Friends of Chadkirk chair and president receive Mayor’s award for services to the community

It’s hard to know where Chadkirk Chapel, and the estate, would be without the support of the Friends of Chadkirk. Almost certainly, the chapel would no longer be open to the public at all, apart from weddings. The walled garden would likely not be maintained in the way that it is now.

Certainly, there would no community events. From the well dressing to the regular end-of-month open days, Chadkirk as a community space wouldn’t exist without the Friends of Chadkirk.

The Friends is not a large group. It has separate ‘teams’ for gardening, events and the kiosk – and there is a committee to provide oversight. All of these people work hard on behalf of the community, but the driving force behind the Friends is its leadership – Pat Baker, our president, and John Pengelly, our chair.

Pat also manages the gardening team and oversees the work there – and has for many years. John’s involvement runs deep, he liaises with the council on many issues, manages many of the Friends’ initiatives, and proactively works hard on behalf of the community for the chapel and the estate.

This hard work has just been recognised by the council, when both Pat and John this week received a Mayor’s award for their services to the community.

They received their framed certificates from Councillor Suzanne Wyatt, Mayor of Stockport in a ceremony at Stockport Town Hall. Councillor Wyatt paid tribute to their commitment; Pat's work in the gardens and the Coronation Meadow were celebrated, as was John's work at Chadkirk, at Stockport Hydro and for his years as a school governor.

It's hard to imagine Chadkirk without the Friends of Chadkirk, and it’s hard to imagine the Friends of Chadkirk without Pat and John.