Inspire Libraries staff recognised for their exceptional impact at Libraries Connected Awards 2025

Earlier this week Libraries Connected announced the winners of their 2025 Awards, which celebrate the outstanding achievements of library staff who have made a significant impact on their services and local communities. Inspire is thrilled to announce that Sarah Baker, Librarian, and Charlotte Strong, Libraries Support Officer, were runners-up in the Health & Wellbeing category for their inspiring work on the 2024 Care Squares Knitting Challenge. The campaign brought together communities and groups across Nottinghamshire’s library network and beyond, using knitting to make a woolly impact on local care charities!

Hundreds of Nottinghamshire crafters donated their time, skills and creativity to knit and crochet thousands of colourful squares and 275 beautiful blankets that were donated to local care homes, memory groups and hospitals. Driven by Sarah and Charlotte in 2024, Inspire partnered with Your Health Notts, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Dementia Action Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and Creative Lives to support local crafters get creative for a good cause. Knitters were invited to join weekly knitting groups and special ‘blanket-a-thon’ events in libraries, where they came together to stitch squares into warm, homely blankets for people in need. 

Peter Gaw, Chief Executive at Inspire, collected the award on Sarah and Charlotte’s behalf at the awards ceremony: 

The winners of the Libraries Connected’s awards were chosen by an expert panel including Luke Burton, Director, Libraries at Arts Council England, Debbie Hicks, Creative Director at The Reading Agency and Lucy Banks, Programme Manager at the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians. This year’s nominations showcased the breadth and impact of library services nationwide; on the shortlist were projects focused on digital skills, inclusivity for neurodiverse children, and impactful health and wellbeing initiatives including Inspire’s 2024 Care Squares challenge.

Inspire’s exciting 2025 charity knitting challenge, Wrapped! launched in April and will run until Friday 1st August. This year’s challenge is being delivered in partnership with Mansfield Building Society, The Trussell Trust, Creative Lives, and Nottinghamshire knitwear designer Jane Withers and invites crafters to knit and crochet woolly scarves to help people in crisis. Free scarf patterns are available to download now on the Inspire website and to collect at all our libraries. 

For further information about the 2025 award winners, visit: Libraries Connected Awards 2025 winners revealed | Libraries Connected

Find out about Inspire’s 2025 Charity Knitting challenge, Wrapped!:  inspireculture.org.uk/knit