Dulwich Hamlet FC: A Tribute

Duncan Chapman - Dulwich Hamlet FC

www.dulwichhamletfc.london @DulwichHamletFC | info@dhst.org.uk | 07951 640099 @dhstorg

On Wednesday 6 October, Dulwich Hamlet Supporters’ Trust Board member and Football Club Director, Duncan Chapman passed away. A fixture on the terraces for so many years, elected to the Trust Board 2017. It’s hard to overstate how fortunate we, the Club and every supporter of Dulwich Hamlet – were to have him. Duncan’s time on the board coincided when the team was forced to play away from East Dulwich, his contribution to the survival of the club during this period was enormous. The esteem in which he was held, following his long career in

Parliament, opened doors for the club and the Trust, exemplified by the debate led by Helen Hayes MP in the House of Commons 16/3/18. September 2018, still in exile and with no prospect to return, the club faced imminent insolvency.

Now Joint-Chair, Duncan was an instrumental member of a small group, alongside Club Chair, to broker dialogue between stadium owners and Council that might enable the Club to return. Never seeking the limelight and during this difficult and intensely pressurised period, his contribution behind the scenes was invaluable. Against the odds, and at the 11th hour, a return home was agreed. His calm head under pressure, wise counsel, astuteness and commitment to collaborative working, enabled the Trust to forge a close working relationship with the Club. This was critical in kickstarting a series of investments and improvements in working relationships, leading to our investment of £100,000 and a 29% shareholding in the

Club. Something Duncan was rightly extremely proud of – at the heart of everything he did was his steadfast commitment to ensure the Club’s continued existence for our community, now and for future generations. Continuing to take responsibility for liaising with the Council, local MPs and government in relation to the planning application for the new stadium, in 2020 he became the first member of the Club’s board of directors to be nominated by the Trust. Not satisfied with this, Duncan spent many a match and non-match day completing safety assessments, working tirelessly on the planning proposals and, as he said himself, dealing with the recurrent blockages in Champion

Hill’s antediluvian plumbing systems. It’s hard to believe that such a generous, kind friend has left us. Wise counsel to many, ale aficionado, curry lover, away day specialist, too often coach monitor, caring and giving to the last – Duncan, we will miss you desperately. You have gone too soon.

We will never forget you. DHST Board October 2021 T hree years ago this week I burst into the ‘Two Chairmen’ in Westminster having run from the meeting in Whitehall in which we secured our return home to Champion Hill from exile in Tooting. I had left Duncan Chapman and Tom Cullen after telling them I would be back in an hour, just enough time for them to sink a quick lunch-time pint to settle the nerves. I am not sure how many pints that turned into as one hour became four and the meeting became a marathon rather than a sprint but at least we could blame the beer for some of the jumping, hugging and tears of three grown men crashing like pink and blue waves in a grey sea of Government suits. Seeing their faces when they saw the smile on mine as I came through

Duncan Chapman - Dulwich Hamlet FC

the door and knowing how much that victory meant to two people who had led that fight for far longer than me will forever be one of my happiest memories. On Wednesday we woke to the devastating news that we had lost Duncan, our dear friend and Club director. I always struggle to decide whether I find it worse losing someone when you know it is coming than when death is unexpected, but I do know that the hole it leaves is always the same. With Duncan that hole for many people associated with Dulwich Hamlet is one they will feel they won’t ever be able to climb out of. We may have known this day was coming and on occasion we may even have thought we were prepared, but nothing protects you from that jolt when you hear the news. There are many people who have been far closer to Duncan for far longer than me and so I will leave it to them to tell a fuller story of his family, his life and career in their own time and their own way. However, I can speak first-hand about how and why Duncan belongs firmly and definitively in the category of ‘people without whom we would have lost our beautiful club’. Before we were thrust together in 2018 in the last-ditch effort to save the Club from disappearing, Duncan and I had been ‘friends of friends’. We would say hello at the Club, the pub, Labour Party events or the occasional cricket game but we certainly weren’t close enough to know what each of us were getting into when teaming up to try to return the Club to Champion Hill. I think it’s fair to say I got the better end of the deal as Duncan turned out to have the perfect set of skills to offset my flaws when it came to sensitive negotiations. I lost count of the number of times he would say ‘I’m not sure it’s quite that bad Ben’ as he would read carefully between the lines of some comment by a politician from which I had already jumped to the most dramatic possible conclusion. I may have set the fires to return us home, but Duncan made sure it was a controlled burn that would save the Club, not an inferno that would engulf it. The day we announced we were coming home and our first game on Boxing Day will both live long in our collective memory but those of us involved day to day between those two moments also know that Duncan was critical to that first game even happening. Walking back into a derelict stadium is one thing but ensuring it is in a state to safely host a capacity homecoming game is a whole other ball game. I still don’t know how he managed it, but Duncan rapidly became an expert in every area of safety and sports stadia management and once again, his calming approach made possible what often seemed an impossibility to me. If you were here on Boxing Day 2018 you were only here because Duncan made it happen. Duncan also knew that the homecoming was just the start and not the end of the story and so went on to ensure we also took the first steps towards our long-term future by helping to finally secure a planning committee meeting date for our new stadium. Finishing that story is now our responsibility and while I am sure we will have more bumps in the road ahead I would encourage us to always try to remember, even on the darkest days, ‘I’m not sure it’s quite that bad Ben’.

