Black Park Chapel Trust

08/10/2024

** Long Sad Announcement **
As with all good things, when things come to an end it forces change and provides opportunity. We applied twice for funding from the Welsh Government Community Facilities Programme for a large capital grant to enable Black Park Chapel Trust to buy the building. The first application was rejected because we needed to demonstrate recent community involvement and provide a higher level of match-funding other than a large discount on the purchase price from a valuation that we had received of £420K. We carried out a public consultation and re-applied to the Welsh Assembly with a simultaneous application to the UK Government for the match-funding needed from their Community Ownership Programme. This second application was rejected with the sudden announcement of the election which meant that the UK Government grant was put on hold and therefore the match-funding we needed could not be confirmed for the Welsh Government grant.

In the meantime, the charge on Black Park Chapel (which was originally built with contributions from miners wages at Black Park Colliery) expired and the building was put into receivership, with the order for change of locks with one business day notice by CG Recovery and for our entire contents to be removed. Today is the third and last day we have for access to remove contents, with the very grateful help of members of the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust, French Breton dance group, and the Fron male voice choir, who were all beneficiaries amongst many others of the Black Park Chapel Project.

Black Park Chapels' new role in the community after it closed as a Methodist Chapel, began in 2011 with our first project - Yourspace, which.eventually was separated off into a separate registered charity for children and young people with autism and our first external group that made us their home - Ifton Colliery Band (now City of Wrexham Brass band) which was on the brink of being disbanded. We have made a huge impact on people's lives over the last 15 years and derived much reward for doing so. Thank you to all who supported us.

4 bedroom town house for sale in Maes Y Parc, Halton, Chirk, LL14 for £260,000. Marketed by Town and Country Estate Agents, Wrexham

30/09/2024

A wonderful sight on a dismal day. We have housemartins nesting on our Chapel. After deftly swirling and darting around the sky, joined by many others, they all landed for a rest. Can you spot them?

15/09/2024

Throughout the school summer holidays we hosted the wonderful Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir rehearsals twice a week and welcomed many visitors to listen to them sing. It is always sad to see them depart, but this time we had a call from 'Johns Boys' (of Britains Got Talent semi-finals fame) who wanted to come and rehearse in a venue that offered privacy to practice some new songs for their forthcoming new album. We were privileged to hear the second tenor section on the first rehearsal and basses at the following rehearsal. Here is a photo of the the basses donning wigs at the end of their session, having just been singing whilst waving broom handles! We have no idea what they were doing, but I'm sure all will be revealed in their next concert!

And just for a reminder, or for those that missed it, here is the link to 'John's Boys' singing a cover of Harry Styles "Falling" in BGT semi-finals 2023.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tBnIeugWIus

13/08/2024

We thought that this was such a great shot taken during today's French Breton Folk Dancing session, that we just had to share it. For further details on the group, please send a DM

12/08/2024

A warm, balmy evening with the windows open and 50+ members of the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir rehearsing - what a wondrous and sonorous addition to the birdsong in the village of Black Park this evening, for all the residents and visitors (including one visitor from Germany) to enjoy - every Monday and Thursday 7-9pm throughout August. Hyfryd.

05/08/2024

How lovely to be hosting the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir ("The Fron') rehearsals again during the school holidays. They welcome the public to come and listen, so if you are free on a Monday or Thursday evening between 7pm and 9pm during August, you would be made to feel very welcome. Bendegedig.

04/08/2024

We had an impromptu visit yesterday afternoon from Cllr Tina Mannering, who is the deputy mayoress of Wrexham. Cllr Mannering has a special interest in supporting small enterprises and community work and we discussed the proposal for the Trust to purchase the chapel and the various projects and groups that use the building. Here pictured with a model of the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust - whose administration and registered office is at Black Park Chapel (apologies about the quality of the photograph, lending an ethereal glow).