Stars to host fundraising entertainment night for Kensal Rise Community Library

Actress Haydn Gwynne (Pic credit: PA) (Image: Archant)

The event by the Friends of Kensal Rise Library (FOKRL) includes live performances of poetry and prose by award-winning actors and actresses who live locally.

Performers include Tamsin Greig, Haydn Gwynne, Samantha Spiro, Ron Cook, Richard Leaf and Stephanie Schonfield.

Radio 6 DJ Gideon Coe and writer and Guardian columnist Tim Lott will also be performing and their will be a raffle on the night which take place at the Mason’s Arms pub in Harrow Road, Kensal Green, on November 27.

FOKRL have already hit their £80,000 target of their first phase of fundraising which allows them to turn a community space into a volunteer-run reading room.

Writer Tim Lott (Image: Archant)

However they now need to raise the extra cash so they can buy equipment and furniture for the library in Bathurst Gardens.

Margaret Bailey, chairwoman of FOKRL, previously told the Times: “£160,000 in total is a lot to ask for the refurbishment of the shell we will inherit.

“We know we are asking a lot of everyone in the community, but if we all pull together we will achieve what we set out to do nearly six years ago, having a library at the heart of our community.”

Residents formed FOKRL in 2011 after Brent Council revealed it was closing Kensal Rise Library and five other branches in the borough to save £1million-a-year.

After the branch was axed and the site was placed on the market FOKRL launched a successful battle to be given an allocated space in the building so they could open a community-run library.

Tickets are priced at £10 and available from C&D Food and Wine (opposite Kensal Rise Library) and Daniels Estate Agents in Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise.

Doors open 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start.

To make a donation visit savekensalriselibrary.org and click on the Mydonate button.