Gift Sale Raises £238 For Chapel Redecoration

A gift sale of sheep, conducted by Messrs Kivell and Sons at Bideford Market, realised £238 towards the cost of redecorating Alverdiscott Methodist Chapel and the adjoining schoolrooms.

With a further £74 in donations from members and friends, the trustees needed only £20 more to meet their expenses, and this they soon had when the chapel was officially reopened.

Introduced by the Rev J R Legg, Mrs Annie Friend – a former member of the chapel who now lives at Dawlish – unlocked the door with the key handed to her by Mr Frank Ford. A bouquet was presented by Thelma Ford.

Members of several other places of worship were among the large congregation for a service conducted by the Rev Wilfred J Tyrer, of Salcombe, a former minister of the Bideford Methodist Circuit and of the Alverdiscott Chapel.

Mr Tyrer addressed a capacity congregation at a thanksgiving meeting under the chairmanship of the Rev J Owen Clutterbuck. Miss Betty Thomas of Braunton was the soloist, and Mrs Robinson, who formerly lived at Alscott Barton, gave a recitation.

Past and present women members served tea in the schoolroom. Before the evening meeting Mr David Reed led the congregation in community singing. Mrs G Ford and Mrs R Moore provided organ accompaniment.

Gazette article dated 8 May 1964