Baptist Chapel Site Planning Permission Granted  - posted 22 August 2011

Permission having been given for the clearance of the site and the construction of two "starter homes", the site is currently being offered for sale by Lords of Towcester.

Up-date On The Old Baptist Chapel And Schoolroom - posted 1 March 2011

An architect has been commissioned to draw up detailed plans to develop the site, as required by the the planning authorities. We wait to hear whether this is any more successful than all the others.

Glyn Jones

What Is Happening About Helmdon Chapel? - posted 13 February 2009

... you may be asking. Not much, I am sorry to say. We all regret it is such an eyesore but let me explain why I think there will be no action in the foreseeable future.

In recent years three planning applications were made to redevelop the site with affordable housing; each was refused, with completely different reasons being given each time. After the third application we were told that any further application would have to be as a full planning proposal. It was clear from what we and our professional architect observed when a group of us attended the last application that it would be difficult for us to satisfy that Planning Committee - a new reason for refusal might be produced. Since each outline application costs money to prepare and submit, and a full planning application would cost much more, we hesitated before making a further application and last year we recognised that in the deteriorating conditions of the housing market we now had little hope of realising what we believed to be the value of the site. As a registered charity we are required to do our best to secure the value of our property, which we cannot do in the current depression/recession (dare one use the D-word?).

With hindsight, it is unfortunate, both from the point of view of most villagers and of the church as owner of the derelict chapel and site, that objections against the earlier development proposals prevented the timely development of the site that was intended. I think that there will now be a pause until favourable conditions for development return and we are more confident that another planning application will have a reasonable chance of success. Of course, those who are responsible for the chapel may not have this view -- this is my personal opinion, being someone without authority -- but I feel sure that I express the general feeling of the folk who remember the good times past at Helmdon chapel when I say that we regret we have not been permitted to arrive at a neat ending for it.

Glyn Jones

glyngilljones@aol.com

The Community Project at Weston continues to expand its Activities - posted 5th February 2009

The Comunity Project continues to expand its activities.   Everything it does is open to people from Helmdon and all the surrounding villages. In addition to the Coffee Stop, Lunch Club, Hobby Club, Tiny Tots, WEA, Art Club and Wine Club there are the recently started lunch for Alzheimers' sufferers and carers and help for those experiencing depression, plus the following new activities:   Keep Fit Classes On Mondays at 1.30 pm there are 'Keep Fit' Classes at the Weston Community Project. They last for one hour and guarantee to find again the muscles you thought you had lost! For more information contact Audrey Keeves on 01295 760334 or a.keeves@btinternet.com

Walk your way to Health.  If you know that a little gentle exercise is good for the health but are not a serious ramblers you will be interested in the weekly Leisure Walks. These take place each Tuesday morning, going at a gentle pace and starting at 9.30 from the old chapel, whatever the weather. Each lasts for an hour to an hour and quarter. There is no charge. Hot drinks and cakes are available afterwards in the rooms of the Community. For more details call Mike Crozier, the walk leader, on 07866-823273.   Computer courses Practical instruction in computing continues to be available from time to time at the Community Project. The classes are small (up to 4 trainees) and 'hands-on'. The two courses currently on offer are Computing for Beginners (for those with no experience) and Basic Computing (for those who want to know some useful 'tricks of the trade'). If you may be interested in one of these inexpensive courses or wish to discuss your needs, contact Glyn Jones on 01327 261265 or glyngilljones@aol.com if you are already on the internet.

Interested in Art? Do the names Henry Moore, Eric Gill, John Piper, Dora Carrington, Clare Leighton, Stanley Spencer, Paul and John Nash mean anything to you? 'Some Artists of Southern England' is the title of Bill Prestcott's WEA Course that will run at the Project for six weeks from April 22nd onwards and they are the painters, sculptors and engravers from the first half of last Century whose work will be featured. Wednesday afternoons 2-4pm  £33 for the entire course (coffee or tea included, of course). For more information contact Glyn Jones on 01327 261265 or glyngilljones@aol.com   Visit the WCP website at www.westoncp.org.uk !

Local Baptists celebrate the first year of the Weston Community Project - 30th August 2007

The Weston Community Project has competed its first year of operation in the newly refurbished premises at the old chapel at Weston. In that time it has initiated regular meetings of: a lunch club, a hobby gather, a daytime WEA branch, an art club and a wine club. It has also become the home for the established 'Mums and Tots', and a temporary location for the ceramic Art Group. In addition to the Parish Council and the local drama group practising there, the Community Project has been used for a variety of private activities ranging from an evening of choral and orchestral works to a showing of Al Gore's film 'An Inconvenient Truth', and for parties of all kinds.

The grade II listed building was reopened almost one year ago by Sir John Greenaway, a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the county, in the presence of a multitude of civic dignitaries. At that time many must have wondered whether a community centre at Weston could ever succeed. The progress made in such a short time has astonished everyone, not least those who took the risk and invested in it (including the church and the NCC). Of course, the Baptists still use the building for services on Sundays and alternate Tuesdays, and for prayer on Sundays and Mondays -- its Cells continue to meet in private houses in Helmdon and Moreton Pinkney. And like the Community Project the church is also growing. 

The Community Project is an independent charity. It will hold its first General Meeting on the afternoon of Thursday 27 September, 2007, when its progress will be reported. This is open to anyone who wishes to attend. But I imagine that most people will be content to visit the Community Project's website which gives information about its activities; you may visit it on www.westoncp.org.uk

Glyn Gill Jones

Archived:

What's happening to the Chapel at Helmdon?
Whatever happened to the Helmdon Baptists?
                                                     - 2006

For more information about Tove Valley Baptist Fellowship speak to the Minister Revd Phil Drage on 01295 768690 e-mail phildrage@hotmail.com or Rosemary Gulliver on 01295 760720. Alternatively, please visit their web site here.