Penenden Heath Little Free Library

21/07/2026

Refurbished LFL

11/07/2026

The new John Hatfield Memorial Library is the latest addition to the Little Free Libraries in Maidstone. On Friday 10th July, it was officially declared open by Maidstone Councillor, Cllr Stephen Thompson, portfolio holder for Healthier, Stronger Communities.

What makes this library particularly special is that it will be called the John Hatfield Memorial Library, in honour and recognition of a friend to all who visited the Lock regularly. John died last year, aged 91, after recovering from a stroke and moving into The Grove Care Home. He will always be known as ‘The Chairman of the Sausage Roll Club’. This title was first awarded by one of the Toll House’s staff who, wanting to take a group photograph, announced that this was the Sausage Roll Club. And the name stuck.

Naming the library for John Hatfield was the brainchild of Katie Millar, who runs The Little Old Toll House. Craig’s design is a perfect miniature of the Toll House. It will enhance the café, increase the number of local LFLs and perpetuate the memory of John Hatfield, known to many, and a friend to all.

Present at the opening ceremony were John’s son Peter, daughter Lesley and grandson, Robbie, along with other friends who knew John

04/07/2026

Complete re-stock. Lots of new titles. Thanks to all who brought a book and left it

25/06/2026

Currently in the home country of Little Free Libraries. Here’s a strange one close to us. It’s neither named nor registered. However, it seems to get some use.

09/06/2026

New Little Free Library to be unveiled at Allington Lock

Many followers will have seen Dee Lusiak’s article about Little Free Libraries in the KM. We are excited to bring you news that a very special LFL is soon to be opened at the Little Old Toll House at Allington Lock.

What makes this library special is that it will be called the John Hatfield Memorial Library, in honour and recognition of a friend to all who visited the Lock regularly. John died last year, aged 91. He will always be known as ‘The Chairman of the Sausage Roll Club’. This title was first awarded by one of the Toll House’s staff who, wanting to take a group photograph, announced that this was the Sausage Roll Club. And the name stuck. At the Toll House, there is a memorial plaque to John Hatfield, and visitors often ask how the Sausage Roll Club got its name.

Two members of the Sausage Roll Club have been particularly involved in creating the Little Free Library. Craig McAteer, who stewards the Vinters Park Little Free Library, and John Viner, Steward of the Penenden Heath LFL.

A skilled and creative woodworker, Craig has built the new library while John has arranged with the US based Little Free Library Organization to register and record the new library. It has been allotted the charter number 220547, reflecting the worldwide popularity of the movement (for comparison, Penenden Heath is 38476).

Naming the library for John Hatfield was the brainchild of Katie Millar, who runs The Little Old Toll House. Craig’s design is a perfect miniature of the Toll House. It will enhance the café, increase the number of local LFLs and perpetuate the memory of John Hatfield, known to many, a friend to all.

We are hoping the mayor to open it on July 7th.

19/05/2026

We always appreciate the many donations of wonderful books and thanks for the many children’s titles we’ve received recently. However, please, please be careful when putting books in the box: the bottom shelf is for kids’ books but we’ve just removed a very adult title, dealing with lust and s*x, which was among the children’s books and wholly inappropriate.

Thanks

15/05/2026

Little Free Library Week.

Excuse the US spelling. This is from the LFL site.

Celebrate Little Free Library Week with us! Little Free Library became a nonprofit on May 17, 2012, launching our journey to make books accessible to everyone. We’re turning our organization’s nonprofit birthday into a week-long celebration, starting with the inaugural National Little Free Library Day on May 17! Here's how you can get involved:

Share a Book
Get out and visit some Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood! Use our mobile app to find libraries near you and share books. Be sure to check in to each library you visit. You can even share your favorite Little Free Libraries with friends and family straight from the app!

Enter Our Photo Contest
We want to see photos of you and your favorite Little Free Library book-sharing box! Submit your photos by using the hashtag on social media to be eligible for prizes. The photo contest is sponsored by ThriftBooks.

More details here: https://littlefreelibrary.org/

05/04/2026

Seen at Leybourne lakes. Variation on a theme?

15/03/2026

Re-stocked and re-organised

08/03/2026

Nice write-up in Kent Online

Little libraries are popping up across the county as residents share free books with neighbours.