Wellbeing light therapy lamps among resources available to loan at libraries

Residents in the Welshpool area can now borrow special light therapy lamps and wellbeing resources from their local library as part of a new scheme to help people cope with the darker winter months.

Powys County Council has introduced five Wintering Well loan boxes across the county, including one at Newtown Library and another at Y Lanfa in Welshpool.

The boxes are designed to support people who struggle with shorter days and reduced daylight, including those experiencing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression associated with seasonal changes.

Each box contains a therapeutic light lamp and a guidebook with suggestions for indoor and outdoor activities aimed at helping people establish healthier winter routines.

Residents can borrow a box free of charge for two weeks, with access to an online course offering additional information and support.

Although only five boxes are available across Powys, they can be reserved through the council's online library service and delivered to any library in the county for collection. The other boxes are based in Llandrindod Wells, Brecon and Ystradgynlais.

The initiative follows research by the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, which worked with people experiencing SAD to develop the resources. The boxes have previously been trialled in Scottish libraries.

Powys libraries volunteer Sammi Orme, who tested one of the boxes, said she had already noticed a difference.

“I would definitely use this again. I’ve found the light has been really beneficial. I’ve called it the ‘happy lamp’, instead of the ‘SAD lamp’,” she said.

“Over a longer period of time, the boxes can definitely give you some good ideas to boost your happiness during the darkness.”

She added: “I’m a childminder and I’m outside all of the time, and because the hours of light are a lot less at this time of the year, I feel a big change in my mood, because I’ve not got that light on my skin through the day.”

Councillor Raiff Devlin, Powys County Council's Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital and Community Services, said the scheme would make practical support available to people across the county.

“The shorter days and darker winter months can be difficult for many people, so I am pleased that our libraries will be able to offer this practical and accessible resource,” he said.

“Although the five boxes will be based at libraries across Powys, people will be able to order one for collection from any of our library facilities. This is particularly important in a large rural county, where services must be made as accessible as possible.”

The launch comes as the clocks went back at the weekend, bringing earlier sunsets and fewer hours of daylight during the winter.

Alongside the loan boxes, Powys libraries have introduced a Mood Boosting Adult Reading Challenge, which began on Monday and will run until 29 March 2027.

Adults will be encouraged to read 10 books from the Reading Agency's 2026 Mood Boosting Collection, featuring fiction and non-fiction titles selected for their uplifting or meaningful content.

The books were chosen following recommendations from young adults aged 18 to 25, with the final collection reviewed by readers, librarians and booksellers.

A photographic exhibition exploring people's experiences of winter has also opened at Rhayader Library and will remain there until 6 January 2027. It is expected to move to another Powys library in January, when a winter photography challenge will also be launched.

The Wintering Well programme was developed with funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

Residents interested in borrowing one of the wellbeing boxes can contact Newtown Library or Y Lanfa in Welshpool, or reserve a box through the council's online library service.

Further information about library activities is available at www.storipowys.org.uk/whats-on/