CAMPAIGNERS will stage two community events in a bid to “keep up the fight” to save their library.

Coggeshall Community Library Group has announced it will host a protest march and celebratory reading session in the coming weeks in an effort to protect the future of the service in the village.

Coggeshall Library, in Stoneham Street, is one of a number of facilities which may need to be run by volunteers if Essex County Council decides to press ahead with plans to cut services.

A consultation on the proposals concluded in February, and County Hall is now continuing discussions about what happens next after receiving 21,000 responses from the public.

After joining a countywide protest against the plans in Chelmsford back in February, the Coggeshall Community Library Group will now stage its own protests as it continues to fight against the proposals.

Chairman Tracey Vickers said: “There has been a lot of campaigning and fighting for our libraries but we wanted to run something that was participatory and celebrated them.

“It’s so important to remind people that libraries are more than just books.”

The first event, which will be staged between 11.30am and 1pm on Saturday, April 27, will see all residents invited to Coggeshall Library to take part in a celebration and taster session of everything the library has to offer.

Book readings are expected to be staged by local authors and it is hoped a celebrity will also be in attendance.

The second event will be held on Saturday, May 18 and see protesters march from Honywood School, past St Peter’s Primary and then on to the library.

Organisers say both events will be family-friendly and people of all ages are invited to attend.

Mrs Vickers added: “It’s not over just because the consultation has finished.

“We have not stopped fighting to save our libraries and the events we have planned are being held to keep it relevant and to remind people to keep up the support.

“It’s easy to think that if you have signed a petition or responded to the consultation that it will be stopped, but it won’t.

“Yes, there may have been 21,000 responses to the consultation, but that was only about ten per cent of library users which is really disappointing.

“We have to keep it up and do everything we can to save our library.”