Run, Jog, Walk for Creative Spaces Co.

Could you join our fundraising team to take part in Run for the 97 5K in Stanley Park on Saturday 24 May?

We’re raising money for our Reading Folk project, a 5-week Book Club for mums of children under 2. We meet weekly in Liverpool and Knowsley to chat over a good book and enjoy some grown-up company.

For many new mums, Reading Folk has been vital for their mental health and wellbeing, by supporting our GoFundMe you can help us bring even more people together to read and connect.

Sign-up for more details on how to join our fundraising team!

“Having a child can be a lonely experience, one where you can lose your identity a little, Reading Folk gives you a chance to connect with people, enjoy something for yourself, and helps you pick up a book to enjoy!”

2024 Wrapped

Happy New Year! As we get ready for another year of creative happenings, here’s our 2024 wrapped 🧡

• 399 children and their grown-ups joined us at least once to read, sing, play games and make crafts at our weekly Story Box sessions across four community venues.

• We hosted six Reading Folk Book Clubs across Liverpool and Knowsley, helping new mums find time to read for pleasure.

• Our 2024 Book Club read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, Kala by Colin Walsh, Weyward by Emilia Hart, The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff, Weirdo by Sara Pascoe, Talking at Night by Claire Daverley, Breakdown by Cathy Sweeney, Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors, Intermezzo by Sally Rooney and finally Think Again by Jacqueline Wilson. Over Christmas, we enjoyed Small Things Like These, ready for our January meet-up.

• Over the Spring and Summer, we brought our creative pop-up to community spaces across Liverpool City Region. We were delighted to be part of Knowsley’s first Pride event! We read, played games and made lots of crafts! 

• In June, we launched the Walton Book Social, in partnership with Walton Vale Community Shop and enjoyed Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart, Trespassers by Louise Kennedy, Kala by Colin Walsh, Uprooted by Naomi Novik, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.

• In the summer, we worked with Merseyside Play Action Council to host art workshops at their summer events and made lots of eco-flower pod cups. 

• We had a Spooktacular October half-term, bringing The Story Box at Hallowe’en to libraries, youth clubs and community centres across the city.

• In December, we brought Santa’s Grotto to Warbreck Moor Park. Over 100 children and their grown-ups met Santa, took home a gift and made a Christmas wreath with My Outdoor Classroom. 

• We were delighted to be part of Spellow Library’s reopening weekend and brought Mrs Claus to celebrate with us!

• To end the year, we hosted our magical Christmas Story Box events and were joined by Rachel from Holistic Harmonies to sing and dance our way into the festive period!

Thank you National Lottery Community Fund!

We’ve got some exciting news to share…

We’ve been awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to support our work bringing free weekly Story Box sessions for under-5s in Spellow Library, Toxteth Library, The Old Library and Walton Life Rooms - families can book their free places here.

With this funding, we can deliver additional free storytelling events in parks, libraries, community venues and more!

2023: A Year in Review

Happy New Year! As we get ready for another year of creative happenings, we wanted to share our 2023 round-up

• 395 children and their grown-ups joined us at least once to read, sing, play games and make crafts at our weekly Story Box sessions across four community venues.
  

• We hosted 5 Reading Folk Book Clubs, helping new mums find time to read for pleasure. It was exciting to bring Reading Folk to Kirkby for the first time as part of the Knowsley Arts Project.
  

• We hosted an International Women’s Day writing workshop with Skywriters exploring resistance and resilience.
  

• Our 2023 Book Club read Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Jennette McCurdy’s memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, Maame by Jessica George, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris, Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks and The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell.
  

• Over the Spring and Summer, we brought our creative pop-up to community spaces across Liverpool, working with 15 organisations. We read, played games and made lots of crafts!
  

• In June, we started a new Writing for the Soul course with Square Pegs CIC.
  

• In the summer, we worked with Merseyside Play Action Council to host art workshops at their summer events, and we made lots and lots of eco-flower pod cups.
  

• We had a Spooktacular October half-term, bringing The Story Box at Hallowe’en to libraries, youth clubs and community centres across the city.
  

• In December, we brought Santa’s Grotto to Walton Vale Community Shop. Over one hundred children and their grown-ups met Santa, took home a gift and made a Christmas wreath with My Outdoor Classroom.
  

• To end the year, we hosted ten magical Christmas Story Box events and a Christmas Party for Babies under-1 and gifted over 100 books to celebrate the season.

A big thank you to Postcode Neighbourhood Trust

We’re delighted to share the good news that Creative Spaces Co. has received a grant from the Postcode Neighbourhood Trust to support our reading projects in places and spaces across Liverpool City Region!

Thanks to this funding we’re currently delivering free weekly Story Box sessions for under-5s in Spellow Library, Toxteth Library, The Old Library and Walton Life Rooms - families can book their free places here.

We’re also able to deliver free storytelling events in parks, libraries, community venues and more.

Creative Spaces Co. Director Rachael O’Byrne said, “We’re proud to work in libraries, parks, community centres and more, bringing books to life through interactive storytelling, music, games and crafts for children and their families. The funding from Postcode Neighbourhood Trust will enable us to work with more families across the City Region.”