London's urban foxes have an ability to pop up in the most unlikely places. Today, an urban fox has made a permanent home in Wapping thanks to Tower Hamlets Community Housing. The fox in question is of course one of our fabulous Hannah Adamaszek designed Urban Fox Little Free Libraries. This is Tower Hamlet's first LFL.The LFL is perfectly placed on Wapping High Street at the junction of Lilley Close. Tower Hamlets Community Housing chose the location so that the LFL could be enjoyed by its residents, the local community and all visitors to this historic part of London.
Stephanie said: “I’m
a big fan of what the Little Free Libraries, and indeed all
libraries, do for their communities; but this particular library, in
this particular place, has a huge resonance with my own work. I was
very aware of the historic and cultural significance of the different
parts of the city that I used in the novels. The area of east London
where the majority of my characters live is known to them as the
Squats, and it’s a safe haven for homeless, victimised,
marginalised people – a place from which they can begin to rebuild
their lives. In our time, that same area is known as … Wapping. But
it gets even better, because those newly emancipated people learn
what they need to know in part by accessing archived knowledge. In
other words, they consult the library. I can’t tell you how
delighted I am to see that tale come full circle.”
The next time you're in Wapping, be sure to stop by and donate a book, take a book or both. Thanks to everyone at Tower Hamlets Community Housing and Stephanie Saulter for bringing more books to the East End.
