amongst the troubles in Northern Ireland it is a sad reminder of the sectarian violence that took place, we shall be discussing this at our next book club on Tuesday 19th March.
Copies are available on request.
Pop into the library and view the garden
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2024 And A Brand New Year
The first book club of the year was cancelled because of snow!! So cold but extra time to read the pre Christmas book, keeping warm.
Also the January/ February choice
Both difficult reads but well done to those who persevered and had great comments to make at our monthly meeting on 20th February.
Lots happening in the library garden.. with the help of our friends from RHS we built a living willow igloo.. this was a joint effort from FOIL and other community volunteers.
Great teamwork 
Adding a Willow arch the following week It was great fun and can’t wait for the willow to start growing.
Quote from Margaret
“The willow and the people were, again, a pleasure to work with.
Sharing skills.
Fresh air, creating a living sculpture.Thanks to expert help from Nina and Andy from RHS Bridgewater. “
It was great to hold the RSPB Annual Bird count for a second year in the library garden.
Another successful annual Bird Watch 2024 Not seen one quite as big hiding in our willow arch!!
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Friends Of Irlam Library… FOIL
Library garden Looking back over this year on the vision, the planning, the fund raising we can now see the library garden taking shape.
The work began as autumn was taking hold and is now ready for planting in the spring. It is a lovely space and will really benefit the community.
We were invited by Freedom Fibre to a lunch to receive an award of £500 
A shopping trip to a garden centre saw some of the committee spending some of that money on tools and bulbs! A regular careful check of the existing plants and courtyard to see what needs to be done is part of the joy. We recently planted a bog garden with the help of Princes Garden centre in Irlam. A bird Box and bat box were added to the recently pruned cherry tree.
It was messy but fun
Now it’s time to be thinking of Christmas with the Book club and Foil together
Wreath making with willow 
Last Book group meeting and Christmas lunch.. Two books up for discussion…
Another book to read for January
Quick readers already saying it’s a good read and emotional as well as inspiring Ending the year on a high… our Christmas lunch at The Station restaurant
IRLAM Station 
HAPPY NEW YEAR.. see you in 2024
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The Clocks Go Back
Every year I seem to be so unprepared for the clocks going back an hour…. suddenly we seem to be plunged into winter as days get shorter.
However, tending the plants and experiencing the changing seasons via our library courtyard garden we can understand far more about the cycle of life as seeds are harvested and plants die down ready for the cold winter months ahead. It has been an interesting journey since it’s conception and birth.
Friends of Irlam library on a 5 week wellbeing course run by the RHS team. We learned a lot about gardening and therapeutic ways that bring peace of mind, caring for a garden brings. 
We had a visit from the expert team of RHS gardeners to view our proposed garden plans and give advice. They have been so supportive and helped us with our courtyard garden.
Huge thanks to RHS Books are still playing a big part in our library life and our monthly discussions are usually animated and fun.
“The Alice Network ” Octobers’
choice.This book has been a fascinating glimpse into the courage and despair of female spies in the first world War. It brings home the barbaric cruelty that both world wars brought. A very clever weaving of plots in both wars. It was hard to put down even though it was sometimes disturbing reading. The stories of two women from different time zones seeking answers and revenge.
As night’s draw in it is good to curl up with a good book…our next book choice of the month is…
Next book club meeting is November 21st ALL WELCOME
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Bank Holiday Festival
The friends of Irlam library manned a stall promoting Irlam library.
What an enjoyable day.
Enthusiastic volunteers put up a Gazebo, hung balloons and posters advertising Borrowbox and FOIL. Ready for the day ahead.
Tables were set with free activities for children. Painting candleholders, linen bags and scratch book marks… lots of parents joined in too.
Free balloons and preloved books.
Lots of interest 
Some children were inspired to create pictures
We met lots of lovely people, creative children and had lovely conversations with a background of music and fairground sounds creating a festive atmosphere.
So many other charities present with items for sale, tombola and childrens activities. Lots of small businesses represented selling beautiful handmade gifts.
Who could resist the homemade cakes and refreshments in the Lady James Hall!
The weather was very mixed but mostly kind.
We all agreed it had been a very enjoyable day.
Working with willow 
Time to go home 
Big thank you to helpful husbands who did the fetching and carrying. -
Summer is here
Since last writing we have seen the inner library courtyard transformed into a quiet oasis for readers and bees.
FOIL (friends of Irlam library) raised the money to get the flags relaid, a ramp put in place, a raised flowerbed and a beautiful tree. Thank you so much FOIL.
Watering our new tree Work on the Garden starts very soon..
Meanwhile book club choices…we read the craziest book … “The 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared” by Jonas Jonasson.
This was a fast moving story including all the old man’s incredible careers, famous people he met along the way. Chased by the mafia, dead bodies, a vast stolen fortune, strange travelling companions… it was very humorous and hard to put down!
The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page was our choice for April
Quote from a book club member ” I liked the small chapters and, at first, I thought it was a book of short stories. The main stories develop along with their characters, to a mysterious unveiling. ” we all really enjoyed this book.
Our next book was “Buried” by Lynda la Plante, a thriller that had us gripped to the last page. A very good read for some but not for others.
The latest book is called “My name is Leon” by Kit De Waal
We also decorated our shelves for International Women’s Day on March 8th and celebrated King Charles 3rd Coronation on May 6th.
Ready to celebrate the coronation Many of our members shared books they are currently reading or enjoyed. Many of us enjoyed the first 3 books by Richard Osman
Very enjoyable. Amateur sleuths in a retirement home. Do not underestimate this group or their capabilites. Can’t wait for the next one due out in September.
Enjoying the cool of the courtyard reading “A spoonful of Murder” by J M Hall… enjoying the flowers.
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March Already
The weather has been cold, windy, wet and snow yet the spring flowers bring hope and promise of what is to come.
Exciting things are afoot for The friends of Irlam library as they plan their first event on the 30th March.. they are taking part in the RHS Big Seed Sow….. they will be swopping seeds, and plants and sowing seeds together! Making origami seed packets and paper plant pots are also on the agenda. I believe a stack of toilet roll holders have been stashed away ready.
Birdbath displayed in the future garden space 
Willow cutting 
Some of the committee members have been involved in several workshops to learn how to hold similar workshops when the garden is established … making a mosaic birdbath, creating willow bird feeders and also learning how to cut willow, using it to make possible ornamental structures for future use in the garden.
Not forgetting the monthly book choices so far in the Book Club.
The Rose Code was unanimously voted a good read…fascinating insight into breaking the Enigma code at Bletchley Park during WW2.. Three women from vastly different backgrounds become friends within a war torn time of hardship, love affairs and falling out. They experience tragedy, fear, and betrayal. Yet the war was cut short by all those brave people who broke the German codes. A very good read.
The latest book for March is “The Hundred Year Old Man, Who climbed out Of The Window and Disappeared.” Hmm let’s see what happened!
Choice for March 
The third novel based around real life locations in the Manchester area. We also got the chance to read 3 books, by David Nolan “Black moss”, being the first one set in Manchester… based on real events but a thrilling mystery that was hard to put down. The second book is called The Mermaids Pool.
We went to hear a talk given by the author, David Nolan in Eccles library where we had a fascinating insight into the background of his books, his life and career
Just the weather to curl up with a good book, a brew and a jammy dodger or two. Back soon.
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Irlam Library Community Book Club 