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Home Library Service

From Herts County Council

Home Library Service in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire Libraries provides the Home Library Service delivering books to some of the most vulnerable and isolated people in the county. Many of our customers regard the service as a “lifeline,” and value the regular collections of books which are tailored to their interests and delivered to them in their own home by a friendly and familiar face.

Approximately three hundred people now receive the Home Library Service made possible with the support of over a hundred DBS checked, trained, and dedicated volunteers.

It is not just the selection and the delivery of books which our customers appreciate, but also the opportunity for important contact and a chat. This is something that customers look forward to and that volunteers find rewarding.

To help develop this service further, Hertfordshire Libraries have launched our Reading Friends scheme. This enables library staff or volunteers to have a telephone call with Home Library Service customers about their favourite books, television programme or any topic of interest. The initial response to these befriending telephone calls has been very positive and demonstrates the importance for this work to expand.

The Home Library Service supports people who are unable to get to the library, for example those who:

  • have a physical disability which prevents travelling to a library
  • have a learning disability or mental health condition that makes it difficult to leave home alone
  • are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
  • are frail or in poor health which means they can’t get to a library
  • are a carer looking after someone affected by any of the above, and their caring responsibilities prevent them from getting to the library.

If you know of anyone who is eligible and would like to receive the Home Library Service, please contact your library via the Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4049 or share the link below to apply. When customers are enrolled to the service they will also be offered the opportunity to join the Reading Friends scheme.

To find out more, click here to visit the Home Library Service website. 

If you are aware of anyone who may be considering becoming a Home Library Service volunteer, click here for more information and how to apply.

Community Governance Review

During 2022, St Albans City and District Council will be conducting a community governance review of the whole district. The review will look at governance arrangements at parish council / town council level.  

What is community governance?

Community governance takes decision-making and community leadership executed by community members that have a vested interest in their community. By focusing on community instead of the non-profit, for-profit, and government sectors, community governance distinguishes itself from other forms of governance.

The purpose of the review is to ensure that community governance arrangements reflect local identities and interests and are effective and convenient for electors and elected representatives.  

Community governance reviews may consider a variety of topics, including:

  • whether to create a new parish / town council
  • whether to alter parish / town council electoral arrangements (e.g. number of wards / number of councillors)
  • whether to alter the boundary of an existing parish / town council
  • whether to group a number of parishes together in a grouped parish council

Further information about community governance reviews is available on The Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s website: www.lgbce.org.uk/how-reviews-work/other-types-of-review/about-community-governance-reviews

A public consultation will begin in early 2022. During the consultation period, information about the review will be available on a dedicated page of the council’s website and at the Civic Centre council offices. Please contact Electoral Services on elections@stalbans.gov.uk for further information about the review.

Error on page 2 of The Pump magazine, winter edition

The Thursday Club (no long referred to as a club for the disabled) is mentioned in The Pump magazine as being run by David Law – as of September this changed and it is now run by Wheathampstead Community Group.

For those who may not be aware of the Thursday Club, it is a weekly club that provides companionship and support for residents aged over 60 unable to access other activities without support or need day-to-day care either from a carer or family member. It meets every Thursday during term time from 10am to 2pm. Lunch and entertainment are provided. To find out about potential membership, call Val Hughes on 01582 629682 or Peter Woods on 01582 621944.

We apologise for any confusion.

Polling station review – could this mean a change for Wheathampstead?

The Boundary Commission has revised the St Albans City and District Council wards to reflect population changes. Now the Council is consulting on the location and suitability of the polling stations where people will go to vote. In particular, it wants to ensure the stations are accessible to all including people with a disability. As part of the review, the Council is also looking at polling districts, designated areas within wards that determine which polling station voters are assigned to. There are two to five such districts in each ward.

Read More

Wilder Spaces Initiative

Wilder St Albans - Wilder Spaces with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust​

Our local wildlife needs more space to thrive. Many of our smaller green patches could be home to a rich diversity of wildflowers, providing vital food for insects and birds and creating a network of habitat from the smallest to the largest of our wildlife. Every patch makes a difference.

Through Wilder St Albans, St Albans City and District Council are inviting you to nominate your local patch to be Wilder in 2022! Suggestions can include ‘greens’ in cul-de-sacs, verges, footpaths and some areas in our local green spaces.

Click here to see the map and make your nominations. As you will see on the map, Wheathampstead doesn’t very many suggested locations, so get nominating – and be sure to add your comments too!

Welcome Back to Wheathampstead!

You can find a trail map, plus more info HERE. 

If you are a business interested in getting involved, you can also find more info HERE. 

CAN YOU SPARE AN HOUR TO HELP US SET UP AND RUN THIS EVENT?

Community events are run on a tight budget and often require “all hands on deck”. Simply put – we need volunteers! If you can help, please complete this two minute form forms.gle/X3tMiPz4isGaKT4o7

This event is being run in conjunction with Wheathampstead Businesses. Part of this event is to be funded by a grant from St Albans District Council’s ‘Welcome Back Fund’, a scheme which forms part of the EU’s European Regional Development Fund.

Click to enlarge