Warm Welcome Awaits at Booklore's Warm Space

Date: Wednesday 15 February

Press Release February 2023. 

A popular pre-loved book shop in Blairgowrie has been awarded nearly £600 in funding to offer a warm space for members of the local community thanks to Perth and Kinross Council’s Cost of Living Fund.

Booklore, based at 13 Upper Mill Street in the east Perthshire town, is hosting a free drop-in event every Thursday from 10am to 1pm where everyone is welcome to pop in, enjoy free refreshments including warm drinks and biscuits, read a book, and have a blether.

The sessions are part of the wider warm spaces initiative which aims to encourage people to stay active and connected over the winter months.

And volunteers at the book shop, which is run by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust (BRDT) were delighted to receive £300 in vouchers for Tesco from Greg Morgan, community learning assistant in the council’s culture and communities service, last week, which will be used to purchase tea, coffee, biscuits, cake and other items for the sessions.

Handing over the vouchers, Greg said: “It’s great to see community groups receiving these funds to enable them to offer a warm space and provide a safe and comfortable place to get together and socialise in – and in this case read as well if they would like.

“Seeing the funding being put to good use and ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and the respect that they deserve in these difficult times is great and the volunteers at Booklore do a fantastic job welcoming the local community into this wonderful space.

“We have helped a number of community groups and organisations throughout the Perth and Kinross Council area and we would encourage everyone to visit the warm spaces that are open all and to make use of the services on offer.”

Community bookshop Booklore is run entirely by a team of dedicated volunteers with any surplus income generated by the sale of the donated second-hand books set aside to fund community projects in the town.

Linda Retson is a Trustee of BRDT and a volunteer at Booklore.

Thanking Greg and Perth and Kinross Council for the funding, she said: “It’s great to be able to offer a warm space in the book shop on a Thursday morning and we are enjoying welcoming members of the local community into the shop for a cuppa and a biscuit – and they are of course more than welcome to browse some of the many wonderful books we have here in Booklore while they are here if they wish to!

“BRDT supports community groups, individuals, and volunteers to deliver projects to enhance the town for the benefit of all and, thanks to the funding from Perth and Kinross Council, this initiative is a great example of how we can adapt our existing services to meet the changing needs of people in the town.”

Booklore, which is located at 13, Upper Mill Street in Blairgowrie, is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

To find out more about the warm spaces in Blairgowrie and Rattray that are open to members of the public, see www.discoverblairgowrie.co.uk.

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