WITH just three weeks to go for the Trowbridge Town Hall Trust to hit its minimum £35,000 target to keep the Hall open for at least another 12 months, the Trowbridge Chamber, which represents over 100 businesses in the town, has taken on the 130 Challenge, aiming to raise over a third of the money needed.

“If the Town Hall is allowed to close the town will be missing its beating heart,” Chamber president Tracy Parker said this week. “We felt we had to rally businesses to do something positive to help.”

The 130 Challenge, because it is 130 years since Sir Roger Brown gave the Hall to the townspeople, will see at least 130 people who own or work in Trowbridge businesses tackle a figure-of-eight walk around the town, centred on the Market Street Hall, walking either 10k or 5k and each raising at least £130.

“We need people to come forward and sign up to take part, because if 130 people each raise £130 then that’s £16,950. That will help secure the Hall’s future – and if we get more people, or they raise more than that each, the event could save the Hall completely for this year,” Tracy said. “Although it seems a bit daunting now, I know the people of Trowbridge are behind the hall, I see that from the comments I get from people coming into my business, and I know we can do it.”

At 1.30pm on Sunday, June 24, the 130 walkers will set off from the Town Hall steps, walking a five kilometre loop before returning to the Hall, where they then set out on a second loop to complete the 10k route.

“People can walk 5k or 10, whichever they want to tackle,” Tracy said. “And because the Hall is part of our arts scene, we’ll be asking walkers to take pictures along the way which will be put on Instagram, and used to create a final piece of artwork which will go on display in the Hall.

“And the businesses taking part can use those Instagram pictures for their own social media publicity purposes: it’s a perfect example of how having the Town Hall as an arts focus for this town benefits business.

“Whatever your business is, whatever your connection with the town is, we need people to support this challenge, we don’t want to see the hall close.

“We are so lucky here to have the Town Hall right in the centre of Trowbridge, where it makes a real contribution to the community and business life. I was so shocked when I heard it might close. I think people don’t realise what we have got until it’s gone – and then it will be too late.

“So many towns have arts centres which are out of town but ours is right here and it has a big effect on business.”

Ms Parker, who runs the independent Leykers coffee shop just a stone’s throw from the Town Hall, knows people are behind the hall because she has already collected donations towards the Challenge target from her customers. “I have already had between £70-£80. People want to give, they want to support the Town Hall,” she said.

If you run a business or work in Trowbridge, or simply want to support the 130 Challenge and help save the Hall, joining in is simple: go to the Chamber’s website at www.trowbridgechamber.co.uk and sign up to take part. Registration will be from 1pm on June 24, the walk starts at 1.30pm and you’ve got three hours to cover 10k or 5k.

If you can’t walk yourself but want to help, they need volunteers to organise and marshall the event and hand out water to walkers, email trowbridgechamber@gmail.com and there is also a Local Giving page at https://localgiving.org/fundraising/130challenge/

“This is a brilliant idea by the Chamber and really shows that the businesses in this town do support us and realise what a great asset the Town Hall is to the town,” TTHT board chairman Colin Kay said.

“We have three weeks to go: we have now had pledges totalling over £10,000. We know the town’s people are behind us, and now we know the Chamber, lots of whose members are small independent businesses with Trowbridge’s interests at heart, is too.

“We still need pledges from larger companies, or from international firms who have branches or their HQs here in Trowbridge. We don’t want to close the doors on the Town Hall this summer unless we are forced to, and we’re doing everything we can to stop that from happening.

“We said at the beginning of this campaign that we need £35,000 to Survive, £60,000 to Thrive, and that’s for the next year. If we get pledges which will ensure our funding for the next three years that would be fantastic. We have to have the £35,000 by the end of June: if we make our £60,000 target, that means we can work harder to make sure we grow our income and stay open into the future.”

Companies wanting to know more about how they can get involved should contact THA Director Tracy Sullivan on director@townhallarts.co.uk or call 01225 774306.

People who want to make a one-off or a regular monthly donation to help ensure the long term future of the Town Hall, can do so through LocalGiving.org, by searching for Town Hall Arts.