I opened a children's library in a telephone box!

Magical place to share children's books created in a Brockley phone box

Tuesday, 8 March 2016 By Mandy Little in Local People, South London Press


Children’s author Amanda Swift officially opened the children’s library on the corner of Wickham Road and Lewisham Way to mark World Book Day last week.

The facility in one of the famous “K6” design red boxes is to be open all hours for people to donate or borrow books on the same basis as the established adult library, dubbed London’s smallest, in nearby Loampit Way. It is set to have publications suitable for youngsters aged 0 to 16.

Residents including Mel Mason and Carrie Sutton are leading the project for the telephone box which is one of three in the area, including the adult library, acquired for community use by the Brockley Society from British Telecom

Ms Sutton, a reading support volunteer at Myatt Garden School in Rokeby Road told The Mercury: “Its now like a magical little box – it is at a really beautiful spot right under a cherry tree. Marc Bultitude another parent has put up shelves which are painted rainbow colours and it was his idea to have a grassy floor installed. Its such an inspiring little place and its amazing how many books you can get in it.

I used to walk past it and think it is well positioned for a children’s library as it is close to primary schools Myatt Gardens, Ashmead, Lucas Vale and St Stephens.

Families can end up with a lot of children’s books after they grow out of them and so although you keep some loved ones it is good to be able to pass them on in a way that benefits the community.

There was some worries when the adult library was set up it would be vandalised but there has been no trouble at all so far.”

Amanda Swift from Deptford who co authors the Guinea Pigs Online series of books with Jennifer Gray said: “It is a wonderful new local resource. I live near the adult telephone box on Lewisham Way and it is well used so I hope this box will be just as popular. Books open the door to may other worlds and this telephone box’s door opens to a world of many books.”