St Francis de Sales Catholic Infant and Nursery School in Walton were invited to meet Her Majesty the Queen during her visit to Spellow Community Hub and Library on 4 September.

Her Majesty came to see the progress made at the library since its destruction during the riots of 2024, and she kindly donated a collection of books to help inspire a love of reading within the local community.

The Spellow Hub, once devastated by fire and water damage during the riots, has since been restored through community effort, including donations from local residents, authors such as Frank Cottrell Boyce, and public figures like Nigella Lawson. A GoFundMe campaign also raised £250,000, helping the library reopen in December 2024 as a vibrant centre of learning, support and hope.

During her visit, The Queen met staff and pupils from St Francis de Sales who were thrilled to greet Her Majesty. Pupils even invited her to join them for a game of chess, which she warmly accepted. It was a joyful moment that captured the spirit of the day.

The Queen listened to a poem about Spellow Hub written by Frank Cottrell Boyce, celebrating the library as a place where imagination, belonging and resilience come together. Local leaders spoke of the Hub as a symbol of unity – a reminder of what can be achieved when communities stand together.

This will be a wonderful memory for the young people of St Francis de Sales Catholic Infant and Nursery School, and what a fantastic way to celebrate the joy and importance of reading. The visit offered a powerful reminder that books help children dream bigger, feel connected and discover hope, and that places like Spellow Hub remain at the heart of community life.