Celebrating the Reopening of The Emma Murray Library
We’re thrilled to announce the reopening of The Emma Murray Library at Co-op Academy, a meaningful space dedicated to the memory of Emma Murray, a beloved former colleague whose love for literature inspired our students. Our Library Manager, Ms Corbally, worked tirelessly to keep reading alive from her library kiosk during the closure whilst building work took place, and the library’s return is a true celebration of learning, reading, and community spirit.
For this special occasion, we were honoured to have Emma’s mother, Kath, join us, adding even more warmth to the celebration. We invited students who have made exceptional contributions to reading and creativity, celebrating their achievements with the academy community. Shyo, who won second place in the Gareth Jones Award for Excellence with her beautiful poem on this year's theme of change, was joined by Gareth’s wife, Lynn Jones MBE, and Beth Lovatt-Wood, who oversees the award.
I'm so pleased and proud to have re-opened the Library with an event honouring the legacies of Emma Murray and Gareth Jones - who both had a passionate belief in the young people of Stoke-on-Trent - and celebrating some of our current students' achievements.
As Shyo read her awarded poem and spoke about the message behind it, she embodied everything we work together to achieve in the Library. A place which develops the confidence of hard-working, creative students and gives them the space to be themselves. We look forward to seeing the Library and its users continue to flourish.
Ahmed, another talented writer, was also recognised, having been highly commended in the international Foyle Young Poets Award, a prestigious competition that received over 17,000 entries worldwide. His accomplishment stands as a testament to his dedication and creative talent.
We were also delighted to celebrate Year 7 students who completed the city’s Library Summer Reading Challenge and congratulate Luo Chen, the winner of the National Literacy Trust’s Be The Change competition. Luo’s prize included a trip to Wicked in the West End and an invitation to meet Queen Camilla at Clarence House—a truly remarkable honour.
Thank you to Ms Corbally and everyone involved in this journey. The reopening of The Emma Murray Library is a beautiful reminder of the power of books, learning, and community, and we’re excited to see the library once again at the heart of our academy.
It was an honour to welcome Mrs Murray's mother Kath to the library celebration. She was incredibly proud to hear all of our students’ fantastic achievements in The Emma Murray Library, named in memory of her daughter, a much-loved English teacher here at the academy. It was a special moment that reminds us of Emma’s lasting impact and the powerful inspiration she continues to bring to our academy.
Mrs Davies, Assistant Headteacher