PLANS to develop renovate a derelict church in Malmesbury to provide more educational services to local children have fallen through, as over £100,000 in pledges proved not enough to support a successful bid on the property.

The Friends of Athelstan Museum (FOAM) had planned to buy a 18th century chapel that is attached to the museum in order to develop its capacity for hosting school visits and allow for lectures to be held on site. Currently the museum has to hire external venues to hold guest lectures.

The Moravian Church has a schoolroom attached to the chapel which was a backup plan for the museum development, however this has been sold subsequent to the failed bid on the church.

Roger Griffin was leading the project to buy the church. He said: “To raise that sort of money from people of Malmesbury and friends of the museum and town was very heartening.

“It shows the esteem the museum is regarded in which is very encouraging.”

The group’s plans for the site would have meant the museum would be able to greatly increase its capacity to cater for school visits and more exhibits.

“Taking over the church and converting it would have allowed us to offer better education service to schools,” Mr Griffin continued.

“We do a lot of family days at half term and there is not a lot of spare room in the museum.
“When we get 30 primary school kids, it becomes a bit of a clutter. The church would have given us the space to alternate groups and give them lunch.

“We were keen to do the church up and give it back to the town.

“It would have given us space of our own so we could have held more exhibitions and get visiting exhibitions coming in.”

The group will now have to contact the people who pledged money to the project to say their money will not be used.

“We avoided asking for cheques because we hadn’t purchased the chapel,” said Mr Griffin.

“We started raising money at the beginning of the year and did incredibly well really.

“We got close to the position we felt we could make the offer that might be accepted.

“Just this last week we have had to write to people to thank them for their pledges, but tell them unfortunately, it’s a no go.

“We haven’t given up hope but it’s unlikely we shall find anything nearly as suitable.”