Corbett Community Library May newsletter

The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, and we’re buzzing to share everything we’ve got coming up this May and beyond! 🐝

Read on to find out more about our Spring Market happening this Saturday, as well as our exciting 10-year anniversary plans.

Please note that due to the market, we’ll be open from 11am–5pm this Saturday for book returns, photocopying, and printing services only. Unfortunately, computers and book borrowing won’t be available during this time.

We’ll also be closed on Bank Holiday Mondays 4 and 25 May for a well-earned rest.

We hope to see you at the market!

Rachel, Ruth and all the CCL Team

Forthcoming Events

Spring Makers Market

2 May 11:00-17:00

Free

We’re excited to welcome you to our first Makers Market of the year!

With 24 fantastic stalls, you’ll find a wonderful mix of bespoke arts, crafts, bakes, cakes, and hot food—all created by talented local artists. It’s the perfect chance to shop local and support your community.

Don’t miss our raffle, featuring some lovely prizes! Tickets are just £1 each or £4 per strip.

By coming along and taking part, you’ll also be supporting the library and helping us continue to provide valuable services for the community. We’d love to see you there!

This October, we invite everyone in to join us for a season of fun, free, and low-cost events. A month-long celebration of the first decade of the Archibald Corbett Community Library, Arts and Heritage Centre (aka Corbett Community Library). A chance to discover this unique and welcoming space, powered by volunteers, in a beautiful grade II listed building.

Our 10th Anniversary events are a chance to celebrate everything our unique library has achieved over the past ten years, while also looking ahead to the future. We can’t wait to welcome you!

Highlight Events

The Corbett Community Fun Palace

Saturday 03 October, 10-6pm

A Fun Palace is a free event made by local people for their own community. At Fun Palaces people come together to share their skills, passions and interests, and to show the world just how brilliant and packed full of geniuses their community is! Our inaugural Fun Palace will be a day celebrating the culture, creativity and heritage of our library. PLUS, we’ll be unveiling our new community mosaic. If you have an idea for the Fun Palace, please contact info@corbettcommunity.org.uk. Find out more about this nationwide initiative on the Fun Palace website.

Catford Arts Trail

Saturday 10 October and Sunday 11 October, 11am-5pm

The Catford Arts Trail has become a highly anticipated event in the Catford Calendar with over 100 artists opening the doors to their houses and showing their work to the public over an Autumn weekend. This year Catford Arts Trail are also celebrating their 10^th birthday and we are delighted to be one of their venues, hosting multiple local artists.

Find out more on the Catford Arts Trail website.

Disco Under the Dome!

Saturday 24 October, 7-11pm

A party to celebrate the actual day we opened as the Corbett Community Library! We’ll provide the vibes, the tunes and a (reasonably priced) bar – just bring your dancing shoes! More info to follow.

Art Auction

Friday 30 October, 6.30 – 10pm

Celebrate Creativity at the Corbett Community Library Art Auction! Join us for our hugely popular biennial Art Auction, showcasing the incredible talent of local artists. Browse a vibrant collection of paintings, prints, sculptures, and more – all created by members of our community.

Whether you’re looking to add a unique piece to your home, to support local artists, or simply enjoy an evening of creativity and conversation, this is an event not to be missed!

All proceeds go toward supporting our programs and community initiatives. Come celebrate art, community, and creativity with us!

New for 2026 – We’ll be hosting a networking event in the weeks leading up to the auction to showcase the art and artists and provide a space for creativity and conversation in an informal atmosphere.

If you would like to donate a piece of work to the art auction you can find out more here.

Celebrating 78 years since Windrush

Saturday 20 June 2-5pm

Join us as we celebrate the 78th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush, marking an important moment in UK history.

In collaboration with Bring Me Sunshine, we’ll be hosting a special event featuring a Windrush exhibition, light refreshments, steel drums, and an opportunity to share your stories.

You can also take part in our Community Mosaic Making Sessions—book a one-hour slot to learn mosaic techniques and contribute to a large community artwork celebrating culture.

📩 To book, contact Lesley:
Lesleyaallen@btopenworld.com | 07729 785843
(Please request a place for the Mosaic Workshop when booking. Spaces are limited, with 12 places per session.)

We’d love for you to join us!

Interview with Kirsty (volunteer)

Why did you decide to volunteer here? I’ve wanted to volunteer at a local library for a while and finally took the plunge and researched what my local libraries offer to members of the community. Corbett Community Library offers a wide array of classes and events, so it was the library I decided would be the best to volunteer at in order to really make a positive difference in my community.

