Inspire Libraries staff shortlisted for Libraries Connected Award 2025!

Inspire Nottinghamshire Libraries is thrilled to announce that Librarians Sarah Baker and Libraries Support Officer, Charlotte Strong have been recognised in this years’ Libraries Connected Awards for their inspiring work on the 2024 Care Squares Knitting Challenge. 

The campaign brought together communities and library groups across Nottinghamshire using the power of wool to make an impact on local care charities.

The Libraries Connected Awards recognise library professionals who have made an exceptional impact on their service and local communities. The awards are presented across six categories reflecting the core services and programs offered by libraries nationally. This years’ shortlisted nominees include projects focused on digital skills, inclusivity for neurodiverse children, and impactful health and wellbeing initiatives including Inspire’s 2024 Care Squares challenge.

Knitting and crafting for charity has become a major success in Inspire libraries, with an annual challenge that encourages groups and individuals to contribute their skills for a good cause. Driven by Sarah and Charlotte in 2024, Inspire partnered with Your Health Notts, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Dementia Action Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and Creative Lives to support crafters in make knitted and crocheted squares into homely, warm blankets for people in need. 

Thanks to the time, skills (and lots of wool!) from hundreds of Nottinghamshire knitters, 275 stunning blankets and thousands of colourful squares were collected and donated to care homes, memory groups, and hospitals across the county. Charlotte helped to make the project accessible by creating square bundles that library customers could take home and knit at their own pace.

Following the success of Care Squares campaign last year, Sarah and Charlotte are looking forward to delivering the 2025 knitting challenge, Wrapped! in partnership with Mansfield Building Society, The Trussell Trust, Creative Lives, and Nottinghamshire knitwear designer Jane Withers. This year’s challenge will invite crafters to create woolly scarves to help people in crisis. Free scarf patterns will once again be available on our website and to collect from Inspire libraries this Spring. 

The winners of the Libraries Connected Awards will be announced on Tuesday 10 June at a special ceremony during the Libraries Connected Annual Seminar in Warwickshire.

For further information about the awards, visit: Libraries Connected Awards 2025: Shortlists

Information about the 2024 Care Squares challenge and 2025 Charity Knitting challenge, Wrapped! can be found on the Inspire website:  Knit, Crochet & Craft in Libraries