Help find a long-term future for some of England's finest redundant chapels!

The Historic Chapels Trust https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/support-organisations/historic-chapels-trust needs additional Trustees, but the brief is far from usual. The Trust is looking for people who care about heritage and have experience or an interest in regeneration, community asset transfer….. and winding up charities. As a Trustee you will play a really important role in giving 20 of the very best of the surviving redundant chapels in England a viable long-term future. Closing date is 12 February 2024.

The Historic Chapels Trust has a goal of having the majority its 20 chapels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Chapels_Trust in new ownership by March 2026, which will then be followed by the closure of the charity. The Trust is a Registered Charity set up in 1993 to care for redundant non-Anglican churches, chapels, and places of worship across England. It has rescued places of worship no longer in use by congregations and is handing them onto future generations to maintain their condition as physical records of vital strands of our history.  

The Trust is currently delivering a programme of sympathetic disposals of the magnificent collection of Grade I and II* listed redundant chapels to organisations better placed to care for them. A programme of major repairs to the chapels at greatest risk is also being undertaken to improve their prospects for disposal.

The HCT is asking Trustees to contribute actively to the Board by setting and maintaining strategic direction; setting overall policy; defining goals and setting targets; fundraising, evaluating performance; ensuring the charity’s effective and efficient administration and financial conduct; ensuring compliance with the law; and promotion of the mission of the Trust. The average time commitment is between 8 to 12 hours per quarter, and most responsibilities can be carried out remotely. Trustee Meetings are held quarterly, usually on weekdays and online.

There is no need to have trustee experience to apply. The Trust holds and promotes the values of equality, diversity and inclusivity and we are seeking trustees who would be ambassadors to these values. 

How to apply: Email a CV and cover letter (of no more than one A4 page) detailing why you want to be a trustee for the Historic Chapels Trust and the skills you can bring to this role. Applications and requests for further information can be made to office@historicchapelstrust.org.uk

The Trust is hosting an online open evening on Monday 29th January 2024, 1800 - 1900 pm, where we welcome you to meet with the CEO and Chair to learn more. Attendance at the open evening is not mandatory to apply, but is highly recommended to gain a greater understanding of the organisation’s mission and the Trustee position. Please email the Trust for more information.

The building illustrated is Newbury’s Riverside Chapel, which SPAB fought to save. The photos are from the SPAB https://www.spab.org.uk/about-us archive which reveals that in 1960 this Presbyterian (later Quaker, and lastly Unitarian) Chapel. For the first 60 years of its life it had no heating, “the congregation being kept warm by their own zeal” according to the minute book. In 1960 plans for converting it into a youth centre rather than building a new structure were discussed. Local architect Mr A J Campbell-Cooper said of it “One might feel a regret for an old building belonging to the past disappearing, but it is not one that would merit the fight for preservation that might be required for other buildings in Newbury.” It appears to have been demolished despite the Ministry of Housing and Local Government listing it. “It is an early non-conformist chapel of distinction” they wrote to the Council, “It has considerable features of architectural quality. Its demolition would therefore be most regrettable.” Town Council Alderman G E Willis said that "it was considered one of the best specimens of an old Puritan meeting house in the country." For clarity, the HCT has no connection to this site but I have used it as an example of lost chapel heritage.