Penguin Books:- '90 Little Book Stops' comes to the North West

AS part of the iconic brand's 90th birthday celebrations, 18 Little Book Stops will be installed in the North West. Penguin Books has announced the locations of their Little Book Stops across the North West, which will be installed throughout September. This follows over 2000 submissions, from Shetland to Cornwall, from members of the public for a community book sharing box in their local area.

The 90 Little Book Stops campaign forms part of the brand's ongoing 90th Birthday celebrations, and is run in partnership with Little Free Library, the US based non-profit that has overseen the installation of more than 200,000 neighbourhood book exchange boxes globally since 2009.

A local steward has been appointed to maintain each Little Book Stop, which will run on a:- 'give a book, take a book' concept and promote community-led book sharing. The Little Book Stops initiative is designed to celebrate individuals across the UK who champion reading, support more people to easily access books, and help book lovers to find their next read.

The Little Book Stop itself features a bespoke Penguin design and has been installed with an initial curation of children's and adult books, specially selected to celebrate 90 years of Penguin publishing. These include: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox & The Horse by Charlie Mackesey, Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo, Look Up! by Nathan Bryon & Dapo Adeola and The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson.

Book Stop Locations in the North West:-

• Friends of Bedford Park, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 4JE: Since the village library closed in the early 2010s, the Little Book Stop steward in Birkdale feels the:- 'spontaneous aspect of reading has been lost.' They've chosen to bring a Little Book Stop to Bedford Park; a volunteer run greenspace which is being restored, including:- reinstating a bowling grown, pitching green and boules pit. The Little Book Stop will build on the nformal book swap that currently runs from the rangers hut but it is only open temporarily.
  

• Banks, Brampton, CA8 2JH:- The Little Book Stop will be hosted on the village green, on the famous Hadrian's Wall Path which 10,000 people visit annually. The steward hopes it will create a local meeting place that goes a small way to making people feel less lonely and isolated.
  

• Heald Green, Stockport, SK8 3NR:- The steward hopes that their Little Book Stop:- 'would be a quiet revolution for our area.'

Others are as follows:-

• The Emily Davison Centre, Accrington, BB5 0DW
  

• Oyez Arts, Altrincham WA14 1PF
  

• Arnside, Carnforth LA5 0EJ
  

• Barrow BID, Barrow in Furness, LA14 1HZ
  

• Oldham, OL8 4JB
  

• Magenta Living, Birkenhead, Liverpool, CH41 7DZ
  

• Liverpool BID Company, Liverpool, L3 1DG
  

• Liverpool, L8 7ST
  

• Grindleton, Clitheroe, BB7 4QE
  

• Duddon, CW6 0EL
  

• Manchester, M46 0GA
  

• Barton, Preston, PR3 5AS
  

• YMCA, Manchester, M16 8PJ
  

• Keasden, Lancaster, LA2 8DS
  

• Aldingham Parish Council, Newbiggin, Ulverston LA12 0RH

Rebecca Sinclair, Chief Brand Officer at Penguin Books, said:- "We were delighted to have received so many applications for 90 Little Book Stops; it was difficult to select the final locations. Books and reading are a great way to build connections and create communities, and the sheer amount of interest we received shows just how much people are looking for this. We're excited to see the impact the Little Book Stops have on the local communities selected."

Daniel Gumnit, Chief Executive Officer at Little Free Library, said:- "It's a privilege to join Penguin Books in celebrating their 90th anniversary by introducing 90 Little Book Stop boxes across the UK. At Little Free Library, we believe stories belong to everyone. These new book-sharing boxes will spark curiosity, bring neighbors together, and make books more accessible in the communities where they're needed most. We're honored to welcome these new locations into our worldwide network."

Bill Addy from the Liverpool BID Company said:- "We are so delighted to be hosting a Little Book Shop and it will be such a colourful and popular addition to the City. Our famous waterfront is such a beautiful spot to spend some time, to daydream and enjoy the best of Liverpool so it's an ideal place for it. It's part of our remit to animate the City Centre and we're confident that a community book sharing project will inspire curiosity and bring people together as they share their favourite books."

