We are holding our popular Quiz at Christmas event on Thursday 12 December at 7.30 pm in the LIbrary. There are prizes to be won!
Tickets cost £7 pp or £6 for FOSAL members from the Library or pay on the door – includes refreshments.
We are holding our popular Quiz at Christmas event on Thursday 12 December at 7.30 pm in the LIbrary. There are prizes to be won!
Tickets cost £7 pp or £6 for FOSAL members from the Library or pay on the door – includes refreshments.
When: Saturday 7 December 2024, 10.00 am – 12.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO ILLNESS THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE
When: Thursday 28 November 2024 at 7.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
A talk about the cotton famine by Ruth-Anne Walbank. Tickets are available from the Library and cost £7 or £6 for FOSAL members
When: Thursday 7 November 2024 at 7.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
We are holding a wine tasting event, supported by Booths, Lytham, in the Library in November. Tickets are £15 each and are available from the Library. Tickets must be paid for in advance – cash only please. Places are limited so booking is essential.
This event is for over 18s only.
When: Thursday 24 October 2024, 2.30 – 3.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Aimed at children, six to ten years old, at half-term. Tickets cost £4 per child. Booking is essential – tickets available from the Library or by emailing info@fosal.org.uk
When: 17 October; 21 November; 19 December 2024
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Please pay what you can
Three sessions, each a gentle hour of relaxation for well being. Sessions run by Andrea Poole.
When: Friday 27 September 2024 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
We are hosting one of our popular Murder Mystery events in September. Once again, you will have the opportunity to join The Windmill Players Murder Mystery Company for their new production, Death at Meadowbrook Farm.
Harvest Haven – a sleepy little village with just a few houses, a pub, a farm and a spa hotel. So what will happen when plans are afoot to make big changes? The villagers are not happy, and emotions are about to erupt. What will become of Meadowbrook Farm – and who will DIE???
Tickets £7, members of the Friends of St.Annes Library £6.
To book email the Friends info@fosal.org.uk or see a committee member (at the library every Friday 10am to 12pm).
We are holding our Annual General Meeting in the Library on Thursday 13 June at 7.30 pm.
The meeting will be very short (click here for an Agenda), and will be followed by refreshments and a talk by Karl Dawson on the fascinating history of Ditchburn Equipment Ltd of Lytham St Anne’s. Ditchburn was one of the first manufacturers of jukeboxes in the UK. Karl will cover the history of the company and the stories of the people that made it all happen, as well as the importance of the Ditchburn jukeboxes in British teen culture of the fifties and sixties.
As a taster you might like to watch an episode of Antiques Road Trip, which includes a visit to the Ditchburn Museum and a short interview with Karl. Please click here – the Ditchburn item starts 11.20 minutes in.
Please do come along and support the Friends and your Library. There will also be an opportunity to renew your Friends membership which still remains at £5 for the year.
The minutes of our 2023 AGM can be viewed/printed here together with the Chair’s and Treasurer’s reports.
By popular request our Bingo evening is back! Thursday, 21 March at 7.30 in St Annes Library.
Tickets are £6 (£5 for FOSAL members) for three games. Additional game cards can be purchased for £1. Families are welcome.
Tickets are on sale in the Library or pay on the door. Please try to purchase your tickets in advance to make it easier for the Friends to accommodate numbers. Thank you.
Come and join us join us for a festive Christmas Quiz in the Library!
Tickets are now on sale in the Library or you can pay on the door (cash only please). The cost is £6 per person (£5 for members), which includes refreshments and mince pies.
Hope to see you there!
When: 29 September 2023 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Lbrary
We are hosting one of our popular Murder Mystery events in September. Once again, you will have the opportunity to join The Windmill Players Murder Mystery Company for their new production, What’s in Store? Maybe . . . . Murder!
The setting is a department store, Shentons, slightly down–at–heel and old–fashioned, but still with a good reputation. However, nowadays there aren’t as many customers as there used to be, and the Directors have even suggested moving online. Unfortunately, this brings out the worst in the staff; secrets are revealed, tempers are lost – and someone ends up dead! Can you solve the mystery?
Tickets are £7 per person (or £6 for FOSAL members) and are on sale in the Library (cash only please) or on the door.
We are currently organising a Library Garden Party to be held on Saturday 2 September, 10-30 am – 3.30 pm. This event is to raise funds for the repair and maintenance of the library garden.
There will be plenty of activities for the whole family. St Anne’s in Bloom will be organising a plant swap, as well as children’s activities – filling lavender bags and making bird feeders with pine cones and fat. There will be a flower quiz, stalls for cakes, second hand books and much more.
Please spread the word. We hope to see you there!
A talk by Mick Downer. Ninety-three years ago, in July 1930, six youths, who were on a camping holiday from St Aiden’s Nautical School for Roman Catholic Boys, drowned in St Annes. At the time the Lytham St Annes Express headline said, “Six youths drowned at St Annes: camping holiday ends in terrible disaster”. Speaker Mick Downer describes the event as, “Possibly one of the worst beach drowning incidents in the UK.”
The talk will be followed by refreshments, after which a representative from the RNLI will provide an historical perspective on the event and discuss safety issues which were different back in the thirties.
Tickets costs £5 pp or £4 pp for FOSAL members – on sale at the Library or pay on the door.
Fiona Boismaison, Chair of St Annes in Bloom, will give a talk – How Green is Your Garden. Come along and get some gardening tips from an expert! The talk will last about 35 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A session.
Tickets costs £5 pp or £4 pp for FOSAL members (includes refreshments) – on sale in the library or pay on the door.
We are holding our Annual General Meeting in the Library on Thursday 27 April at 7.30 pm.
The meeting will be very short (click here for an Agenda), and will be followed by refreshments and a talk by Alan Ridgway, Growing up under the spotlights age 12+. Alan’s talk will cover his time in the original cast of Oliver to being in the very first National Theatre Company under Olivier. He has worked with Ron Moody, Sarah Miles, Dame Maggie Smith, Peter O`Toole, Lord Olivier, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Ian McKellen and the one and only Judy Garland to name but a few. The talk takes in the ups and downs of a child actor – good and bad
Please do come along and support the Friends and your Library. We are planning a social calendar of events for 2023-24 and your help would be greatly appreciated. There will also be an opportunity to renew your Friends membership which still remains at £5 for the year.
The minutes of our 2022 AGM can be viewed/printed here alongside our Chair’s and Treasurer’s reports and Accounts.
Our first social event of 2023 is a talk on when the railway first came to Lytham St Annes, by Roy Winter. We’re sure that this will be of interest to a wide audience – local history enthusiasts, as well as rail buffs! Discover how the construction of the railway lines in the 19th century not only opened up St Annes and Lytham to visitors, but also ensured that Fylde businessman could easily get to Manchester.
Tickets cost £5.00 pp or £4.00 for FOSAL members (includes refreshments) – pay on door.
Thursday 8 December 2022 at 7.30 pm
Forget about shopping, writing cards, etc and join us for a fun Christmas Quiz in the Library!
Tickets are now on sale in the Library or you can pay on the door. The cost is £5 per person which includes refreshments and mince pies.
If you can display a copy of the poster above then please download it here. Thank you!
Hope to see you there!
The Final Assembly – A Deadly Reunion
Ah, schooldays! The happiest days of your life! Not for everyone, though. Even many years later, there can be lingering bitterness, simmering resentment, scores not yet settled. Then you receive an invitation to a school reunion, an ideal opportunity to see what your past schoolmates have been up to in the intervening years – though you may not even recognise some of them!
And for one old school friend, it’s an opportunity – for murder!
Join The Windmill Players Murder Mystery Company for their new production, The Final Assembly – A Deadly Reunion, and test your powers of deduction!
Tickets are now on sale in the Library – or pay on the door (£5 pp or £4 pp for FOSAL members; includes refreshments).
Our popular Bingo evening is back! Thursday, 7 July at 7.30 in St Annes Library.
Tickets are £5 (£4 for FOSAL members) for three games. Additional game cards can be purchased for £1.
Tickets are on sale in the Library now – or pay on the door on the night.
The Library has organised a Jubilee Garden Party for Saturday 28 May, 10.00-12.00. There will be face painting; crown and badge making; raffle and bran tub; plant and book sales; ice cream and refreshments; treasure hunt; music; games; and lots more, including an opportunity to take a selfie with the Queen!
The Friends will be helping out; any prizes for the raffle would be greatly appreciated. There will also be a plant stall – if you have any cuttings or spare plants please think about donating them.
Please do come along for what promises to be a fun event for all ages.
For photos this event please click here
Please note that this event was postponed from Wednesday 4 May due to the weather. It will now take place on Friday 6 May.
As part of National Gardening Week, we are holding a Gardening Morning. Come along and meet the Friends of St.Annes Library and find out about joining the group. Help make the garden look more colourful by getting involved with geranium planting.
Refreshments will be available. There’s no need to book, just turn up!
We’re delighted to announce that we shall be holding our first Annual General Meeting since before Covid. It will be held in the Library on Thursday 21 April at 7.30 pm.
The meeting will be very short and will be followed by refreshments and a talk, A Brief Tour of St Anne’s Without Leaving Your Chair, by Tony Ford, which will provide a virtual tour on the history of our town.
Please do come along and support the Friends and your Library. We hope to be able to offer a social calendar of events very soon and your help would be greatly appreciated.
You can download/print the Agenda and Minutes of the last AGM by clicking here: Agenda; Minutes of the last AGM
We look forward to seeing you on 21 April.
When: Saturday 29 February 2020 at 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
Where: St Anne’s Library
Our popular coffee morning and bake sale is back! Please come along, have a chat and a coffee, and buy some delicious confectionary.
Can you bake? If so would you please be willing to donate some buns, scones, tray bakes, Victoria sponges – any sort of cake – to our event. All proceeds will go to helping St Annes Library and maintaining the Library Garden.
If you can display a copy of the poster below then please download it here. Thank you!
When: Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 10:00 – 10:30 am
Where: St Annes Library
Children from St.Thomas’ Primary will be singing Christmas carols between 10.00 and 10.30am. Please come along and join in the festivities with the Library staff and the Friends of St.Annes Library (FOSAL) who will be providing refreshments from 9.30am.
All welcome.
When: Tuesday 3 December at 7.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Tickets are £4.00 per person; £3 for FOSAL members
Come and join us for an evening of seasonal readings, refreshments and a quiz!
When: Saturday 5 October 2019 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
In response to popular demand, we have arranged a Murder Mystery event for Saturday 5 October 2019 at 7.00 pm. Once again the play will be performed in the Library by the Windmill Players.
A retirement home – you expect it to be peaceful, tranquil. A haven of calm and serenity….
Not when the residents are all ex-theatricals, with their egos and their secrets!
Join us at Woodland Hills Retirement Community, and decide who gives the best performance – as a murderer!
A former Lancashire Librarian, Andrew left Kirkham library in 2015 after releasing his novel The Loney. His third novel Starve Acre was published this year. You could be the proud owner of a signed copy of Starve Acre.
Enter a sealed bid to the library (including contact details) by the end of Thursday 19 December.
All monies raised will go to the Friends of St.Annes library. Good luck!
When: Thursday 5 September 2019
Where: St Annes Library at 7.30 pm
Cost: Tickets £4 (£2 FOSAL Members) or pay on the night; includes refreshments
This popular event is back again. Come along and pit your wits against our quizmaster Roy. Teams will be four people – teams larger than four will have a point deducted for each additional person.
A poster advertising the event can be downloaded here.Please print it out and advertise this event if possible. Thank you.
When: 17 August 2019 at 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
Where: St Anne’s Library
The Great British Bakeoff comes to St Annes Library! Can you bake? If so would you please be willing to donate some buns, scones, tray bakes, Victoria sponges – any sort of cake – to our Coffee Morning & Bake Sale. If baking isn’t your thing, then please come along and buy some delicious confectionary. All proceeds will go to helping St Annes Library and maintaining the Library Garden.
If you can display a copy of the poster below then please download it here. Thank you!
Date: Thursday 4 July at 7.30pm
Venue: St Annes Library
Cost: £5 (£4 for FOSAL members)
Come along and try your luck at a fun Bingo evening in the Library. Tickets are £5 (£4 for FOSAL members), which will give you three games. Additional cards will be available to purchase at £1 each. Refreshments will be available.
Tickets can be purchased in the library.
Date: Thursday 23 May 2019, 5.00 – 6.00 pm
Venue: St Annes Library
Cost: Free
We look forward to welcoming back Dean Fraser, who gave us an afternoon of poetry a couple of years ago. This time Dean will talk about natural ways to combat stress. His talk will be followed by an informal Q&A session.
Dean will also be signing copies of his book, You But Stress Free. More information about Dean Fraser is available on his website.
This is a free event. Refreshments will be on sale.
When: Thursday 28 March 2019, 5.30 – 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
PLEASE NOTE THE START TIME OF 5.30 PM. UNFORTUNATELY SOME LETTERS SENT OUT TO MEMBERS SAY 7.00PM. SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED
Now that the Library has re-opened we’re looking forward to welcoming existing and new members to FoSAL and get their feedback on the sort of events they’d like to see the Friends organise.
Bureaucracy demands that we must hold an Annual General Meeting before we embark on a new programme of events. A short AGM will be held on Thursday 28 March at 5.30 pm. We will also be serving cheese and wine to all attendees.
Please do come along along, get involved and support your local library. We look forward to welcoming you!
Date: 19 July 2017 at 2.00 pm
Venue: St Annes Library
Cost: free
Dean Fraser – The Quantum Poet will be performing at St Annes Library on Wednesday 19 July at 2.00 pm. Dean is a performance poet and author of poetry collections: Beyond Poetry; The Cheshire Poems; The Lancashire Poems; The Mind, Body & Soul Poems; and Travels With My Notebook & Pen. He also presents the radio show Beyond Poetry.
Refreshments will be on sale.
Gary wants to borrow five-bob from his sister so he can go dancing down the Town Baths. Gary wants her to iron his trousers – because no-one puts a crease in like she does. Gary wants Keith’s bird, but gets in a fight, loses, then asks the nurse putting in the stitches to make sure it leaves a scar.
This bright, beautiful, funny play by former Cheshire Poet Laureate, Joy Winkler, is about one age becoming another, about the monochrome 50s being pushed aside by a bright new world. Lightning Under their Skirts offers a night of Babycham and liberation, of dancing… and also the world’s best music ever written.
A Storm In The North production, in association with Action Transport Theatre.
Alex Hulme and Ben Paveley will be performing at St Annes Library on 21 April at 7.00 pm. This will be an evening of original music from two up and coming ‘Neu Folk’ singer/songwriters.
Tickets are £3 per person, available in advance or pay on the door.
When: Thursday 23 March at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes LIbrary
Cost: £7 per person (£5 concessions). Includes refreshments sponsored by the FRiends of St Annes Library (FOSAL). Available from the library or reserve by emailing stannes.library@lancashire.gov.uk
The Churchfitters is a folk band like no other. A bass guitar made out of a frying pan. Heart-wrenching vocals accompanied by a musical saw. Foot-stompingly fast fiddle mixed with infectious funk-rock bouzouki. And traditional tunes reinvigorated with mesmerising jazz sax.
