Dubai's monarch helps villagers raise funds to buy chapel in Cornwall

Sheikh bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Monarch of Dubai, has aided in raising funds for a small Cornish village to purchase its Methodist chapel, according to BBC.

The inhabitants of Godolphin Cross near Helston contacted him via email in a last ditch attempt to raise funds.

The village shares its name with the world famous Godolphin stables,  which was founded by the sheikh, Cornwall Live reported.

Richard Mckie from the Godolphin Cross Community Association said: "We are extremely appreciative."

The group needed £90,000 to buy the chapel that they plan on converting into a community centre, and had raised £25,000 in this regard.

It is not known how much was contributed by the sheikh, but Mckie said "it has pushed us across the line".


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One villager, Valerie Wallace, had the idea as a last ditch attempt, with the group being unsuccessful in raising sufficient funds elsewhere.

"We thought nothing of it and then we began to get phone calls from Dubai," Mckie said.

"We thought we were being hoaxed but it was no hoax," he added.

The sheikh, who has been invited to visit the village, was unavailable for comment.

The group now needs to raise a further £350,000 to restore the hall.