Clare Balding supports Kingsclere Community Library

Presenter/author returns to her home village

CLARE Balding returned to her home village of Kingsclere last Wednesday to entertain a young crowd at the community library – and took along her Olympic torch.

The television presenter and author, whose family live at Park House stables in the village where she grew up, drew a crowd of 35 children at the community library, which is situated within Kingsclere Village Club, in George Street, before hosting a sold-out adults event that evening.

During the afternoon, she read from her forthcoming children’s book and engaged the children in ideas for future plots.

The presenter talked about her involvement with the London 2012 Olympics, and passed around the Olympic torch she carried through Newbury, for the children to hold.

Library spokeswoman Nicki Lee said: “She ended by talking about how a young swimmer named Chad le Clos beat the world’s best in the Olympics, even though Michael Phelps was confidently expected to win.

“She urged the children to never give up and remember that everyone was good at something.”

The evening audience, at the club’s hall, enjoyed anecdotes about Ms Balding’s early life in Kingsclere, the Olympics, the Radio 4 programme she presents - Ramblings, and her books, including My Animals and Other Family – awarded Biography/Autobiography of the Year by the National Book Award – and Walking Home – My Family and Other Rambles.

Urging the audience to support the library, she added that proceeds from that evening’s sales of her book,- which she also signed, would go to the library.

Mrs Lee added: “Clare Balding’s visit was a tremendous help to the finances through ticket sales to adults (children were free).

“Everyone thoroughly enjoyed her talks and we are so grateful that she was so very generous with her time.”

In April, Hampshire County Council library services turned over the Kingsclere Community Library to be run by volunteers.

The move cut £23,000 from a total £300,000 slashed from library costs county-wide.

Some 50 people then volunteered to keep the library open, three days per week.

While the council still provides the computer system and sends a librarian a couple hours per week to help, expenses and running costs have to be raised by the community.

The Sainsbury family’s Headley Trust has provided for the library rent for three years.

Future fundraisers include visits by other authors, and a huge second-hand book sale, offering thousands of books donated to the library, on Saturday October 17, from 10am to 3pm.

The library is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 1pm and 5.30pm and Saturdays from 10.30am to 3pm.