Needed - a saviour and lots of bumps in the road to redevelopment.

The decision to close the central Methodist Church in Radstock, is, contrary to news reports, not a done deal.

The decision will need to be ratified by a series of Methodist meetings, from the B&NES-wide circuit in September and then onto a national vote at the conference in June 2022.

Plenty of scope then to prevent the shuttering of the religious building which now needs someone to take the lead and save the church.

The history

The congregation in Radstock was probably founded in the 1820s and built the chapel first in a carpet factory in 1842 and then opened the present building in 1902.

The Westfield Methodist church had opened in 1861, having been built on Sunday afternoons by the miners using stone from the quarry where the Westfield allotments now are. It was extended in 1896.

But it wasn't just a case of sharing religion, the church played a major role in providing literacy classes for working class children with Sunday Schools which had first started in the 1770s.

There was also a political aspect.

The Westfield church was a 'Primitive Methodist' foundation which remained very working class in ethos, and radical in their politics, but perhaps the most interesting thing is that they allowed women full equality to take services vote on councils and so on. So the miners' wives had to learn to read as well.

All very well but why should a church, which under coronavirus only had around 30 in the congregation be saved?

Firstly Cllr Eleanor Jackson is eager to tell us that the congregration is more like 50 in number, plus all their families.

She also sees the church not just for those who attend, but as a leader in the community. She told Nub News: " I take the view that not only is this a very beautiful building, but it is also a central meeting place, where would all the organisations who use it go to if it is closed? I am thinking of the Silver Band in particular.

"Over 40 groups use this building, but it is also a welcome place for everyone from the community. We have helped people who have had serious drug problems, the homeless and an awful lot of lonely people. Helping hands to them all.

"This is not a DONE deal. There are opportunities to stop this - to organise a petition - to gather together opposition to get them to change their mind. But we need help."

Meantime Cllr Jackson personifies the commitment she herself has made, to the church as an organisation which leads from the front.

" The world should go back to some basic values - helping the lonely which we do here, but we also should lead by example. Tackling the climate emergency for example that is a big commitment that the church is leading on.

If you are a Methodist you sign up to a pledge : Service by being a good neighbour in the community, challenging injustice and helping the church in its mission for the world, so making the world a better place.

Cllr Jackson sums it up: " This is not like a tennis club which is there to serve its members - it doesn't exist for the benefit of just those who belong to the club - it is here to serve others."

And what happens if no one listens to an appeal ?

Then the Cllr has a plan B. She tells Nub News : " I would like to get the building listed, it is on the site of a former medieval road, that will create another obstacle in the path of (it being developed).

"I also think we need to have a serious conversation with the B&NES planning department, if they think they can just turn this into flats (as was done with St Hughs) then they are mistaken - a very different set of circumstances - and there is NO parking for a start. "

If you can help with launching a campaign to save the church you can contact Cllr Jackson via email : [email protected] or the Minister on his email [email protected]. Or on the phone 01761- 411858