A Richmond borough school has redesigned two of its library spaces following community fundraising efforts, including a sponsored cycle to Amsterdam.

East Sheen Primary School has unveiled two renovated library spaces as part of the National Year of Reading 2026.

The school worked with its Parent Teacher Association (PTA), the English Hub and local library partners to redesign the spaces, placing children's literature at the heart of the project.

The renovations, which cost £50,000, were made possible through community fundraising, including a sponsored cycle to Amsterdam, alongside events organised for pupils throughout the summer.

The redesigned libraries aim to provide calm, welcoming environments where children can explore stories, discover new characters and develop their imaginations.

The transformed libraries cost £50,000 to revamp (credit: Image supplied).

Pupils have already started using the spaces, with the school's Junior Librarians welcoming Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, to officially open the libraries.

The school said it has long championed reading for pleasure and recognises the benefits of encouraging children to develop a lifelong love of books.

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East Sheen Primary School also consistently achieves results above national averages in reading and phonics.

The project comes during the National Year of Reading, a nationwide initiative in 2026 aimed at encouraging people to discover the benefits of reading.

READ MORE: Residents face losing their voice on local developments in Richmond.

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