The Queen praised a local community that restored a library destroyed during summer 2024 riots, commending its resurrection “from the ashes”.
Camilla visited the Spellow Community Hub and Library in Walton, Liverpool, on Friday. The facility was set alight during violent disorder on County Road following the Southport dance class stabbings in Merseyside in summer 2024.
Having previously donated a box of books to help restock the venue prior to reopening, The Queen handed over additional titles during her visit.
Unveiling a plaque, she said: “You can never have too many books. I’ve brought some more and it’s so wonderful to see this place rise from the ashes.
“Congratulations to all of you who made it happen.
“It was such a terrible story and it’s had a happy ending.”
Sean McEvoy, a library and information assistant who was joined by the Queen as he read a story to schoolchildren, said: “There are so many positives that came from what happened.
“We’ve moved past the point where we talk about it and how it made us feel and now we look at the community’s reaction and focus a lot more on the positives out of it.
“It has been amazing since the library reopened.
“It’s been great to have the Queen visit today. It’s good for the community and good for the library and they deserve it.”
Mr McEvoy read Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae to the children as Camilla sat next to him.
He said: “It’s not something I expected to do on a normal day in work! The children were fantastic.”
Before Camilla unveiled the plaque, children’s author Frank Cottrell-Boyce read a poem about the library.
He told the Queen he had done a workshop with children to come up with a new name for the facility ahead of its reopening, but they wanted it to remain as Spellow.
Speaking after the visit, he said: “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.”
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram, who was among the dignitaries at the library, said: “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.”
Camilla helped pupils from St Francis De Sales Catholic Junior School and Arnot St Mary Primary School as they took part in colouring and wordsearch tasks in the library, before joining children who were having chess lessons.
She picked a queen chess piece up for a child who dropped it and heard the class had been learning about which directions a queen can move in.
She then spoke to first responders from the police and fire service about their involvement in dealing with the disorder and was shown pictures of the damage to the library after the blaze.
She also met Alex McCormick, who set up an online fundraiser with the aim of raising £500 to go towards repairing and restocking the library and raised £250,000.
Ms McCormick said: “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.”
