Libraries Update – August 2025
Summer Reading Challenge – Story Garden
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge – Story Garden – was launched on 1 July and runs to 13 September. Manchester Libraries have been offering lots of crafts and activities to encourage children to sign up to the Challenge and keep reading over the summer. This year, library staff also wanted to reach families in parks and get them involved in reading too. So we set up a Summer Reading Challenge Roadshow, visiting five parks and featuring storytelling, nature themed activities and free book giveaways for children. We have visited Alexandra Park, Wythenshawe Games, Platt Fields, Ladybarn Park and Chorlton Park.
Children can still join up to the Challenge and take part in the competition right up to the 13 September.
Manchester Day 2025 – Central Library
At Central Library, staff certainly know how to kickstart the summer holidays as they’ve had a fantastic time taking part in Manchester Day. Over 205 children and 110 adults visited the library stall on St Ann’s Square, with many of them signing up to the Summer Reading Challenge. With the theme of the festival being ‘Summer of Music’, this was a great opportunity to celebrate Manchester’s music heritage. Therefore, library staff showed attendees how to make simple musical instruments using materials which can easily be found at home.
All you need to make a harmonica, which is surprisingly fun to play, is two lolly sticks, two elastic bands, two toothpicks and one strip of paper! Old summer reading challenge medals were given a new lease of life, by repurposing them as cymbals for homemade tambourines. This was a fantastic way to introduce children and grownups to our summer holidays programme, which attracted hundreds of children, despite our beautiful library being shut for three weeks in August.
Co-Working Space for Businesses – The Generator
With the temporary closure of the Town Hall building, August has been a busy month at Generator’s Royal Mills Branch! Everyone enjoyed a sociable community atmosphere, with some light competition for the sunniest window desk!
Despite hosting fewer events than usual, staff welcomed new faces to the Generator, and hosted a range of workshops such as ‘Building Bridges for Ukrainians in the UK’, delivered by Step To Empower C.I.C, and workshops hosted by the Business & IP Centre. Our very own monthly Networking session opened with a speed networking icebreaker, followed by an evening of thoughtful conversation and exchange.
Staff visited North City Library to deliver pop-up sessions to meet passers-by and library visitors so that they could introduce new people to the Generator Project. It was a great opportunity to share the news about the co-working facilities and the support on offer.
Generator staff have been busy planning events for the autumn period with several already lined up in September, across both locations. Amongst these, staff will be hosting an Open Day at Generator, St. Peter’s Square, where all businesses are welcome and invited to book in for a trial day in the office space!
Find out more at https://generatormcr.org/ or email: generator@manchester.gov.uk
Lantern-making – Longsight Library
As part of their Summer Reading Challenge offer, Longsight Library enjoyed a full house for their lantern-making session, delivered by Storyteller and Actor Robin Simpson. Using willow withies, PVA glue and tissue paper, families were taken through the step by step process of making beautiful lanterns.
It was a great atmosphere as parents and children involved, expressing that they really enjoyed themselves. Feedback included:
“Amazing staff and workshop for the children and adults”,
“Amazing Activity, thank you!”, “We had a great time”
Wythenshawe Games Weekender!
Wythenshawe games was back for a fun filled, action-packed weekend, it was jam-packed with sports, activities and crafts for all ages. It was a pleasure and a privilege for Manchester Libraries to be part of these super busy two days, library staff delivered various craft activities, as well as offered the opportunity for new members of the library to join, and to also sign up to the Summer Reading Challenge.
Wythenshawe Park looked amazing with all the different sport activities and gazebos set up, it was a fabulous offer with so much on offer for all ages. It was a great outreach opportunity for staff to spread the word about libraries and the support available.
Build a Business – Summer Highlights Across Greater Manchester Libraries
This summer, the Build a Business team hit the road, popping up at libraries all over Greater Manchester to support local residents on their entrepreneurial journeys. Staff set up information stands at Abraham Moss Library, North City Library (featuring their shiny new business pod!), and Avenue Library, chatting with aspiring business owners and sharing resources to help them get started. Staff also took our popular Intellectual Property workshop to Chorlton Library, making great use of their newly refurbished meeting rooms, which are fantastic! The turnout was brilliant, and staff met some exciting new businesses that are definitely ones to watch!
One of the big highlights was piloting a brand-new workshop on business strategy, aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small business owners build strong foundations for long-term success. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with one attendee saying:
“Wonderful session – incredibly informative. Keith is a real asset with invaluable knowledge! More events/workshops with him please.”
To wrap up the summer, the Build a Business team took part in the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, setting up a stall to spread the word about workshops and support available across Greater Manchester. The sun was shining, the crowds were buzzing, and staff had lots of great conversations with people eager to kickstart their business ideas.
Supporting Start-Ups Across Manchester – Business & IP Centre
Lindsey, founder of Martial Fit Fusion, has built a business that blends holistic fitness, mobility, and martial arts training, offering both online and in-person sessions. Her journey into entrepreneurship was shaped by personal challenges and a desire to promote sustainable, confidence-building exercise.
The Business & IP Centre Manchester team met Lindsey through the NeuroNetwork Mcr event and supported Lindsey not only through their resources, but by facilitating supportive business community. From networking with like-minded entrepreneurs to accessing information and workshops, the BIPC has helped Lindsey grow her business and mindset. Read more about Lindsey’s journey at the Manchester Libraries blog.
You can also learn more about the founder of NeuroNetwork Mcr, Rebecca Moley from Calm Horizon Coaching at our blog too!
HAF Activities – Forum and Withington Library
In South Manchester, library staff delivered two fantastic HAF sessions over the summer. The first took place at Forum Library, running twice a week from 11 – 2:30. Each morning, children enjoyed participating in swimming or sports, before returning to the library for lunch and creative activities.
Withington Library HAF sessions took place three times a week during the same hours. This programme offered a vibrant mix of crafts and STEM-based activities. Both sessions ran for four consecutive weeks and were very well received.
Feedback from the young people was very positive, they loved the variety of activities on offer. Highlights included Lego Robotics, Aztec-inspired art, clay sculpting, and a CSI-style forensic analysis workshop. It was a brilliant blend of fun and learning, with something to suit every interest.
HAF Activities – Hulme, Powerhouse and Gorton Library
As part of our staff-led activities for children during the summer holidays, they brought back a firm favourite.. Hama Beads! Children and families at Hulme, Powerhouse, and Gorton Libraries got stuck in, creating unbelievably cute (mostly Minecraft-themed) keyrings.
The sessions were a very popular, with lots of focus and organisation of the beads as participants carefully sorted through them to find just the right colours for their design! One determined young man at Gorton Library challenged himself to see how many Minecraft characters he could make in just one hour, his method and results were impressive!
