Village’s high-stakes appeal to racing sheikh pays off
IF YOU’RE going to start an appeal to buy your village hall it helps if you can find a generous benefactor.
But the way the Cornish village of Godolphin Cross raised the money will take some beating for ingenuity.
Trading on the name of their village, they approached His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai and, more importantly, head of the global Godolphin horseracing empire. They pointed out to him the historic link between their village and the second Earl of Godolphin, who bred the celebrated Arabian horses from which most modern thoroughbreds are descended.
The result was that the emir handed over enough money for them to buy the Methodist chapel and schoolroom, after its closure by the church in May last year.
Thanks to Sheikh Mohammed’s generosity, together with donations from local people, the Godolphin Cross Community Association has now raised what it needed to complete the purchase. Richard Mckie, the chairman of the association, told The Daily Telegraph: “The majority of the £100,000 target we reached came from the emir. It’s a fairy tale really.”
Villagers first asked Sheikh Mohammed for help last November as they struggled to raise enough cash to buy the chapel, which is the only community space in the village.
Mr Mckie said it would not be appropriate to say how much Sheikh Mohammed offered, but it is understood the association raised around £25,000 though events and donations. “We can’t thank Sheikh Mohammed enough and we’d love to see him in this neck of the woods any time,” said Mr Mckie.
The Godolphin Arabian was the sire of one of the three most important breeding lines for racing and the animal from which all the sheikh’s horses are descended.
The association now intends to raise a further £350,000 to fully restore and refurbish the building.
The new fundraising campaign will be launched at the village’s annual summer fete, being held this Sunday at the National Trust’s Godolphin House.
Godolphin Cross Community Association is also planning to approach the Prince’s Trust for a grant towards the refurbishment cost.
Of course, Sheikh Mohammed would be more than welcome to donate once again. “He has already been incredibly generous,” said Mr Mckie. “But if he wanted to contribute it would be fantastic. Then again it would be nice if a Royal family closer to home could contribute something.”