HAROLD WOOD LIBRARY TO REOPEN WITH NEW COMMUNITY-LED FUTURE

16th October 202616th October 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Harold Wood Foundation, Harold Wood Library, Havering Council min read

Harold Wood Library is reopening its doors with a new community-led vision, bringing fresh hope for one of the area’s most valued community buildings after it closed in March 2025.

Fantastic work by local campaigner Rachel Grimwood saw Havering Council announce that the building will return to public use through a partnership with the Harold Wood Foundation, which plans to transform it into a hub for learning, community activities, wellbeing and support services.

The reopening marks a major milestone for the local community, with the Foundation aiming to breathe new life into the building and create a welcoming space where residents can come together, access support and take part in a wide range of activities.

Initially, the building will offer weekday access, with ambitions to extend opening hours in the future.

Plans include literacy support, digital inclusion, volunteering opportunities, youth activities, wellbeing programmes and help for vulnerable and socially isolated residents, alongside traditional library activities.

The Foundation has developed a financial model supported by grants, sponsorship, membership schemes and community fundraising, with the aim of securing the building’s long-term future.

The arrangement will also remove ongoing costs for the Council, including annual mothballing costs of approximately £13,000. Under the full repairing and maintaining lease, responsibility for future maintenance during the term of the lease will also sit outside the Council’s retained responsibilities.

As an Asset of Community Value, Harold Wood Library has long been an important part of local life, supporting education, lifelong learning and community connections. Its return demonstrates what can be achieved when residents, voluntary organisations and local government work together.

Councillor Keith Prince AM, Leader of Havering Council, said:

“I welcome the reopening of Harold Wood Library building and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for this valued community asset.

“Harold Wood Library has long held a special place in the community, and its reopening represents far more than the return of a building. It restores an important local facility and creates new opportunities for residents to learn, connect and access support.

“Since the Administration took office in May, one of our priorities has been to review the Borough’s libraries and consider opportunities to expand their access through a range of models, including co-location with other community services and through the use of community hubs.

“The Harold Wood Foundation has demonstrated and developed an ambitious and sustainable vision for the future of the building, backed by partners, volunteers and local organisations. This community-led approach will help ensure the library remains a vibrant centre for learning, wellbeing and community activity for many years to come.

“I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment and hard work in bringing this project forward. I warmly welcome the reopening of Harold Wood Library and look forward to seeing it once again at the heart of community life.”

The reopening supports the Council’s Havering Plan 2040 ambitions to strengthen communities, improve wellbeing and help residents live independent, connected and fulfilling lives.

For Harold Wood residents, the reopening offers the chance to see a much-loved community building return with a renewed purpose and a new chapter ahead.

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