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By Birkdale Community Hub and Library
To provide access to computers and the internet within the newly renovated Station Masters House. This will also enable us to run classes in computing and other computer based activities.
Pledges will only be charged if the project hits its funding goal of £7,006 by 14 Jan 2020
Birkdale Community Hub and Library is being set up in the Station Masters House to provide a community meeting place, together with services such as book lending and computer access for all, in the centre of Birkdale village. The overall project is bringing an empty building back into use for the benefit of the community, whether it is activities for children, regular club events, or a meeting place for the older people in our community, many of whom live in single person households. Not everyone has access to the internet or computers (PCs) with printers at home. The Hub will have free Wifi, computer access on the ground floor and a computer room upstairs with PCs connected to a printer. The upstairs meeting rooms and reception desk downstairs will have internet access too.
What we'll deliver:
Why it's a great idea:
Providing computers in the Station Master’s House will help all who have no or limited access to computers or printers at home. In particular it will allow schoolchildren and students to carry out for their homework if they are unable to do so at home, or would like a quiet space to work. Currently 12% of those aged between 11 and 18 years have no internet access at home (ONS 2018). Job seekers will be able to look for and apply for employment. We aim to provide both homework and job clubs. The PCs will also enable us to provide classes for older people to learn the basics of computing and safe use of the internet, and can be used to support other classes using computers and for those undertaking self-study courses.
Steps to get it done:
We are grateful for all the support and enthusiasm we have in our community for the whole project of creating a Community Hub and Library in the centre of Birkdale Village. Merseyrail and Network Rail are also active supporters and have already carried out some repairs to the building. We have raised funds for the internal renovations to the house by the fundraising efforts of our volunteers and trustees along with grants from Sefton Council, the Railway Heritage Trust, and a major donation towards a lift. Building work is due to commence in October 2019. We now need funds to pay for computers and IT equipment for use in the Hub and, if funding allows, to have an up-to-date library management system.
Gallery
Location Birkdale
About the space
Centre of Birkdale village
Council
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
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Journey
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Helping our communities and volunteers to improve our beautiful borough
How will the money be spent?Total £7,006
Costs Breakdown
This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.
Overfunding
This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on: We will use any over funding towards the purchase a Library Management System to allow us to catalogue books, record book lending and maintain membership for the Station Master's House.
Total £7,006
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Offer somethingBirkdale Community Hub and Library (BCHL) is a registered charity (number 1153611) set up in 2013, following closure of the Birkdale library. In 2015 we identified the former Station Master’s House in the centre of Birkdale village as an ideal location to open a Community Hub and Library for the benefit of the residents of Birkdale and Southport and the surrounding area.
The Station Master’s House will offer different areas for the range of services we wish to provide once we have completed the internal building renovations. The ground floor will be one large room with a reception, computer station, books for adults and a separate area for children’s books and services at the rear.
We aim to to have a fully accessible building, and so a disabled toilet and baby-changing area will be provided in the downstairs area, and a lift to enable access to the upstairs rooms to those with mobility issues.
The upper floor will have three rooms. Two are meeting rooms suitable for a range of activities such as talks, meetings, games, music lessons and interviews, each with access to the internet. The third room will function as a Computer Lounge with computer stations around the room and comfortable seating.
Merseyrail have been very supportive of the project from the start, and when the superior landlord Network Rail became involved they also were keen to see the project completed. It has been agreed that the house could be leased for 15 years at a peppercorn rent.
The level of support for the creation of a new hub and library in Birkdale village has been heartening. When the Station Master’s House in its original state was opened up for a week in July 2017 there were in excess of 300 visitors and over £2000 was raised. All our fund-raising events have been well-supported by the local community. We have a Friends of the Station Masters House group and a thriving 200+Club which has raised over £3,500 towards the building costs. More than 200 local people have volunteered to help with the project as it becomes operational.
We have raised sufficient funds to carry out the internal conversion of the Station Master’s House and are now actively seeking funds for the Computer phase of the project.
Project Delivery Manager: Birkdale Community Hub and Library The Project Delivery Manager takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.
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