Well, I can feel a new blog coming on…So much to say but so little time…Where to begin?

Our Library Annual Meeting takes place on Saturday October 17th (6.00 – 8.00 pm) and we would be delighted if you would like to come along. Sadly, I won’t be there – I have been given a three line whip to attend a family event –  and whilst I am looking forward to that, I am very disappointed to miss the Annual Meeting and the chance that it gives to hear from our supporters and users and to meet with the countless volunteers who help to make the Library such a successful community venture.

One of my jobs as Chairman is to thank all those people who have worked so hard over the last year to keep the show on the road. There are too many to mention individually but I ought to pick out at least a few. So, as Bruce Forsyth and his successors were fond of saying on Strictly Come Dancing – and one could argue about the truth of the statement but perhaps not now – ‘In no particular order’  and on behalf of all the Trustees, – please can I thank:

All the members of the Building and Finance Group, in particular  Anne Burton, Chris Clarke, Despoina Papadopolou and Wes Wareing for all the work that they have done in relation to the Building.

Barbara Trevitt, Sue Rea and all our volunteers who keep the Library running on a day to day basis. The Green volunteers are at the heart of the Library’s operation. Without them we would be sunk.

Julian Hargreaves for his many varied contributions including his ongoing technical support, which I know the volunteers greatly appreciate.

Helen Compson, the Events Committee and the Events Team who continue to organise an excellent series of events which are almost always enjoyable, educational and bring in an important stream of income.

Keith Jewitt for arranging such a good ongoing progamme of  Thursday Talks.

Rachel Gibson, who co-ordinates so much of the work in relation to Events and Room Bookings and is another person whom we would find it very difficult to replace. (Please avoid falling under the proverbial bus Rachel!)

The Aarvold family – who are long time supporters of the Library in all sorts of capacities.

The members of our Advisory Group amongst whom  the names of Julia Black, Tina Gough and Despoina Papadopolou spring immediately to mind because of the all the work they have done  over the last year and more.

And last, but by no means least Manjari Trivedi, our new company secretary.

If I have forgotten anyone, then please forgive me. I suppose the good thing about a Blog is that it can be edited. And I am already thinking of certain individuals – e.g. Paul Rea – that I would have liked to have mentioned but haven’t. (Apophasis – so useful! 🙂 )

Beyond thanking people I should I suppose also be reporting on ‘the bigger picture’.

Chris Clarke has done his usual very thorough job in preparing the Annual Report and I would encourage you to read this if you would like to learn in more detail about the Library’s finances and governance.  Financially, we are in a sound position. In relation to Governance, we are still vulnerable to the loss of certain key personnel. We will continue to work on ‘succession planning’ and on developing partnerships with other organisations and institutions that could provide us with a degree of protection should unexpected events and/or difficulties arise.

The last thing I will mention for the few – the happy few!  – who are still reading is that you may have noticed that 2026 is the National Year of Reading  

Lots of people at the Library have been involved and supported this but I would like to thank in particular Anne Burton, Felicity Mendelson and Barbara Trevitt for all their efforts in promoting it including the inspirational Readathon, which I hope we will be able to replicate in due course…

With best wishes,

Peter

(Chairman of the Friends of Jesmond Library)