On 6th January 2022 our new library based at The Academy, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton was officially opened to provide a dedicated study space for staff, students and trainees working for the NHS in Somerset. Privileged as we are to be working in a state-of-the-art space, the LKS Team decided to give something back. Therefore, we are launching our first team charity project – a “virtual” journey from our new location to the site of the “mothership” the Bibliotheca Alexandrina! This international centre built to exchange human knowledge sits close to the site of the Ancient Library of Alexandria.
So we’ve ditched our cardigans for lycra and we are recording every kilometre that we cycle, row, run, swim or walk until we have covered the distance of 5000 km between these two libraries. If anyone would like to sponsor our efforts we will be very grateful! All funds will go directly to the 25th anniversary charity appeal being run by our hospital charity, Love Musgrove.
Fundraising link here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/somersetft-library-and-knowledge-service
We are especially pleased that some of the funds raised will go towards the purchase of iPads, which we will use as part of our Outreach and Wellbeing remit; making them available to patients on our wards who do not have access to their own smart device. This ties in with our partnership work with Public Library colleagues at Taunton Library who have shown us the value of freely accessible resources such as audiobooks and e-books to the wellbeing of patients who are hospitalised. Furthermore, we will roll out training so that patients can be shown how to use smart devices to access quality health information whilst they are on our wards in the hope that they will continue to use these resources once they are discharged from our care.
We are excited to step away from our screens, improve our own fitness and contribute to this 25th Anniversary Fundraising effort. We’d love your support, no matter what size that you can donate to our cause. We have been posting regular updates on our Twitter feed here , and if you don’t do social media, you can follow our journey below.