The three virtuoso musicians from England and France strut their stuff on a stage that bristles with instruments – adding flute, banjo, dulcimer, tin whistle, guitar, ukulele, stand up dustbin bass and a sackful of percussion to their ensemble. And let’s not forget the unique ‘bing-bong’ machine made out of hack-saw blades.
Throw in some exquisite harmonies, a slew of startlingly original songs and a few jokes that create instant rapport and you’ve got a high energy show that always leaves audiences cheering. How do you adequately describe such a musically diverse, uplifting band? You leave it to Mike Harding, a self-confessed ‘huge, huge fan’. He calls them ‘totally brilliant and beautiful’.
When: Friday 29 July 2016 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Free. Donation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (includes refreshments)
For his 70th birthday, Vic Heaney set up a project which had him walking 14,500 kms to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research. For his 80th birthday a new project will have hime writing, talking, signing and seeking donations towards his target of £8,000 for the same cause.
The author of two books, Living in the Real Cyprus and Vic’s Big Walk, from SE France to NW England, Vic will share his adventures of traversing large distances by foot.
Free tickets are available from St Annes Library or on the door.
Vic also writes a bog which can be accessed here.
When: Saturday 2 July 2016 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: £5 per ticket; £4 for members (includes refreshments)
Once again we are hosting a murder mystery play by the Windmill Players. This has become on of our most popular annual events attracting large audiences of locals and visitors alike.
The title this year is Death on the SS Amounderness and the action centres around a cruise ship, its passengers and crew. There are many ways to commit a murder on a ship, so which will it be? And where can the perpetrator hide?
Tickets are on sale in the library – or pay on the door.
When: 5 April 2016 at 2.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Free
Have you ever wondered how St Annes keeps its beaches so clean? As well as local council services, our lovely beaches are kept litter free by a group of dedicated volunteers. Come along and hear all about them!
When: Friday 11 March at 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: £3; £2.50 for FOSAL members
Come along and meet local author Philip Caine and chat to him about his book Picnic in Iraq.
Philip has over 35 years’ experience, operating projects across three continents, within the Oil & Gas Industry, providing support in facilitates & project management, in remote and hazardous locations.
The end of the Iraq War in 2003, took Philip to Baghdad, where he directed the operations and project management, of multiple accommodation bases for the American Military. A challenging, hazardous & demanding location that required him to provide and deliver full support for over 30,000 troops, over nine separate locations, throughout Baghdad and Northern Iraq; a prioject that lasted almost seven years.
Philip, semi-retired in 2014 and began writing his first novel Picnic in Iraq in February 2015. He is currently working on a sequel.
You can read more about Philip and his writing here.
What: Author talk
Who: Andrew Michael Hurley
Where: St Annes Library
When: Friday 20 November 2015
Cost: £3, includes refreshments
Andrew Michael Hurley used to be one of the managers at Kirkham Library before he left to pursue his writing career. His debut novel ‘The Loney’ has been published to great acclaim- there are many outstanding reviews in the national newspapers which you can view online, and he’s even had a review from Stephen King himself! The film rights have also been bought, so we can expect to see it on the big screen in the future.
We are delighted to announce that we have arranged for Andrew to come along to talk to us about his book and writing at St Annes Library on 20 November at 7.00 pm. Tickets are £3 each, including refreshments.
Please do come along and please tell your friends about the event. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see a new novelist as his career is really taking off. Tickets can be purchased from the Library, Tel: 01253 643900.
When: 12 November 2015 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Our AGM will be held on Thursday 12 November in St Annes Library.
The short meeting will be followed by a talk – Gardening in the Fylde, by Fiona Boismaison, gardener and newly elected Chair of St Annes In Bloom.
The event is open to all. Please do come along and find out more about the Friends of the Library, and get some expert gardening tips!
Free admission.
When: 22 September 2015 at 2.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
We are holding a Bingo afternoon on Tuesday 22 September, from 2.00 – 4.oo pm in the library. Cost is £5 per ticket which includes tea/coffee and biscuits.
The first two games are free. Additional games will be £1 each, with prizes of £5 for 1st single line and £10 for a full house.
Tickets are available from the Library – or pay on the door.
When: 9 September 2015, at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: £5 includes glass of wine/juice
A talk by Pete Stych on his 25 years as a special constable. There will also be an exhibition of police memorabilia.
When: Saturday 1 August, 7.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Who: Adults
Cost: £5 per ticket (includes glass of wine/juice)
Once again the Windmill Players are returning to St Annes Library to stage a murder mystery, Murder at the Majestic
Move around the library as events unfold and solve the mystery.
Tickets are on sale in the Library.
We are holding our annual garden party in St Annes Library garden on Saturday 4 July, 1.00 pm
Cakes, plants, books, games, story telling and more. Free admission.
Please come along and support your local library.
