A passion for reading has been kept alive for 20 years for people who struggle to get to their local library thanks to a dedicated army of book worms.

Cambs Times: celebration event was held at March library to mark 20 years of the housebound service and to thank Fenland volunteers who take books to housebound members. Picture: Steve Williams.celebration event was held at March library to mark 20 years of the housebound service and to thank Fenland volunteers who take books to housebound members. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

The Library at Home celebrates two decades of their housebound library service which is run with the help of 227 volunteers across Cambridgeshire.

Jenni Johns, who has been with the service since its launch in 1995, said: “Once a month readers get a visit with books, tapes or audio and along with that a chat, a cup of tea and a chance to talk books and anything else.

“They become like friends, it is a fantastic service and keeps people reading when they otherwise may have had to have stopped.”

There are three groups across the county, one in the Fens, one in Huntingdon area and the other covering Cambridge city and south.

Cambs Times: celebration event was held at March library to mark 20 years of the housebound service and to thank Fenland volunteers who take books to housebound members. Jenni Johns area volunteer coordinator cutting the cake with volunteers looking on. Picture: Steve Williams.celebration event was held at March library to mark 20 years of the housebound service and to thank Fenland volunteers who take books to housebound members. Jenni Johns area volunteer coordinator cutting the cake with volunteers looking on. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

In Fenland there are 82 volunteers helping 119 readers.

“We are so lucky with our volunteers who always go the extra mile for their readers and are sometimes the only visit people get outside carters and medical people. It’s so much more than a delivery of books.”

Volunteer Jean Cave, of March, said: “Not only do the readers benefit but we volunteers also get a lot of out it.

“You’re meeting new people, talking books and anything else under the sun. I get a lot of pleasure from knowing I am helping people to carry on with their reading hobby.”

Cambs Times: celebration event was held at March library to mark 20 years of the housebound service and to thank Fenland volunteers who take books to housebound members. Picture: Steve Williams.celebration event was held at March library to mark 20 years of the housebound service and to thank Fenland volunteers who take books to housebound members. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

To celebrate 20 years volunteers met for a celebration at March library which included a special 20 theme quiz.