The library is a Carnegie Building (1907) standing at 146 High Road, close to Greenwich Rail Station (Connex and Dockland Light Rail) and Bus Stops (177, 180, 199)

 

contact
Phyllis Harwood (Chair)
020 8692 1497

Michael Taylor (Membs Sec)
26 Dover Court
12 Blackheath Hill, SE10 8DF
020 8691 7019

Book Discussion Group:
Since December 1998, FWGL have run a monthly discussion group in the library on the second Monday of each Month,
6-7.00 pm

FWGL Newsletter

 

See the FWGL Noticeboard with news of topical interest!

 

 

FWGL has a group of long-standing and committed members but new faces would be welcomed and new ideas are much appreciated

 

FRIENDS OF WEST GREENWICH LIBRARY WERE SET UP IN 1991

The aim was to spearhead a campaign against threatened closure. The Library was not closed and, since that time, the Friends have continued to be involved in many Library-associated activities.

These include:

• setting up a committee which meets regularly
• organising meetings and petitions to reflect local concerns and opinions
• liaising with elected Council members and Greenwich library staff
• keeping a watching brief on national and local plans for library services
• staying in touch with other libraries through LLL and the Library Campaign
• making donations such as a chair for story telling in the Childrens Library

A SINGULAR TALENT FROM CHARLTON

The Friends of West Greenwich library always invite us to their AGM. This is followed by “the entertainment” which never fails to enthral, and educate,

an achievement in itself. On Monday 15th October 2007, the speaker, Bernard Ashley, served up a true box of delights which enthralled and educated, whilst touching our hearts and souls
	Bernard, reading from his book “Little Soldier”

Bernard is a local boy, born (1935) and brought up in the area but evacuated with his mother and brother during the war. His father remained in London as a member of the fire Service but managed to visit his family in Preston.

Bernard’s life was as that of many, education then National Service but followed by Teacher Training and a career that led to headships. In 1974 his first novel “The Trouble with Donovan Croft” was published and in that respect he did not look back. He now writes full time and is involved with a small professional theatre company, Ashley Chappel Productions.

From the beginning he took us into his confidence and cleverly revealed his approach to the creative writing process, coaxing you along, guiding his audience into his mind, experiences and sheer love of what he does. The introduction to his work was a reading from “Little Soldier”. This is a hard gritty tale, and set the scene. He then revealed how he had started off by writing stories for D stream 4th Year Juniors, for whom there was no appropriate reading material. This led to his head teacher introducing him to a publisher’s representative selling school library books and “Don’t Run Away” was published, followed by others.

The strong belief that children will become what you believe them to be was threaded into his teaching, writing and life. As well as dealing with plot, character, research and story development Bernard showed us an example of his writing tools. He writes long-hand on every other line, every other page …. ready for alterations and re-working! His copy of a Charles Dickens draft (with NO spaces) certainly showed how necessary Bernard’s method was.

All of those present felt part of his world as his memories and values were so similar to ours. A wartime childhood, or just a London childhood, an ordinary family but strong in love and decency, an education, a working life but mix that with a unique talent and you have Bernard Ashley. His final reading from “Johnnie’s Blitz” drew all the threads together. What a fortunate, thoughtful and talented man.

And we all left feeling better for it. “Nothing astonishes more in life than that there are people so very like oneself.” (C. S. Lewis) - but the singular talent of Bernard is in blending his writing ability, his ability to share, the blessing of experience and making an ordinary life extraordinary!

Patricia Richardson: Secretary of The Users and Friends of Manor House Library, Lewisham, accompanied by Peter Richardson (Chairman)