When: Saturday 20 June, 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Who: Children – all ages
Cost: £1 per child (includes refreshments)
This is a family event exploring the life of bugs. After a quick introduction to the activity hunt for mini beasts, the children will be supervised to search for insects in the library garden. Bug pots, mini beast trays, ID sheet and spoons to pick up the mini beasts will be provided.The children will then learn some exciting facts about the things we have found and then with the aid of quick drying clay, they will make mini beasts to take away with them.
When: Wednesday April 15th at 7.00
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Free + refreshments
Simone Cowgill is the owner of the Angel Lounge in Alexandria DRive, Lytham St Annes. Inspired by angels to open The Lounge, Simone’s background is in teaching and metaphysical counselling. She is also a tarot reader and lay preacher at the local Unitarian Church where she is registered to conduct christening, weddings and funerals. Her vision for The Angel Lounge is as a centre for spiritual teaching and learning (where you can also get a great cup of coffee). She is also a fully qualified Reiki Master.
Simone has agreed to talk about what she does – Tarot, Reiki, mediumship and metaphysics, as well as being a lay preacher – on Wednesday 15 April at 7.00 pm. The evening will finish at approximately 9.00 pm. Refreshments will be served.
More information on the Angel Lounge is available at http://www.theangellounge.com/
When: Thursday 12 February 2015, 7.30 – 9.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Tickets are £4 each for FoSAL members; £5 each for non-members. Tickets are on sale in the Library
A romantic evening event, comprising readings, romantic quiz and music from Mike Taylor. Wine and nibbles will be served.
We look forward to seeing you there.
When: 19 November 2014
Where: St Annes Library at 7.00 pm
We will be holding our Annual General Meeting on 19 November 2014. This will be a short meeting and will be followed by a talk on the Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell, by popular lecturer Marie Riley.
The event is open to everyone ie, it is not restricted to FoSAL members. The AGM will take a maximum of 30 minutes. Please come along and support us. The meeting will give you an idea of the type of events we organise and how we support our library. Maybe you will consider getting elected onto the committee or joining the Friends for the first time!
Refreshments will be served.
When: 24 September 2014, 7.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: £4, includes glass of wine and nibbles
The Windmill Players present ‘A Schooling in Murder!’ What lies beneath the facade of a respectable girls’ boarding school? Move around the Library and solve the murder mystery.
Tickets are on sale in St Annes Library.
When: 31 October 2014 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Tickets are free (donations accepted)
Cork Jackets and Drill tells the story, through original songs and narration, of the 1886 Southport lifeboat disaster, which claimed the lives of almost all the crew members of the Southport and St Annes lifeboats. The songs and script are by Southport-based playwright, Len Pentin, whose work has been performed at Liverpool’s top theatres, BBC Radio Merseyside and the London fringe.
The musical performance, with its folk roots, is skilfully steered by the Cork Jacket Crew (Chris Nelson, Siobhan Nelson, Len Pentin, Clive Pownceby and Pete Rimmer) who are all active singers and musicians in the Southport area. The narrator is actor Colin Wayte.
Cork Jackets and Drill tells how the dreadfully impoverished fishermen of the northern towns of Southport, Lytham and St Annes bravely gave battle one terrible storm-ridden December night in 1886, in an attempt to save the crew of the German ship Mexico, in distress off Southport sands.
At the time, the tragedy touched and deeply affected the whole of the UK but it is now, sadly, largely forgotten. Cork Jackets and Drill attempts to rehabilitate the memory of the brave lifeboatmen (mostly fishermen by trade) who risked and gave their lives that evening for others – many going out to sea with empty stomachs, such was their desperate financial plight. Further information about the company and performance is available here.
When: 2 August 2014
Where: St Annes Library Garden
Cost: £5 adults; £2 children
We are holding a summer flower festival in the Library. Floral arrangements, with a literary theme, will be on display and a florist will provide a demonstration in flower arranging. There will also be music, a garden tombola, stalls and other attractions.
Our cream tea will be a mix of homemade scones, jam, cream and cake. We’ll also have some of our famous cup cakes for the children.
Please do come along and support the Friends of St Annes Library. This is an important fundraiser. All funds will go towards much needed items for the St Annes Library service.
When: 14 February 2014, 7.00 – 9.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Tickets are £4 each for FoSAL members; £5 each for non-members. Tickets on sale in the Library
A romantic evening event, comprising music, poetry, readings from novels, etc. Wine and nibbles will be served. If anyone wants to read, please bring a short poem or piece of prose.
We look forward to seeing you there.
When: Thursday 17 October 2013 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Tickets £2.50 each
Sid Calderdale performs stories, songs and poems told in Lancashire dialect. He has been called a “Lancashire Dialect Historian”, (a description coined by Paul Martin of BBC2’s Flog It) with almost 40 years of experience of researching, collecting and performing dialect works from our literary heritage. He’s Chairman of “The Lancashire Society”, committee member of the “Edwin Waugh Dialect Society” and founder of the “National Dialect Day” to be held this year in Exeter on 18th – 20th October. He’s been on BBC radio & TV, made several recordings, appeared at folk, arts and literary festivals up and down England but mainly in Lancashire
This Community History event, ‘Lancashire Garland: songs, poems and stories of St Annes, the Fylde and Rossendale’, is part of the ‘St Anne’s on the Sea: the Rossendale connection’ project which has been running all summer. Further information about the project is available here.
