Her Majesty The Queen has visited Spellow Community Hub and Library in Walton to hear how the local community came together following the riots two years ago.
The library suffered extensive fire and water damage during the disorder in August 2024, prompting widespread public outrage and an outpouring of support.
The attack came just a year after the building had been refurbished using funding from Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram’s Town Centre Fund.
Queen Camilla was among those who donated books to help replenish the library’s collection in the aftermath, alongside Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Nigella Lawson.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by Alex McCormick also raised £250,000 to support the library.
Since reopening in December 2024, Spellow Community Hub and Library has once again become an important part of the local community, offering free-to-use smart classrooms, flexible learning spaces, parent-and-toddler groups and access to council services.
During her visit on Friday 4 September, Her Majesty met staff and pupils from St Francis De Sales Catholic Infant and Nursery School and Arnot St Mary Church of England Primary School.
The Queen also met library staff and first responders who were involved in dealing with the immediate aftermath of the riots.
During the visit, she listened to a poem about Spellow Hub written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and joined young people for a game of chess.
Liverpool City Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:
“It is an honour to show The Queen around Spellow Community Library and Hub.
“The community response to the awful events on County Road in 2024 showcased the very best of our city and its people, and provided a beacon of light at what was a very difficult time.
“The reopening marked a new beginning for the building, cementing its place at the heart of life in Walton. It is a gathering point where families and community members come together to meet, read, learn and train.”
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said:
“The books donated by Her Majesty The Queen and others are now firmly established among the 22,000 items that are loaned out at Spellow annually.
“Their generosity has established a lasting legacy for Spellow which will continue long into the future.”
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:
“Having had the privilege to serve as the MP for Liverpool Walton, I know just how resilient, generous and tight-knit this community is.
“In the aftermath of such an appalling act of vandalism, people from across Liverpool City Region and far beyond came together to support the local community here. The generosity shown by so many people – including Her Majesty, who personally donated books – demonstrated the very best of our city and showed what can be achieved when people from all walks of life pull together for the common good. We are better united than divided.
“Spellow Hub has gone from being a symbol of the devastation to a powerful example of what this community really stands for. I’m delighted to welcome Her Majesty to our region and for her to see first-hand the remarkable journey this area has been on.”
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, author and BookTrust’s Reading Rights Ambassador, said:
“Libraries like Spellow are community anchors, places where children and families belong and where access to books and imagination is woven into everyday life. What makes Spellow especially important is that, after the riots, people came together to restore something their community could not afford to lose. It’s a powerful story of resilience and hope.
“The joy of sharing a book together is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child. Reading helps children dream bigger, build confidence and feel connected. It was a privilege to share with Her Majesty The Queen how communities are working together to put books and stories at the heart of children’s lives. Through BookTrust’s Reading Rights campaign, I’ve seen first-hand the difference that partnership can make in helping every child experience the life-changing benefits of reading.”
Fundraiser Alex McCormick added:
“It has been incredible to see Spellow Community Library and Hub thrive and grow, and prove what we’ve always known – that it’s a vital part of this community.
“It has been a privilege to be a part of this wonderful journey.”
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