The Family Library has been given a ?10,000 boost to its finances by another charity – Manx Miracles.

Manx Miracles is a parent-led charity that raises funds to support children with additional needs and disabilities. It decided to make the donation to help the Family Library and Mobile Library to continue to assist such children through their services.

Christian Cowley, Manx Miracles’ treasurer, said the charity decided to do its bit to help with the Family Library’s finances after spotting the call for funding support earlier this year.

Louise Connor, who founded Manx Miracles, said: ‘I just believe in the service, what they are doing for children, so anything we can do to help, we are happy to do so.’

The annual costs to run the Family Library, Mobile Family Library and Schools Service – which is itself a charity – come to ?250,000.

A family trust has pledged to match pound for pound any money raised up to ?125,000 over each of the next three years and, this summer, the government pledged ?100,000 to enable the services to keep running for the coming year, in doing so acknowledging the vital role the Family Library plays in the community.

Mary Cousins, librarian-in-charge at the Family Library, said: ‘We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Manx Miracles, a fellow charity, who are so committed to supporting children with additional needs and disabilities.

‘This money will certainly help us to increase our provision for those children.’

Sandra Henderson, who is librarian-in-charge of the Mobile Library, added: ‘This donation will help us to make a real difference.
‘We are truly grateful to Manx Miracles and hope we can do our bit to support them in the future.’

You can find out more about Manx Miracles on the charity’s website manxmiracles.com

The Family Library’s website familylibrary.im has details of all its services and the many upcoming events.

Charity connection: Mary Cousins, left, and Sandra Henderson, right, with Christian Cowley and Louise Connor of Manx Miracles.