Small UK village buys town chapel with help of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

The National -- A small village at the tip of England has bought back their village hall with the help of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

In November 2016, the community reached out to the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai while raising money to buy the former chapel, which was being sold by the Methodist Church.

Seven months later, the community association managed to raise the Dh460,000 asking price for the hall that doubles as the village’s community centre, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid - whose racing stable is also named Godolphin - was revealed as a donor.

Richard McKie, the association’s chairman, said they would make a formal offer to buy the chapel and on Sunday the sale was made official.

“The sale has gone through and Godolphin Cross community now owns the former Chapel building,” the Community Association said via Twitter.

“Thank you so much for all the donations and support. Major renovations ahead, and more money to be raised - but we did it!”

Renovations are expected to cost as much as £500,000 (Dh2.4 million).

The Cornish village takes its name from the nearby estate of the Second Earl of Godolphin, who bought a magnificent Arabian stallion for breeding until its death in 1753.

Sheikh Mohammed’s stables were also named after that horse though a veterinary surgeon, William Osner, wrote in 1756 that there was never such a horse.

Godolphin Arabian was one of three stallions that would be the foundation of the thoroughbred stock.