When: 9 October 2013 at 7.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Free
The Annual General Meeting will be held on 9 October at 7.30 pm in the Library. All members should have received a nomination form for the election of Honorary Officers.
The AGM is open to both members and non-members.
Mosaic in St Annes Square
Following the short meeting, Paul Drinnan, Head of Regeneration Fylde Borough Council, will give a presentation ‘Love it or Hate it’ on the regeneration of St Annes Square.
Refreshments will be served
When: Thursday 26 September 2013 at 7.00 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: Free
Learn all about William Calcraft – England’s longest serving hangman – in this fascinating talk by Colin Penny. Don’t miss this interesting event at St Annes Library by this ever-popular speaker!
Further details to be made available shortly.
When: Thursday 22 August 2013, 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Cost: £2.50 per person
Did you know that there are historical links between Rossendale and St Annes? Local Historian and author Ken Bowden from Bacup is visiting St Annes Library to give a talk ‘Rossendale comes to St Anne’s’, as part of the ‘St Anne’s on the Sea: the Rossendale connection’ project. Ken will be looking at the links between the two areas and the importance of Rossendale people in the emergence of the seaside town. Further information is available here.
The event comes from Lancashire County Council’s Community Heritage Team, in association with the Friends of St Annes Library. The talk is a follow up to that given by St Annes-based local historian Peter Shakeshaft at Haslingden Library a short time ago.
Tickets are on sale at St Annes Library. Further information: Tel: 08450530005. Email: stannes.library@lancashire.gov.uk
When: Saturday 29 June 2013
Where: Library
Lovely cakes!
We are holding our annual garden party in the Library garden on 29 June, 11.00 am – 3.00 pm .
This is a fun packed event for all of the family, with children’s entertainment, music, plants and seeds, gardening equipment, books and refreshments.
The programme is:
11:00-13:00 Facepainting by Funky Monkey
11:30-12:00 Heyhouses Community Choir
12:00-12:30 Storytelling
12:30-14:30 Family Craft Workshop with Lisa Wigham
There will be a bottle tombola, as well as home-made cakes and chutneys.
We would welcome any donations of bottles and cakes!
We hope to see you on Saturday 29 June!
When: Saturday 4 May 2013 10.30 am – 12.30 pm
Where: Library
Our popular book sale will be held on Saturday 4 May at the Library. A book ‘swap shop’ will be available for children, who can bring along their books and swap them for some different ones.
We need donations of good quality – preferably fiction – books, so if you’re spring cleaning and are clearing out your shelves, please remember us! Books can be left at the Library from the 15 April onwards.
Refreshments and home made cakes will be available, so come along and buy a coffee and cake and browse the books before purchasing.
When: Thursday 7 March 2013 at 7.30 pm
Where: Library
Cost: £3 per ticket
The Bronte Sisters by Patrick Branwell Bronte
The 7 March is World Book Day and to celebrate we have organised ‘An Evening With the Brontes’. There will be a Bronte quiz, a biographical introduction to Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell, together with readings from their novels. Refreshments will also be served.
Tickets cost £3 each and are on sale in the Library.
World Book Day is a day set aside every year to celebrate reading, books, authors and illustrators. It’s marked in more than 100 countries around the world and will be celebrated for the 16th time
in 2013.
When: Tuesday 22 January 2013 at 7.30 pm
Where: Library
Cost: £3 per ticket
Robbie Burns
Come and celebrate Burns’ Night at the Library with readings from Tam O Shanter and other poems, plus a quiz on all things Scottish. A local piper will address the haggis.
Of course, no Burns’ night would be complete without food and, while we can’t quite manage a sit down meal of haggis, tatties and neeps, we can offer you a taste of haggis, oat cakes, Scottish cheese, Dundee cake and shortbread.
Tickets on sale at the Library.
When: Saturday, 17 November 2012, 10.30 am – 12.30 pm
Where: Library
Cost: Free
Who: All
The autumn garden party will mark the unveiling of the new Owl and The Pussycat mosaic in the Library garden. The mosaic has been created by Patricia Lee, the same artist who created ‘Birdsworth’ our mosiac bird who roosts next to the pergola. The artwork has been commissioned by FoSAL in recognition of the bicentenary of Edward Lear, creator of the children’s poem, the Owl and the Pussycat.
There will be a reading of the poem and workshops, led by the artist, for children to create bookmarks and masks.
Refreshments will be available.
The event is also an opportunity for people to collect any birdies they designed at the Its A Birdie! workshops, held during the summer.
When: 30 October 2012 at 7.30 pm
Where: Library
Cost: £3 per ticket
Who: Older children and adults
Come and be spooked at the Library by listening to excerpts from readers’ favourite horror books – Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, etc. Take part in our quiz and test your knowledge of horror.
Fancy dress is encouraged!
Partake of some blood punch and nasty nibbles.
See you there if you dare!
Tickets are currently on sale in the library – £3 each which includes refreshments
When: 9 October 2012 at 7.30 pm
Where: Library
Who: FoSAL members and non-members
The Annual General Meeting will be held on 9 October at 7.30 pm in the Library. All members will receive the necessary documents prior to the meeting.
