A community book sharing initiative has a new permanent home in an old-fashioned telephone box.
Verity’s Gift, a charity supporting young adults and
children in the community, unveiled a new home for its
booknook in Emsworth on Saturday, August 31. Verity’s
Booknook, a book sharing scheme, was opened in a newly
refurbished red telephone box having previously been housed
in a more modern BT phone box which did not have a door.
Crowds gathered on Saturday to celebrate the opening with
much of the community buying into the scheme from the very
start. Having started in Lockdown when Leane Stevenson left
10 books propped up in a post box, it is now a hugely
popular service with people regularly queuing to look at the
books on offer.
The
new home was needed as BT had previously given notice that
the original box would be destroyed and the door was
removed. Thankfully after lengthy discussions with BT they
agreed local charity Verity’s Gift could adopt the box. A
GoFundME page was then launched to buy a new permanent post
box that had a door and would be more attractive to look at.
Saturday saw the culmination of those efforts.
The News 2nd September
Page updated:
Monday February 03, 2025