Kisharon were honoured to host Barnet Council dignitaries on a sunny Thursday at Childs Hill Library – a partnership library managed by learning disabled charity, Kisharon. Childs Hill Library provides a complete range of library services and is managed by Kisharon and run by a diverse team of volunteers drawn from all sections of the local community. 13 people supported by Kisharon carry out work experience at the library each week.
In a typical week, the people we support help to check in new stock, shelve returned books create displays linked to current issues and assist borrowers in finding what they need. The library also boasts a beautiful outdoor space, rare for an urban library and this is maintained by a team of Kisharon community volunteers, children from the local school and the people we support.
Kisharon has been managing Child’s Hill library in partnership with Barnet for 5 years. It has become a leading partnership library in the borough. Kisharon were delighted to welcome to the venue John Hooton (Barnet Chief Executive), Collete McCarthy (Assistant Director of Commissioning & Children’s Services) and Hannah Richens, (Head of Library Service). The special guests all spent time at the library to witness in person the great example of how partnership libraries operate – with Kisharon as a leading library in the borough.
They met with Richard Franklin (Chief Executive of Kisharon), Neha Dhakar (Manager of Childs Hill Library), volunteers and people Kisharon support.
Chief Executive Richard Franklin said, “It was really valuable to spend time with some of Barnet’s most senior officers who it seems to me, share a vision of how third sector providers can best work hand in hand with local authorities and the communities we serve.”