Club Chair Ben Clasper, published in the man’s match day programme v Billericay Town 9/10/21.

Saturday 6 November: Bell House Open Garden

11am-1pm. Bell House is opening its garden for visitors to explore. The Walled Garden comprises of raised beds filled with kitchen essentials grown organically. The House Garden features a rose garden and woodland walk designed to attract wildlife and provide safe habitats. The gardens are a place of community learning, maintained by volunteers who promote gardening as an activity for physical and mental well-being. Arrive anytime between 11am and 12:45. Tea and coffee will be available. We encourage a £5 donation that will go towards garden maintenance and activities. Free tickets are also available. www.bellhouse.co.uk.

Saturday 6th November: Dulwich Firework Display

Doors open at 5pm (access is now via Giant Arches off Burbage Road and Turney Road) Fireworks approx @ 7pm. A new improved layout will mean this event is safer than ever with more space for visitors to enjoy a wide selection of food & beverage stalls - making this the place to be on Bonfire Night. Eco-friendly Bonfire on big screen (instead of traditional bonfire), Mulled Wine, Real Ale, BBQ, Pizza and Kids bar plus much more. Full price tickets are £10, with children Under 16 for £1*. There will be no tickets available on the night, so buy now to guarantee entry! via Eventbrite. Dulwich Sports Club, Giant

Arches Road, Herne Hill, SE24 9HP.

Sunday 7 November: West Norwood Feast 10am-4pm

Keeping our visitors safe is a priority for Feast. Stay safe, shop safely and enjoy our wonderful market. As always our dedicated Feast volunteers will be on hand to help you make the most of your visit. The map will help you to plan your visit and check out the up-to-date info on our social media. https://westnorwoodfeast.com.

Sundays 7, 14, 21 & 28 November: The weekly Horniman Market

10am – 3pm. The weekly Horniman Market is open to provide food items including fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread, cake, meat and street food. Alongside food stalls, you’ll find body care, clothing, jewellery, design and craft; most are locally produced, ethical and many use environmentally friendly materials, natural and organic ingredients. www.horniman.ac.uk. 100

London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ.

Sunday 7 November: Cook & Share: How to… use dairy alternatives

4pm-7pm. Join us for an informative workshop where you will learn how to make nut milks, nut cheeses and delicious coconut milk-based recipes like Malaysian laksa. The class includes time to sit down in one of the beautiful rooms at Bell House and share the delicious food that you have made. Suitable for vegans. Tickets cost £45. Limited bursary places are available, please email info@bellhouse.co.uk

Sunday 7 November: Jackie Oates with Mike Cosgrove -

7pm-10:30pm. Jackie Oates continues to bring elements of the English folk tradition to new people and places; in turn bringing a muchneeded calm and joy to those who hear it. Jackie is an English Folk Musician, Singer, Performer and Educator. Jackie lives in Oxfordshire with her young family. After 17 years and seven solo albums Jackie Oates is a central figure in the accomplished, informed and stylistically individual English traditional music scene that began in the early 2000s and continues to thrive. The Lordship Pub (Dulwich Folk Club), 211

Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22 8HA

Monday 8 November: Dulwich WI Monthly Meeting

7.30pm-9.30pm. We meet on the second Monday of each month at Fifty Seven, 57 North Cross Road, East Dulwich, SE22. dulwichwi.com

Tuesday 9 November: The Wood that Built London

7pm-8pm. This fascinating new book charts the fortunes of the North Wood from its earliest times to the increasing encroachment of the metropolis. Join author C.J. Schuler for an evening about the history of the Great North Wood and its significance to Dulwich and South East London. Dulwich Books, 6 Croxted Road, SE21 8SW.

www.dulwichbooks.co.uk.

Thursday 11 November: Isfahan and the History of Persian Tilework

8pm-9pm. The Arts Society Dulwich evening lecture at JAGS Sixth Form Centre. From simple monochrome and turquoise inlays in the 12th century, tilework in Iran developed in both variety of colours and decorative complexity, until by the 17th century, enormous architectural surfaces were covered with brilliant ornament. Speaker: James Allan. Guests welcome, £10 at the door, no booking required. James Allen's Girls' School Sixth Form Centre, 144 East Dulwich Grove, SE22 8TE.

www.theartssocietydulwich.org.uk/

Friday 12 November: Facing Death Creatively During a Pandemic

9:30am-5pm. A one-day conference, featuring special keynote speaker Michael Rosen, to explore ways in which creative arts provide support and facilitate meaning at the end of life – as exemplified during the pandemic. Through a mix of seminars, exhibitions (making full use of our fabulous new St Christopher’s CARE exhibition space), performances and workshops, this event will provide attendees with an opportunity to reflect upon and share the many important ways in which creative arts play an important role surrounding death, dying and loss generally and specifically the innovative ways they’ve provided support during the pandemic. St Christopher's CARE, St Christopher's Hospice, 51-29 Lawrie Road, Sydenham SE26 6DZ.

https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/ facingdeathcreatively/

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