“WALKIES! We’re off to raise cash for the village library.”

That’s what dog owners will be telling their pooches at North Baddesley next Sunday (November 30).

Deputy chairman of North Baddesley Community Library, Debbie Evenhand and other volunteers are organising a sponsored dog walk around the village starting from Fleming Avenue at 10am.

The event is expected to last about two hours and Debbie said: “It costs £1 to enter on the day. We want people to sponsor dog walkers or anyone without a dog that would like to do the walk to help raise money for the library. We will be walking along the pavements around the village. I hope a lot of people will turn up and support us.”

Debbie said the library in Willis Avenue is doing well since volunteers took over running it from Hampshire County Council in April after the county council had announced plans to close it.

“We are doing OK but we need to keep fundraising to make sure our services keep going. We’ve increased footfall and have regular art classes,” said Debbie.

“We are supported by a successful band of volunteers and the library has become a venue for events. We’ve got the only photocopying facility in the village, and computer and internet access. We are trying to be like a community hub rather than a library.”