The AGM is open to both members and non-members. Following the short meeting, Roy Winter will give a talk on ‘How the Railway Came to St Annes’.
Refreshments will be served.
We do need new members, so please do come along – and bring a friend!
When: 7 and 8 September 2012, 9.45 am – 12.00 pm
Where: Library
Who: Older children and adults
As part of the St Annes Music and Arts Festival, the Library is holding two dance workshops on Friday 7 September and Saturday 8 September, at 9.45 am to 12.00 pm.
The workshops will be led by dance artist Anna Daly and are described as “an eclectic mix of learning and creating dance, inspired by literature, music and the garden”.
The workshops are free of charge but places are limited. To reserve your place please call Paula on 01253 720191.
When: 21 July 2012 at 11.00am – 3.00pm 
Where: St Annes Library Garden
Who: All
Fylde DFAS Chair Hilary Alcock unveils Birdsworth
This year, FoSAL is holding its annual Garden Party to coincide with the Open Golf Championship. So if you’re a golfing widow or just uninterested in what’s going on down the road come along and join in the fun.
The event is a little different this year as we are involving Fylde DFAS (Decorative & Fine Arts Society) and their ‘It’s a Birdie’ project. Not only will we have a range of stalls, cakes, crafts, refreshments, salsa dancing and musical entertainment but we will also be unveiling ‘Birdsworth’ a lovely mosaic sculpture for the library garden, and we’ll also be handing out books to children from Home Start Fylde – these two latter events are part of the It’s a Birdie project. And because this is a birdie event, the RSPB will be there with their badge making equipment. During the afternoon, there will be a puppet show for the children.
The timetable of events is as follows:
11.00 am -Opening of Garden Party and official unveiling of Birdsworth
11.45 am Fiddle Faddle – enjoy coffee/tea and cakes in the marquee and listen to the music
12.45 am Fiddle Faddle
1.00 pm Funky Monkey face painting
1.00 pm Nochas de Salsa – work off those cakes by salsaing your way round the library
1.30 pm Presentation of books to children from Homestart Fylde – come and see the children dressed in their owl costumes
1.45 pm Fiddle Faddle – time for a rest and some refreshments while you listen to the music
2.00 pm Puppet show for the children
If you would like to help out at this event please email info@fosal.org.uk. Thank you.
Further information about the Its A Birdie project is available here.
In July 2012 The Open Golf Championship is coming to St Annes. Fylde Decorative and Fine Arts Society (DFAS) has plans to transform our town into a public art exhibition. Fylde DFAS is working with various community groups, including the Friends of St Annes Library.
To help them to do this they have been incredibly fortunate to obtain the services of celebrated mosaic artist Patricia Lee. Patricia would like to hold workshops with members of the public, in St Annes Library, to design birds and create beautiful stained glass hangings. The more imaginative the birdies the better! Inspired by all our ideas Patricia will then create our very own bird for St Annes!
The workshops will take place on Saturday 5th May, between 10.30 and 1.30; and Saturday 12th May, between 12 and 3.pm. All ages are welcome. The workshops are free, but limited to 72 places so early booking is essential.If any children and their families would like to take part in this amazing opportunity then all they need to do is to hurry down to the library where they can meet a special visitor, “Posh Bird” Henrietta and book a place.
Come and help transform St Annes into a work of art!
When: 12 April 2012 at 7.30pm
Where: St Annes Library
Who: All
Cost: £2.50
Fom Malleus Fatuarum. Two of the accused witches, Anne Whittle and her daughter Anne Redferne
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the Pendle witch trials. The Friends of St Annes Library present this talk on the notorious 1612 Witch Trials, by Colin Penny from Lancashire Museums at Lancaster Castle. The trials of the Pendle witches are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The 12 accused lived in the area around Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged with the murders of 10 people by the use of witchcraft. For more on the trial please see the Wikipedia entry here.
Colin Penny is a very popular speaker, so be sure to get your tickets early. Last year he gave a fascinating talk on the graffiti created by prisoners in Lancaster Castle some 300 years ago. 
The talk is part of the ‘Lancashire’s Criminal Past’ project. For a fascinating insight into crime and Lancashire’s history, please see the ‘Lancashire’s Criminal Past’ blog.
Tickets are on sale in St Annes Library for £2.50 each, including refeshments. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Friends of St Annes Library.
When: 16 February 2012 at 7.30pm 
Where: St Annes Library
Who: All
Cost: £2.50. Tickets are available from Library
How well do you know your Dickens? Come and celebrate the bicentenary of one of England’s greatest authors with readings, fun quizzes, music, refreshments, etc.
Why not get in the mood by dressing as your favourite Dickensian character!
When: 7th February 2012 at 2.00pm
Where: St Annes Library
Who: All
Cost: Free
The Library, together with FoSAL, has organised a special Family History Meeting. The speaker will be frelance historian Alan Crosby, author/editor of more than 65 books and articles including, ‘Leading the Way: a History of Lancashire’s Roads’ and ‘A History of Lancashire’. He is also currently editor of the ‘Local Historian’.
