This year will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the largest Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, as well as the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia.
The theme for 2025 is ‘For a Better Future’ – providing Haringey residents of all ages to come together, learn both about – and from – the past and take actions to make a better future for all.
To that end, there will be ‘Butterfly Project’ sessions at Coombes Croft Library (Saturday 25 January, 11am-12noon) and Hornsey Library (Monday 27 January, 4pm-5pm), where children can create butterflies in remembrance of those youngsters lost during the Holocaust. This activity is suitable for children aged five to 12.
Haringey Council is also one of 80 local organisations from across the UK to take part in a special nationwide arts and education project ’80 Candles for 80 Years.’
Highlighting the life of an individual or a community persecuted by the Nazis, 80 bespoke candleholders have been designed and created by community groups and local organisations to form a digital exhibition.
Our creation is based on the life story of the late Naomi Blake, who lived locally in the borough and went on to become an internationally acclaimed sculptor.
Separated from their family, she and her sister Malchi worked in a munitions factory, where they sabotaged bombs. They survived a death march, but her family of 32 had been decimated by the Holocaust and only eight survivors were left by 1945.
Naomi relocated in 1952 to London, where she married a young German refugee Asher (Blake) and began her artistic journey after taking evening classes at the Hornsey School of Art (now Middlesex University) between 1955 and 1960.
Naomi’s work focuses on optimism and promotes understanding between faiths, while honouring the legacy of the six million Jews who perished during the Holocaust.
The candleholder created by Haringey Libraries is currently on display at Hornsey Library. Made from clay, it was inspired by Naomi’s ‘Memorial to the Holocaust’ sculpture.
Meanwhile, with Biblio-Buzz 2025 – the Alexandra Palace Children’s Book Award in full swing, why not join our friendly staff at Coombes Croft Library on Saturday 25 January (12noon-1pm) for activities related to the six shortlisted books?
To celebrate the annual Winnie the Pooh Day and mark the birthday of author A.A. Milne – on 18 January, we’re holding a special Bear Storytime tomorrow morning (Tuesday 14 January, 10:30am-11am) at Hornsey Library. There will also be a Winter Storytime session at the same time and venue later this month (Tuesday 28 January).
If your child loves arts and crafts, we’ve got you covered too! They can draw a cartoon penguin at the fortnightly Comics Club in Stroud Green and Harringay Library (Saturday 25 January, 1pm-2:30pm) and create their very own ‘I have a Dream!’ bookmark (Monday 20 January, 4pm-5pm) as part of our Martin Luther King Day celebrations; Red Squirrel (Tuesday 21 January, 3:30pm-4:30pm, Suitable for ages 4+) or Chinese/Lunar New Year decoration (Wednesday 29 January, 4pm-5pm, Suitable for ages 4+) at Hornsey Library.
Kids can also get artistic and creative over at Alexandra Park Library, where they can assemble their Snow Collage on Wednesday (15 January) or paint a Winter Tree on Wednesday 22 January prior to a Year of the Snake activity on Wednesday 29 January.
For adults, Peter Gallagher’s ink drawings exhibition ‘The Hard Road’ in the Original Gallery at Hornsey Library has now been extended until Thursday 30 January. The gallery’s opening hours are as follows: Monday-Friday: 1pm-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm. Sunday: 12noon-4pm.
You can check out feature-length flicks for FREE at Wood Green Library as part of our Winter Film Fest, with In Bruges (2008, Certificate: 18, Running time: 107 minutes), Appointment with Death (1988, Certificate: PG, Running time: 108 minutes) and Return to Sender (2015, Certificate: 18, Running time: 92 minutes) being shown at 5pm on three successive Thursdays – 16, 23 and 30 January – respectively.
The cartoon caper Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022, Certificate: PG, Running time: 142 minutes) is also on at Marcus Garvey Library on Saturday 25 January (Start time: 2:30pm).
That’s not all either. We’ve got fun for all the family across our libraries here in Haringey. From book and chess clubs to British Sign Language (BSL), drama and English and Maths classes – with piano recitals and workshops as well too, there’s something for everyone in our borough.
There are coffee mornings, community art groups, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and literacy support classes, knitting, crochet and sewing clubs/groups/workshops, line dancing lessons and low-cost yoga sessions to boot.
Find out the fantastic, fun and FREE activities and events taking place at your local Haringey library this month by downloading our What’s On in Libraries brochure TODAY!
