Image: Istock
Come together, right now
Spellow Community Hub and Library was set alight during riots in Liverpool last year. In December, the library celebrated its reopening, marking an important milestone in Liverpool City Council’s ongoing work to rebuild community cohesion
GROWTH, REGENERATION & DEVELOPMENT
Cllr Harry Doyle
Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture, Liverpool City Council
Cllr Harry Doyle
Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture, Liverpool City Council
Issue 77 | April 2025
Liverpool is a close-knit city, so there was huge shock at the scenes that took place in the Walton area of the city, in the shadow of Goodison Park, last August. This was one of a number of violent disturbances around the country in the wake of the murder of three children at a dance class in Southport. This violence led to the torching of Spellow Community Hub and Library in Liverpool, for which I have responsibility in the council cabinet. Here is how we have worked to rebuild trust and confidence in the months since.
Community focus
From the morning after the devastation, teams from across the Liverpool City Council have worked with partners to rebuild confidence among the local community, and send out a strong message that a violent minority did not represent Liverpool. Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, Chief Executive Andrew Lewis, and local councillors were on the ground just hours afterwards, speaking to our staff who were helping secure buildings and sweep up the streets, as well as meeting with concerned local residents.
In the days afterwards, we spoke to many businesses and community organisations to understand how the attack had affected them. Their responses helped shape actions within a community cohesion working group. Work with local schools was crucial, including making resources available on how best to speak with children and have difficult conversations, practical support in reporting hate crime, and building young people’s resilience to violent extremist and terrorist narratives.
Cllr Doyle with some of the books donated by Queen Camilla
Overwhelming support
We were overwhelmed with offers of support for the library and received many donations of books – not just from members of the public, but also Her Majesty Queen Camilla who sent titles from her personal collection.
The government sent Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to visit Walton. We made sure their time with us was effective, impactful and efficient, and that those in attendance felt able to speak openly and honestly to them. We organised a free community lunch where we brought together more than 100 local residents and business owners to showcase the strong spirit that exists around County Road in Walton.
We made sure local residents weren’t left without a library and set up an alternative service. In the meantime, we began planning for Spellow’s reopening in December, which we were clear would be something special for the local community.
Cllr Doyle with some of the books donated by Queen Camilla
Overwhelming support
We were overwhelmed with offers of support for the library and received many donations of books – not just from members of the public, but also Her Majesty Queen Camilla who sent titles from her personal collection.
The government sent Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to visit Walton. We made sure their time with us was effective, impactful and efficient, and that those in attendance felt able to speak openly and honestly to them. We organised a free community lunch where we brought together more than 100 local residents and business owners to showcase the strong spirit that exists around County Road in Walton.
We made sure local residents weren’t left without a library and set up an alternative service. In the meantime, we began planning for Spellow’s reopening in December, which we were clear would be something special for the local community.
A new chapter
Our ‘12 Days of Spellow’ celebrations included a Christmas tree planting, a snowflake trail and work with schools and community groups. It culminated in a stunning lantern procession through the streets led by local children, broadcast live on the BBC’s One Show and covered by media outlets around the world. It was followed by the symbolic switching back on of the library’s lights, with hundreds of venues across the country – including the British Library in London – lit up in solidarity.
The feedback from the reopening was incredible and it was a joy to see people who only a few months earlier had been too afraid to step outside their doors, on the streets smiling and laughing.
Continued progress
But this did not mark the end of our work rebuilding community confidence.
We have a multi-agency group overseeing the development of our wider work, and we are investing in a dedicated role to lead and coordinate consultation, engagement and co-production of a strategy.
We have launched a small grants programme called Communities Together to help organisations respond to tensions through initiatives that strengthen connections, promote unity and shared values. This includes bringing together people of different faiths and backgrounds to build connections and understanding.
And, thanks to Liverpool resident, Alex McCormick, who started a crowd funder which raised £250,000, we are to run a series of outreach projects with the local community. We are also taking significant steps to drive meaningful change both within the council and across the city, and are working with partners to develop an anti-racism strategy.
It really feels as if momentum is building, with organisations wanting to work together to address the complex social challenges that exist. Compassion, kindness and goodwill has countered hate, division and violence.
“The feedback from the reopening was incredible and it was a joy to see people who only a few months earlier had been too afraid to step outside their doors, on the streets smiling and laughing.”
