A Report on our Open Day Success in July

5 Sep 2023

Words from Ray Beecham on, "A very worthwhile event."

Sitting in the Chapel Garden with Friede and admiring the many colours of the flowers and shrubs, we both agreed that it would be a good idea to hold a Garden and Chapel Open Day. We decided the date to be Saturday 15th July and the garden to be open from 2pm to 4pm.

I contacted several congregations with connections to the Gaskell family and the Gaskell Society. I wrote a news article for the Warrington Guardian describing our garden as a secret green oasis in the centre of Warrington. The time of opening was included. The Guardian did the chapel proud putting all my article in the paper minus the opening times.

On Open Day, Peter and I arrived at Chapel at 9.50am with the intention of tidying up any areas that had missed earlier inspections. However, at 10 am, the garden gate was opened and I heard several ladies agreeing that 'you always got good cakes at these events'. Looking round, I saw a line of people all making their way in to visit the gardens and Chapel ... and so it continued all day. At 12 noon, I was checking the dahlias and saw Frieda walking up Cairo Street with her tins of cakes. I just waved to her and thought to myself ... 'you will soon receive a big surprise'.

The afternoon was just as hectic with visitors asking for information of family baptisms, weddings, funerals and burials. We closed the doors at 5.10pm, exhausted but happy that so many visitors had visited the gardens and the chapel and enjoyed the experience.

Large numbers of the visitors showed great interest in the history of the Chapel and the people associated with it over the years and purchased the leaflets which have been produced after detailed research over the past few years.

A very worthwhile event .... and also a great rehearsal for our Heritage Open Days in September.

Ray Beecham

Editor's Note: We were so busy that we didn't even have time to take any photographs during the day!!!