City library reopens after 'nature' revamp

The refurbishment includes wall graphics highlighting local nature areas

An inner-city library has reopened after a refurbishment aimed at bringing visitors "closer to nature".

Manningham Library in Bradford was one of just six in the country to get funding from Natural England for its Culture Nature project, which aimed to turn libraries into “thriving hubs for nature enthusiasts".

Large graphics showing local green areas and parkland have been put up at the library, as well as details of how visitors can best access them.

Other improvements included a children's sensory space, ceiling repairs and meeting equipment, Bradford Council's library service said.

The funding from Natural England has also helped provide new shelving and the installation of a small meeting room at the site, as well as a large digital screen and new equipment for the large meeting room.

Meanwhile, the new sensory space was aimed at helping visitors with motor skill delay, autism and other support needs, the library service said.

The space featured tactile wall panels, soft seating areas and a giant wall caterpillar to encourage tactile, visual and auditory stimulation, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The library also now has new shelving and meeting room equipment

New bookshelves in the shape of daisies and leaves would complement the nature theme, the library service said.

Christine May, head of libraries and archives at Bradford Council, said: “Manningham Library is a much-loved and well-used community facility, and it is great to see it refreshed and given even more potential for community use, both during and outside of library opening hours."

As well as the Natural England funding, Manningham Library is one of 10 libraries across the Bradford district district benefiting from public funding by Arts Council England under its Libraries Improvement Fund.

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