Merseyside PCC publishes Annual Report highlighting major progress in crime reduction and victim support

MERSEYSIDE Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell has today published her 2024/25 Annual Report, showcasing a year of significant achievements in tackling crime, supporting victims, and driving long-term change across the Region.

The report provides an overview of the PCC's activities during the financial year, providing a snapshot of the work being undertaken to deliver on the priorities set out in her Police and Crime Plan.

Despite facing unprecedented challenges, including:- the tragic events in Southport, the report reveals that Merseyside Police continues to be graded as the best performing metropolitan force in England and Wales by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

The force also retained its:- 'Outstanding' rating for tackling Serious and Organised Crime, reflecting the dedication and professionalism of officers and staff.

Among the headline achievements:
Overall crime fell by 7%, with more than 10,000 fewer offences.
Firearm discharges dropped by 45%, and residential burglaries by 17%.
Vehicle crime fell by 18%, and theft from person by 43%.
314 County Lines were closed, and 410 arrests made under Operation Medusa.
Nearly 60,000 victims of crime were offered or received support via the Police and Crime's Commissioner's Victim Care Merseyside service.
£4.15m secured for initiatives to prevent crime and support victims.
£2.4m invested in hotspot policing, leading to a 32.8% reduction in serious violence in targeted areas.

The report, the fourth produced by the PCC, also highlights her work to meet and listen to the views of people across Merseyside, with more than 4,500 residents and 9,400 partners reached through 553 events and meetings.

Emily Spurrell, Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner said:- "This year has tested our Region in ways we could never have imagined. The devastating events in Southport shook us all, but the response from our communities, and their compassion, unity, and resilience, reminded us of the very best of Merseyside. I want to thank every officer, staff member, and volunteer who stepped up during this time. Their bravery and professionalism were nothing short of exceptional. I'm immensely proud that we continue to make real progress. Crime is down, serious violence is being tackled head-on, and thousands of victims have received the care and support they deserve. Our hotspot policing strategy has delivered tangible results, and our investment in neighbourhood policing and our young people is helping to build safer, stronger neighbourhoods. Despite these achievements, I know there's more to do. I remain committed to fighting for fairer funding, improving victim services, and ensuring our Police force is visible, responsive, and trusted. Together, we will continue to build a Merseyside where everyone feels safe and supported."

Presented as an interactive PDF, the Annual Report features infographics and case studies that showcase the Commissioner's work, highlighting her engagement with Merseyside communities, her role in holding the Chief Constable to account, and the delivery of the Victim Care Merseyside service.

As required by law, Emily must produce an Annual report. The final version was officially launched today following its presentation to the Police and Crime Panel, the independent body responsible for scrutinising her work.

Panel members, who had previously reviewed and provided feedback on a draft version, have now formally endorsed the completed report.

Spanning 61 pages, the report also offers a clear overview of progress against each of the Commissioner's commitments, giving both the Panel and the public a transparent opportunity to assess her performance in delivering key policing and crime priorities.

Other notable achievements highlighted in the Annual Report include:
Launch of the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES), supporting 12,000 young people.
£1.5m committed to domestic abuse support services.
Expansion of trauma-informed training to 1,000+ Police officers and staff.
Continued success of Project ADDER, with a 109% increase in drug treatment referrals.
£3.4m invested in Victim Care Merseyside, with 41,347 new referrals assessed for support.

The PCC also led the #TakingAction campaign focused on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls and a key commitment in her Region-wide strategy focused on ending these crimes.

Members of the public are invited to review the PCC's work set out in the Annual Report 2024/25 and share feedback to help shape future priorities.

To read the full report, visit: https://www.merseysidepcc.info/media/1yzlttzy/annual-report-2024-25-final-draft.pdf.

Alternatively, watch a video summarising the Annual report here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmuO2Quw5G4&t=62s.

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