Some of you may have noticed that I have been sharing information on my social media channles about events at the Old Chapel in Tolpuddle, Dorset. I joined the trustees of the Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust a year ago and have been chairing the board since the last AGM in June.
I first heard about this historic building back around 2003 when I had a chance conversation with a building surveyor from Manchester who was visiting Dorset for the Tolpuddle festival – the annual celebration of social justice and all things related to trades unions that brings thousands of people to this little village in the heart of Dorset on the third weekend in July. Back then it was derelict, covered in brambles, and pretty much forgotten as having been built in 1818 by some of the men who would later become known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs and who shared a deep faith commitment as Methodists.
Thanks to incredible work by others, notably Andrew McCarthy, and the support of many funders, the chapel was purchased and sensitively restored with work completed in 2023, making it available as a useful community and meeting space.
Last week I spent a morning looking at plans for the exhibition we will host over the festival weekend, and had a conversation about the original title deed from 1818 that shows support from (presumably?) Methodists across South Dorset – digitised version and facsimile prints on the way. Then it was on to the more prosaic work of policy reviews, risk assessments, fire safety, updating first aid kits, volunteer recruitment, and securing the financial future of the building.
So if you’ve got this far here’s the ask. We need a few more volunteers to welcome visitors- mostly on Thursdays from Easter through to October although if we had the numbers we would gladly be open on other days, and a couple of new trustees would also be very welcome – we have a fantastic company secretary and treasurer in place so I would be delighted to hear from people with interests including communications, trades unionism, Methodist history, heritage buildings, and volunteer management.
And how do we secure the finances for the future? It costs about £10,000 a year to run the building – so my own favoured option is to find 130 people who will join me in pledging a fiver a month – with gift aid where possible. (£5 over 12 months from 130 donors with gift aid equals £9750 – surely that has to be attainable!).
Colin Brady 