In this article from our ‘People Behind Businesses in Wainwright’s Yard’ series we meet the volunteers running our secondhand bookstore.

The Lions Secondhand Book Shop is a thriving community hub run entirely by volunteers from the Kendal & District Lions Club. Since opening in 2015, its latest home is in Wainwright’s Yard, attracting a steady footfall from locals and visitors alike.

This is no ordinary bookshop. Apart from selling donated adult books for £1 and children’s books for 50p, the shop also offers jigsaw puzzles and DVDs. It’s also the only place in the UK where you can buy lion-shaped Kendal Mint Cake which is made for the charity by Romneys of Kendal, whose mint cake famously fuelled the first Everest ascent in 1953.

The shop runs thanks to generous donations of books and jigsaws and a dedicated team of volunteers. Many donations come directly into the shop, sometimes via a borrowed Booths trolley, whilst others are collected from people’s houses. A recent donation from Windermere included over 26 boxes of books!

Tasks for the volunteers range from cleaning each book, to getting them onto the shelves and changing the stock. There’s also the important job of researching valuable editions, and even checking jigsaws—yes, volunteers have been known to take them home to ensure no pieces are missing. 

The team is a passionate bunch: Chris (and his much-loved assistance dog Worrell) handles the banking; Richard dives into book research; Eileen and Irene stock the shop and also make cloth bags and knitted items that are for sale, supplemented by customers who also bring in their knitted goods for the shop to sell. Sue, Colin, and Ella all lend their energy under team leader Alison, this year’s Lions President, supported by Chris as Vice.

Proceeds go directly to supporting local needs—from Growing Well and Kendal’s Foodbank, to helping individuals in crisis or funding local talent in community events like the Torchlight Procession.

Alison sums it up beautifully: “We’re united by our love of books, community, and doing something to help others.” With regulars visiting weekly, the team keeps wish lists and delights in finding sought-after titles or genres, like a customer who is a fan of western stories.

In 2025, the Kendal and District Lions Club celebrated 51 years of supporting the local community.

The Bookshop is open on the following days:

Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Thursday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM