Community News

See below for information about community activities taking place as well as information on hiring the rooms in the Chapel & Community Centre,  updates on the Lumsdale Valley (and a book you can buy), and the story of the building work to change the the Methodist Chapel into a Chapel & Community Centre.

 There is also Something’s Brewing for coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) morning on MONDAYS: open from 10am – 12 noon except bank holidays.

Kids’ Club  4-5pm on Wednesdays – suspended for the time being due to a shortage of kids!

Al-Anon 7.30 on Wednesday evenings for people affected by someone else’s drinking

for more information visit https://al-anonuk.org.uk/groups/matlock/

YOGA GROUP  – Thursday mornings and evenings 

Contact Rachael for further information (r-claxton@sky.com)

PIZZA FRIDAY for young people – on the first Friday of the month

QUIZ SUPPERS  –  on some Saturdays.

See the Family Focus or What’s On pages for more details.

The Chapel & Community Centre

The Centre was refurbished in 2018 to create the Chapel Community Centre: our belief is that every person is of value to God and we are called to help create a community that is life-enriching for all.

 The Chapel and separate rooms can be hired for weekly activities or for a one-off event such as a children’s party. There is access to the kitchen and the accessible toilets. The premises are alcohol-free. Please enquire about other restrictions on their use.

Special occasions: the church is also registered for marriages and welcomes enquiries about weddings and blessings as well as baptisms and funerals.

LUMSDALE

The upper part of the LUMSDALE VALLEY  below the dam wall is still closed because it is too dangerous but the lower part of the area is now open all the time. It is possible to enter at the middle or bottom gate.

Unobtrusive fencing has now been erected around the most vulnerable areas which are still accessible.

The area is owned by the Arkwright Society and looked after by volunteers.

Matlock Town Council, the DDDC and Derbyshire County Council all felt closure was necessary in May 2020 because of  COVID-19 safety concerns, notably the impossibility of social distancing with very large numbers of people visiting. However, although now mainly reopened, the damage and erosion has still to be addressed and will necessitate large grant applications.

None of the public footpaths is affected.

Working parties are now operating although they are smaller groups.

A book about the valley is available locally.

For both the above items see below under ‘The Lumsdale Project’.

New housing estates

The Thornberries or Bentley Bridge estate: over three years  86 homes were completed on the land immediately to the south-east of the chapel. Residents moved in from February 2018. Some of the houses on the estate are managed by the Nottingham Community Housing Association.

Along the Chesterfield Road the Moorcroft estate has all homes occupied.

Opposite the chapel  – below Matlock Golf Club – the Fairway View or Cardinshaw Road estate of 58 houses was also completed, the majority of which sold as shared ownership (part rent, part buy) or are available to local people at an affordable rent.

To the north of the Chapel Homes by Honey are nearing completion of their Hazel estate.

 

 

The Lumsdale Project

There is a  book about Lumsdale (Lumsdale: The Industrial Revolution in a Derbyshire Valley) which can be purchased in the shop at Cromford Mills,  or via the authors (contact alan@piper.nu) and all profits go towards the upkeep of the valley.

Before lockdown there were regular, large working parties in the valley but these have been reduced as the Arkwright Society’s resources are limited.  However, if you are interested in joining a working party contact volunteering@arkwrightsociety.org.uk.

Approved tour leaders are able to take people on a 2 hour guided walk down the valley to include areas not open to the public.

Contact alan@piper.nu.

---

The tour leaders are also currently able to give talks about the history of the valley.   If you wish to request a talk or a tour contact the Arkwright Society on 01629 823256.

The Lumsdale team also raise money for the valley – many issues need specialist advice and help.  The annual Garden Party has regularly raised around £2,000 towards the cost of protecting the habitat and conserving the important industrial ruined buildings in the valley.

Development of the Methodist Church

The Chapel at Matlock Moor changed little between its opening in 1903 and 2018.  Then, in response to the start of housing developments now surrounding the Chapel we began extension and modernisation work to create the Chapel & Community Centre which started on June 11th 2018.  Planning consent had been given at the end of August 2017 and in September the Methodist Circuit Meeting gave its consent to take the project forward. In October the Methodist District gave a £20,000 grant and just before Christmas the Methodist Connexional Grants Committee promised £50,000 towards the £210,000 project. The Norwood and Newton Settlement made us a grant of £15,000 and another grant  – this time for £21,000 from the Methodist Insurance Company – was awarded in April 2018. The Mid-Derbyshire Circuit has also made us two very generous grants and in October 2018  the All Churches Trust awarded us £3000.

It was anticipated that the work would take 16-18 weeks but that was before wet rot was found in the floor joists. However the Methodist Circuit Meeting generously voted a grant to cover the work and the celebration re-opening service was held on November 18th 2018.

The plans have enabled the creation of  a multi-purpose space in the larger hall and a larger and more welcoming porch facing the main road. The old smaller Sunday School room has been modernised as a warm, comfortable meeting room – or food area for quiz evenings and special services when the doors are opened.  In an extension at the rear of the current premises a new entrance has  been created, with a lobby or small meeting room linked by folding doors into the main hall. Further, a small kitchen has been created and there are 3 toilets, including an accessible toilet for the disabled.