We’re delighted to report that at this week’s Birmingham City Council Local Leadership Cabinet meeting our Local Innovations Fund (LIF) application for funding to help establish an intergenerational play-café inside Sutton Coldfield library was approved. You can watch an archived webcast of this decision here: https://birmingham.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/313060 (select Section 3 on the right-hand side)
The LIF funding is a crucial and significant boost towards the establishment of the play-café and we thank everyone who has supported us during the LIF application process, not least our Trinity Ward Councillors and the Birmingham City Council officers who gave us lots of advice on the procedure. This funding covers about two-thirds of the start-up costs of our proposed play-café, to be operated by a Community Interest Company which will generate rental income to help keep the library open and funds to support FOLIO’s charitable community work within the library. A strategy for raising the remaining costs is in place and well under way.