Category: Uncategorized

Summer Reading Challenge 2024

Registration for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge is now open. Designed to encourage children to read over the summer holidays, children simply need to read six books to obtain a medal and certificate. There’s a mini-challenge for children under four.  Pop in to the library to sign up and get your collector’s folder.   You can also sign up and take the challenge online, using this link.

The photo above shows some of our new books bought for the challenge, but children can read any 6 books of their choice.

E-Newsletter Subscription

For an easy way to keep up to date with what’s happening at the library, subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter. You can easily unsubscribe later. Note: information you supply here will be used only to manage our e-newsletter mailing list. It will be stored by Mailchimp, the organisation we use to send out the newsletter. It will not be passed on to anyone else.

A talk at Dronfield Hall Barn

Greenhill Village History Society were treated to a very interesting talk on Tuesday, 9th May 2023 at the Dronfield Hall Barn. Within the walls are oak beams that date back to 1430. We were privileged to see and hear the history of Dronfield in a Quilt, too. ‘Talking History’ was the knowledgeable historian, Maureen S. Taylor. MA. History is her passion and lectures or gives talks on a freelance basis. Her talks are entertaining and she is happy to wear either Medieval or Tudor costumes.

Please contact her for details of fee for talks on:

01246 411381 or 07933 717 381 email: maureenstaylor50@gmail.com (Note the ‘s’ maureenstaylor)

Many thanks to all involved in making this afternoon so special. If you would like to visit, they have a beautiful garden and coffee shop. A perfect place to unwind in this historic setting.

The link and to contact the Dronfield Hall Barn please visit their website at : https://dronfieldhallbarn.org/

Greenhill Between the Wars

A brief look at Greenhill Village life during the two World Wars

 
WW1 – looking around the heart of the village now seeing the original stone built cottages, it isn’t hard to picture how the interior of these would have looked way back in the early 1900’s. Forget lighting the gas or flickering a switch to turn on the light. Cooking and baking would have been done in an oven heated by a coal fire – most probably a Yorshire Range. Lighting would be achieved by the use of paraffin lamps. 
 
The community spirit already in existence stepped up space for the survival of the village during this conflict.
 
WW2 – progress as to facilities in village life had improved somewhat but the community spirit remained the same. Added to which, a new modern housing estate had been developed between the wars. Not for those living in these new homes was it necessary for a trip across the yard to the privy or filling the tin bath with pans of water heated over the fire. No, these new homes had the luxury of bathrooms and indoor privies.
 
However, the devastation caused by this war cannot be mitigated by improved living standards.
 
Number 63 Greenhill Avenue suffered a direct hit, killing the son of the house. It is believed the father, a deeply religious man, relied that his faith in the Lord would keep him safe and indeed, it probably would have had the family moved into a shelter.
 
A further bomb dropped, this time causing devasting damage at number 4 Humphrey Road. Fortunately, the occupant, Mr Ken Crookes, was safe in the shelter. On emerging from the shelter, and despite the damage to his property, he saw that a light had been left on. This was dangerous so he picked up a stone and threw it, not aiming at the light bulb, but at the light switch which the stone successfully hit, thus turning the light off. Despite the fact that his home had been devastated, he was delighted not to have smashed the light bulb!
 
Christine Williamson

Patrick Coghlan

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Patrick Coghlan, who passed away in April after a long period in intensive care with C-19. Patrick played a lead role in establishing Greenhill as a volunteer-run library and was our chairman for its first four years. More recently, he was the instigator of our project to open our new branch in Lowedges. He was passionate about libraries and reading, and his vision and calm wisdom will be sorely missed. Patrick used to talk about still being able to visit the library with his Zimmer frame when he was 90; sadly that is not now going to happen.

Pictured here are Patrick with Darrell Porter (council volunteer library support), councillor Mary Lea, and library operations manager Ann Hartley.

Status Update

Library Update 1 December 2024

Booking is open at greenhill.bookwhen.com for the following

  • Evening cinema: Scrooge (13 December)

The wreath-making workshop n 5 December is now fully booked; however, Florist Cheryl Hartley has organised another workshop at the White Swan on Friday 6 December. For details and bookings call 07807 052124 or email hartleysflorist@gmail.com. (This is not a library event)

We’ll be opening for three mornings during the Christmas week. Here are the times in detail:

Monday 23rd December 2024 10am-5pm OPEN AS USUAL
Tuesday 24th December 2024 CLOSED
Wednesday 25th December 2024 CLOSED
Thursday 26th December 2024 CLOSED
Friday 27th December 2024 10am-12.30pm
Saturday 28th December 2024 10am-12.30pm
Sunday 29th December 2024 CLOSED
Monday 30th December 2024 10am-12.30pm
Tuesday 31st December 2024 CLOSED
Wednesday 1st January 2025 CLOSED
Thursday 2nd January 2025 10am-12.30pm – coffee morning as usual
Friday 3rd January 2025 10am-5pm RE-OPEN AS USUAL

Our AGM was held in the library on Wednesday 2 October. There are links to the AGM documents on this page.

 You can now place holds on Yellow Sticker books, either at the reception desk or by phoning 0114 2377657, and be notified when they’re available.

There are a number of ways you can support the library financially. Visit our support page for more info

Book Club

New book club!

Due to the popularity of our existing book club we’ve started a new one! The club meets in the library in the evening of the third Wednesday of each month. The new group had its first meeting on 19 Feb.

If you would like to join please send an email to kirsty.atkin1@gmail.com

Another evening with Gavin Extence

Friday 27 September at 7.30: Another evening with Gavin Extence


We are delighted to welcome back our local, best-selling author, Gavin Extence. Come along and enjoy an informal evening, when Gavin will be telling us about his latest book, “The End of Time”. Set against the background of the 2015 migrant crisis, the novel tells the story of two teenage refugees, brothers, who are travelling across Europe to the UK. This is a free event – just turn up!