When: 14 April 2012 at 11.00 am
Where: St Annes Library Garden
Who: All
Cost: Free
Lots of second hand fiction and non-fiction books will be available to browse and buy in the Library Garden. Come along and buy a book and read it in the garden with a coffee and a cake.
We’re planning to put on a lovely show of flowers next spring by planting lots and lots of bulbs. And we asked for your help! Thanks to the four volunteers who turned up to ensure that the garden will be full of tulips, daffs, aliums and lilies after the winter.
When: 12 October 2011 at 7.30 pm
Where: Library
Who: FoSAL members and non-members
Waiting for the meeting to start
FoSAL held its Annual General Meeting in St Annes Library on 12 October, at 7.30 pm. The meeting was open to all members and non-members. It was very pleasing to see so many people there to help us celebrate our achievements over the last year, and assist with the election of officers and share your ideas.
The meeting also provided the opportunity to display FoSAL’s latest awards from the Lancashire Environmental Fund. The Fund recently visited the Garden at St Annes Library as part of the judging for its LEF Best Practice Awards 2011, and selected the Friends’ group as one of the winners. The glass plaque and certificate will be hung in the library very soon.
Guest speaker was Fred Moor, local activist and editor of Counterbalance. He provided an informative presentation of the history of the Fylde Civic Awareness Group
When: 24 November 2011 at 7.30 pm
Where: St Annes Library
Who: All
Cost: £2.50; £2.00 FoSAL members. Tickets available from Library
Originally dating from the eighteenth century, Heyhouses Endowed Church Of England School can claim a unique history as the oldest school in St Annes and also the largest church primary school.
Local historian John Booth has compiled a book on the school’s history, detailing its development and successes. John has kindly agreed to provide a talk on the history of Heyhouses School on 25 November at 7.30 in the Library.
The Fylde Coast – some aspects of its history and wildlife: a talk by well known local historian Peter Shakeshaft.
Peter Shakeshaft entertaining the Friends at a previous event
Born in St. Annes, Peter Shakeshaft has had a lifelong interest in history, and has published two books covering the history of Freckleton and St. Annes.
Peter is a regular and popular speaker at Friends events, and his latest talk on Fylde’s history and wildlife, on 22 September, was a sell-out.
Peter and his wife Maureen are keen birdwatchers and have taken part in the Wetland Bird Survey for the last 40 years. Peter emphasised the importance of the Ribble Estuary as a site of international importance for identifying population sizes, and determining trends in numbers and distribution.
Peter also spoke about the importance of the area’s sand dune system and, in particular, marram grass. Such is the importance of the grass for providing structure for the dunes that there were (and maybe still are) laws preventing locals from taking the grass for thatch, etc.
We also heard about how eighteenth century practices relating to common pasture land are still in operation today. Owners still allocate ‘cow/common gates’ on the Freckleton and Newton marshes.
FoSAL would like to thank Peter and Maureen for providing a fascinating insight into Fylde’s wildlife and its historical importance.
We held a book sale and Children’s Book Swap Shop in the library on Saturday 3 September. The original plan was to hold the 
event outside, so that everyone could relax, read their new books and enjoy some refreshments in our lovely garden. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and we had to hold the event indoors.
We were delighted with the number of books we received and would like to thank everyone who kindly donated them. And, of course, we’d like to offer a special thanks to those who came along and bought books.
The annual book sale is an important date in FoSAL’s calendar as it is one of our major fund raising events. Money raised enables us to plan more events for FoSAL members and the local community.
Preston-based author Jenn Ashworth read from her books ‘Cold Light’ and ‘A Kind of Intimacy’, and talked about her writing. She explained how her plots and characters are often based on untruths or personal interpretations of the truth.
Jenn was selected as one of the best 12 new British novelists by the BBC2’s Culture Show and was a finalist for Waterstones’ New Voices in 2009. ‘A Kind of Intimacy’ was runner-up for the 2009 Guardian ‘Not the Booker’.
Further information about Jenn and her books can be found at http://jennashworth.co.uk/
In June, we hosted a Birdy Day event in The Reading With a View Garden. This was a hugely successful family event, which provided children with the opportunity to make and take home a nesting box. RSPB volunteers from the RSPB Ribble Discovery Centre were on hand to help build the boxes and provide lots of information on local birds.
Hard at work making a birdy box
Local children’s book shop, Storytellers Inc, provided a display of bird-related books and Katie read some birdy stories to young children in the garden’s pergola.
If you thought graffiti was a modern phenomenon, think again!
Dr. Colin Penny gave a fascinating talk on the graffiti created by prisoners in Lancaster Castle some 300 years ago. One piece from 1741 was particularly interesting and Dr. Penny explained how it could be interpreted to tell us a great deal about the prejudices inherent within eighteenth century society.
We celebrated Burns’ Night with readings from Tam O Shanter and other poems, plus a quiz on all things Scottish.
Statue of Robbie Burns
Of course, no Burns’ night would be complete without food and, while we didn’t quite manage haggis, tatties and neeps, we did enjoy oat cakes, Scottish cheese, Dundee cake and shortbread.
