The Urban Fox Little Free Library in Clissold Park

Today we installed London's second Urban Fox Little Free Library in the heart of Clissold Park, Stoke Newington. The first foxy book sharing venue was installed in Walthamstow in May. The artistic design for both came from the wonderfully talented Hannah Adamaszek. Readers from Walthamstow will have seen her signature fox in a few other locations too including the brilliant Mural on the Marsh.

The Little Free Library can be found at Clissold House in the beautiful Clissold Park from today (17 July). As with all Little Free Libraries it works on a "take a book, return a book, donate a book" system designed to be self sustaining. "The park was a great choice for the LFL because it is a community hub for families" says Nick Cheshire (LFL Project Director). 

There are lots of great places in Stoke Newington to pick up a book, including the fantastic public library on Church Street, as well as a number of used a new book shops in the area. Now there's one more place to find a good read and the best part of course, its completely free!

The Stokey Little Free Library is the second LFL to be installed in Hackney by our charity, the Little Free Library Project. The second 'Children's Themed' LFL can be found on Victoria Park Road (No. 191).

We're passionate about promoting access to free books and art and we hope the local community will enjoy having another place to pick up a book or two. Book donations are most welcome too!

If you'd like to find out more about our charity please visit our website www.littlefreelibraryproject.org.uk.

Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy at a Little Free Library

On Saturday 26 July the wonderful Bernadette Russell will be signing copies of her inspiring book, Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy at a Little Free Library in Walthamstow, London.

The book pictured above is jam packed with awesome activities for spreading joy and kindness throughout the land. Are you sneaky enough to pull off a reverse robbery, by sliding a treat into someones bag or pocket? Have you got the guts to undertake a serious smile collection mission, and smile at every stranger you see all day long?

Bernadette Russell is a writer, performer and comedian, who in response to the 2011 riots, decided to try and do a kind thing for a stranger every single day for 366 days (it was a leap year). This endeavour went on to become a theatre show (Birmingham Rep and tour), two interactive installations and an exhibition.

The best part is that after the year was up she carried on being kind every day because she discovered that it changed her life for the better. Maybe it could change your life too, give it a try!

Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy is an activity book based on this experience, for big kids and small kids to have fun being nice. There are 80 ideas for being kind and putting a smile on somebody's face, which we think is brilliant.

Here's Eve (aged 9) taking some inspiration from the book and leaving a copy for someone to find at Birmingham library:

We asked Bernadette what she thinks about our Little Free Libraries.

"I love the Little Free Libraries! One of my favourite acts of kindness was leaving books that I had read and loved around and about for people to find, I always wrote a message inside the book (like Dear Stranger, I loved this book, hope you do too. Love Bernadette). I wish I'd known about the Little Free Libraries when I'd started out as it would have been the perfect place to leave them!"

Thanks Bernadette Russell. You're awesome!

So, if you would like to meet Bernadette and hear her talk about the power of kindness and pick up a copy of her wonderful book, come visit the Little Free Library at 45 Brettenham Road in Walthamstow on 26 July at 1pm. You will certainly leave the event feeling happy and inspired!

www.littlefreelibraryproject.org.uk

The Little Free Library at Clissold Park

The Stoke Newington Little Free Library will be installed inside the Grade II listed Clissold House in the heart of Clissold Park. Throughout the year the park, the house and the cafe are brimming with children and families enjoying the wonderful sights, sounds and facilities this beautiful green space has to offer.

Clissold House (originally named Paradise House) has a fascinating history involving the change of name which arose out of a love story that would probably make a great book. William Crawshay, who bought the house in the early 1800's forbade his daughter Eliza from marrying her beloved, the curate from across the park at St Mary's. Unable to be together, they were forced to wait for many years, until William died, before they could be married. Eliza then inherited the house and married her love, the Reverend Augustus Clissold, hence the name.

For more information about this or any of our Little Free Libraries please visit our website www.littlefreelibraryproject.org.uk.

History of Clissold House sourced from the Londonphile.