What’s your favourite thing about volunteering here? My favourite thing about volunteering here would be seeing the different families and people who come in. From simply checking out books or to use the computers, to attending the book club, one of the many events, or to just have a chat with a friendly face.

Can you sum up the library in three words? Welcoming, resourceful, fun.

Why would you recommend the library? I would recommend Corbett Community Library for many reasons – to simply browse or check out books to read, or even choose from a selection of donated books to purchase. To attend one of the many classes and events. To use the computers, print, copy or browse online. And I would recommend volunteering here to facilitate members of the community to have access to the amazing services offered here. Spending some spare time browsing books on my ‘to read’ list is a positive as well!

MAY ACTIVITIES

Gallery SE6 Opening Night with Melissa Burton

Thursday 7th May 6-8pm, licensed bar and art exhibition

Art & Nature Workshop

Saturday 9th May 10-12.30 Free and open to adults 20+

This Art and Nature workshop is designed as a moment of creative togetherness to respond to divisive narratives and gather potential to expand solidarity, care and creative health presence in South-East London libraries. Combining presentations, curated conversation, and artistic participation, we will:

1- Explore how art and creative activity can support health and wellbeing, and learn from Dima Karout about the creative health movement in London.

2- Discover the work of artist photographer Arek Golosz and engage with his artistic process.

3- Engage with nature, learn an experimental photography technique, and create an art piece to take home.

Refreshments and all materials are provided. To book your free space click here.

Community Gardening Group

Saturday 9th May 10-12 Free

We were so pleased to welcome a visit from the RHS last week, who came to see how our garden is flourishing! 🌿

Last July, we received a generous donation of 7 trees and over 100 plants from the award-winning garden ‘A Woodland Edge’. It was wonderful to show how these have helped transform our green space into a more inviting, interactive area for the whole community to enjoy.

They loved that we’re taking part in No Mow May and that we’ve created new paths for visitors to wander through and enjoy nature as they explore the garden. 🌼

We also had a fantastic free activity last Saturday, where children planted 45 sunflowers! 🌻 We can’t wait to watch them grow and brighten up the space even more.

If you’d like to get involved, our Community Gardening Group meets every other Saturday from 10am–12pm. We’d love for you to join us!

Midweek Me-time

Wednesday 13th May 7-8pm

To book click here.

Pregnancy Yoga

Starts Saturday 16th May for 5 weeks

Corbett Community Library Mosaic Project

We’re excited to launch a brand new community project that will bring local people together to create a large-scale mosaic artwork celebrating the diversity, heritage, and cultures of our community here in Catford and across Lewisham.

The finished mosaic will be permanently installed in the library, creating a lasting legacy that reflects local identity, builds community pride, and inspires future generations to see the library as a place of creativity and belonging.

Design Sessions:

Wednesday 20th May 10am-3pm

Saturday 23rd May 1-4pm

Making Sessions:

Tuesday 16th June 9am -12.30pm

Wednesday 17th June 11am-3pm

Saturday 20th June 2-5pm

Tuesday 23rd June 9am-12.30pm

Wednesday 24th June 11am-3pm

Join us and be part of something special! For questions, please contact the lead artist: Tamara Froud Email: mosaicallsorts@gmail.com Mobile: 07989 392856

Film Making Workshop

Saturday 30th May 11.15 – 1.15 Free

An introduction to documentary filmmaking workshop. There are stories all around us waiting to be told. Maybe you have a story you want to tell or you know someone with a great story. Come and think creatively about how to turn the stories around us into documentaries. Free to all, open to all ages and skill levels. This workshop will run as part of a series. For more info and to register for the workshop, please email phoebeimcottam@gmail.com.

Yoga Mid Year Re-Set Workshop

Sunday 31st May 2-5pm

To book click here

Opportunity to join the Library Board

We are seeking a new Company Secretary to join our board of Trustees to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the quarterly meetings of the trustee board and any sub-committees, providing assistance and support to the chair of the board of trustees.

This is a voluntary position which should only take up to a maximum of 5 hours per month.

If you have experience dealing with the Charity Commission and/or Companies House or have relevant Co Sec experience, we would love to hear from you. The full role profile can be found on our website Who are we? – Corbett Community Library or drop an email to finance@corbettcommunity.org.uk for more information.