DENHOLME Town Council is this month due to take over the running of the village’s Community Library from Bradford Council.

The town council has recruited volunteers over the past few months in readiness for the transfer, and plans to sign an agreement with City Hall to run it until March 2020.

At a recent meeting town councillors were told that most existing volunteers had been asked to carry on at the library, which is housed in the Mechanics Institute.

When Bradford Council originally decided to close the library in 2011, a group of volunteers took over with help from council officers.

Last September volunteer coordinator Annabel Bell announced she planned to retire, and several volunteers subsequently decided to retire too.

Annette this week praised the dedication of the volunteers in keeping the library open for seven years.

She said: “During that time they have refurbished a dilapidated library with new shelving and equipment.

“The library is a focal point and a hub for the people in the village and it stands in good stead for the volunteers taking over.

“On behalf of all the volunteers we hope the service will continue, as they are in a much better situation than we were in 2011.”

Annette said volunteers had raised money for ongoing costs by selling a large selection of books, and organising well-attended coffee mornings and sales of bacon butties.

She said funds from these events left over had been donated to Manorlands and the Scoliosis Association UK.