SUPPORTERS of Wool Library have taken another major step forward in their bid to take over the facility.

Wool is one of nine Dorset libraries threatened with closure if local communities do not step forward to take it on themselves in the face of a withdrawal of core funding from Dorset County Council.

The Friends of Wool Library has already put forward a business plan for the future running of the facility and are in discussions with the council with a view to taking over the library in September.

The Friends group, which now has 100 members and a roster of volunteers in place, has received a further boost to their plans with a generous donation from a local firm.

The Bovington Employees Support Team (BEST) at Babcock International has donated £200 to help the Friends meet the running costs when they take over the facility.

Treasurer of BEST Kay Paynter said: “We are delighted to do our bit to help keep this facility in the parish of Wool and Bovington and the wider local community.

“The library is valued by the young and old alike, it is also quite a social hub.

“We hope that other groups and organisations will follow our lead and get behind this.

“We know how hard the Friends have worked to keep the library open.”

David Smith, chairman of Friends of Wool Library, said: “This is a tremendous message of support both for and from our local community.

“In our business plan accepted by the Dorset County Council cabinet, we estimated we needed to raise at least £1,500 for our first year of operation.

“The good news is that with over 100 paid-up members of the Friends and this start-up dona- tion we are 45 per cent of the way there.

“I am also pleased to announce a small donation of £35 from the Wool Short Tennis Group.

“We still need more funds, we still need more Friends and we still need a few more volunteers but we are ready to roll as and when we can conclude negotiations with the council.”

For more information about the Friends of Wool Library email dsmithecs@aol.com