Brig Lend Rises Again

After three years on the Berkhamsted canal, the little library that raised over £4,000 pounds for The Hospice of St Francis was about to disappear permanently.

Geoff Wiggett and his partner Sandra built and maintained Brig Lend library at the end of their garden, but following a robbery this March, the couple made the difficult decision to close. This was the third time the library had money stolen, and the cost of replacing the broken security box was steep.

‘We obviously live in times when people don’t respect that charities need help, and are willing to cause damage for the sake of couple of quid,’ Geoff said.

But following an outcry from the community, Rising Sun pub landlord Nigel and his husband Mark stepped up to offer Brig Lend a new, more secure home outside the pub. The pub is just a short walk along the canal from the library’s original location.

‘We’ve already had a fantastic response from our neighbours around George Street,’ Nigel said.

Brig Lend at the Riser will be built over the coming weeks, offering a place for book-lovers to gather, browse and donate, while continuing to support the Hospice’s special care in the community.