Chapel Green
Project
The
Let's fill this gap with something we want!
CHAPEL GREEN ASSOCIATION was formally inaugurated at the public meeting previously advertised. It is a non-profit, with Richard Haes as Chair and Diana Millar as Treasurer. Maggy Daniell is running the campaign.
Its aims are to keep the present open view and the enhanced setting of St Lawrence (a heritage asset) and to replace the demolished building with a community green for all to enjoy.
NEXT MEMBERS’ MEETING - Wednesday 27th May,
7pm at The Well-Being Hub, High Street. If you want to join,
it’s £5 at the door. The Constitution is on the next page.
We want this to be a Community Green summer
Community is us: other residents, neighbours, colleagues, businesses, official bodies; the old, young and middling. We all live here and will benefit from a Green Heart to the main shopping street, so let’s be sociable and connected and help make it happen.
Green is good for us. The town centre needs some trees, some relaxing space, somewhere to sit in the fresh air and look around, detached from the rush. Being outdoors in green spaces has known health benefits. And the Wild Garden would be good for wildlife and for nature study, where children could come and learn.
CRAFTERS:
we would love your contributions for a stall raising funds for the Green. Email Kelly: greencommunitycrafts@gmail.com to share ideas and coordinate.
GARDENERS:
If you have spare plants, why not contribute by putting them outside to sell, or email Susan: susanhowe54@gmail.com to coordinate for events.
BAKERS:
We would love your cakes to sell on a stall at events, or (a promise of one) as a raffle prize. Email Maggy: cgprojectvolunteers@gmail.com
Do your own fundraiser, as whacky as you like, as an individual.
Or:
Be competitive - come to the Chapel Green Quiz on 26th June. At the Well-Being Hub, High Street, prompt start at 7.30 pm. £2 pp and raffle, bar available.
Be sociable - raise money by holding a Green Tea or a BBQ with friends or neighbours, and each put something in the pot as a donation.
Be active - get sponsored for a run or a walk or a bike ride…or anything else you enjoy doing. Contact us for a form.
Our Aim:
YOUR TOWN, YOUR HIGH STREET
The Chapel of St. Lawrence is a heritage treasure. It is now almost in the gracious setting it deserves.
We know you love this improved view, and don't want it infilled by more dense development.
Many of you have said you want a community green here. It can happen if we all work together, and quickly.
To manage such a project, we inaugurated Chapel Green Association on the 29th of April. If you show your commitment by becoming members and then giving donations, large or small, grant-giving bodies will have confidence there is widespread support within the town.
With the help of grants, we would be in a position to buy the site, and start to turn your aspirations into reality. Right now that might sound like a challenge! But as a community, we can do it.
Not all of this is under our own control, so if we can't get beyond the first stage we have made provision in our Constitution to return donations to Members.
Support the Project!
Contact us directly if you want to become a member and make a donation.
A portal for direct donations on this website will appear in due course.
Email address
How it all began
One Sunday in February, looking through the viewing gap in the boards fencing off 3 High Street, Maggy and Lucinda agreed it would be tragic if was built on again, as it was the perfect place for a community green. They immediately started a campaign to oppose the planning application that had just gone live.
It helped spread some awareness, but was too late in the process to be effective. Rather than abandon the idea, they looked at ways to involve the residents and see if enough money could be raised, through community donations and grant funding, to buy the site and make the dream come true.
After nightmarish weeks of struggling with bureaucracy and Catch-22 rules, they decided neither charity nor community company was suitable for this stage and so the Chapel Green Association was conceived. It is to be formally inaugurated at the public meeting on 29th April. If you want the green, then become a member!
Maggy Daniell has a long record of campaigning and starting community projects.
Lucilla Phillips was an active member of the civic trust that helped preserve Warminster’s heritage.
They were backed in this by two significant people:
Oliver Dooley grew up in Warminster and is currently studying for a Masters in Wildlife Conservation. A welcome younger supporter, he made time to create the website.
Hilary Jackson (despite the surrounding boards) created the charming watercolour to enable us to visualise how it could be.
Others also helped in various ways, not least by moral support and backing the idea from the beginning:
Our youngest, at six months was Iris WT, and our oldest, at 101, was John W.
In between we had:
Mike J, David OC, Celia L, Tony C, Gerry C, Linda P, Vivienne L, Mike F, Jane L, Mark T, Dorothy S, Louise S, Sarah NS, Danny H, Annie P, Jetteke C and Penny W.
And others from local shops:
Matt, Carllee, John, Gary, Ben, Tony, Tracy, Ivan, Madalena, Melvyn, Wayne, Gaynor, Tyler, Natalie and Janet.
Thanks to you all.