Welcome December – Dates for your Diary

Yes, it’s December already! We can’t believe it either. Another busy and eventful year at the library draws to a close and we’d like to remind you about some important dates this month:

12 December Cricklesingers Carol Concert at All Saints Child’s Hill – free carol concert by our thriving and exuberant community choir.

15 December – Carols by Candlelight at the library

20 December – Early Evening Family Concert of excerpts from The Nutcracker. Truly a cracking way to start your family celebrations

20 December – December’s Last Friday concert by Trio Taliesin

21 December – our last day “in the office” this year. We reopen on Monday 6 January

 

Don’t Forget to Vote!

On Thursday 2 May 2024 there will be elections for the Mayor of London and the 25 Members of the London Assembly. I am required by law to send this booklet to all registered voters who are eligible to vote in these elections. It includes mini-manifestos from the Mayoral candidates who have chosen to have one, and the names of all candidates standing for the London Assembly. Changes to this year’s elections Photo ID: If you are voting in a polling station, you must now bring photo identification. You can find out what forms of ID are acceptable here. The good news is that lots of documents are accepted as forms of ID, including, but not limited to:

International travel
Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish Passport Card)
Driving and parking
Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
A Blue Badge
Local travel
Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
Oyster 60+ Card funded by the UK Government
Freedom Pass
Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled or under 22s bus pass)
60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Proof of age
Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
Other government issued documents
Biometric immigration document
National identity card issued by an EEA state
Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
Voter Authority Certificate
Anonymous Elector’s Document

If you don’t have an accepted form of photo ID

You can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, if:

you don’t have an accepted form of photo ID
you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you
you’re worried about using an existing form of ID for any other reason, such as the use of a gender marker
You need to register to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Once you are registered to vote, apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

How we vote: The way we elect the Mayor of London has changed. There will only be one vote for the Mayor, when in the past there has been a first and second choice. There are two types of London Assembly Member. Constituency Assembly Members represent the 14 London Assembly constituencies, and 11 Assembly Members represent the whole of London. As in previous elections you have one vote for each. You can find out more about how to vote and how we work out the results here.

Barclays Online Fraud and Scams Workshop

Barclays Bank have had a (non-cash) branch at the library for over a year now, and are keen to bring more services to the community over the coming months. They will be running an advice surgery for anyone who’s interested in how to identify and avoid financial and banking scams of all kinds.

The Metropolitan Police will be on hand between 1000 and 1200 on Wednesday 19 October, to answer all your questions and offer advice.