Fond farewell to Mr Hollinwood

52 years of commitment . . . the Rev David Joynes outside Beulah Baptist and United Reformed Church. Picture copyright Oldham Evening Chronicle

HOLLINWOOD will be saying goodbye to a formidable community champion over the next few weeks.

The Rev David Joynes has been an integral part of the district for over half a century but is set to retire following 52 years as a Baptist minister.

BEATRIZ AYALA spoke to him about his time in Hollinwood and his plans for the future.

CONGREGATIONS from a cluster of Hollinwood churches gathered together on Saturday for a very special reason.

Residents and well-wishers took part in a sponsored walk in Alexandra Park as a thank-you to their very own Mr Hollinwood, the Rev David Joynes.

The 77-year-old minister at Beulah Baptist and United Reformed Church, based in Withins Road, has been many things to many people over his years in the area.

Yet despite his changing roles, one thing that has remained resolute is his commitment to helping the people of Hollinwood.

Born in London in 1931, the Rev Joynes lived in Streatham until the age of 10, when he was evacuated during the Second World War.

His family swopped the blitzed streets of the capital for the rolling country of the Chiltern Hills when they moved to Amersham, Buckinghamshire, in 1941.

After leaving school, National Service saw him spend two years in the Royal Signals as a lieutenant before heading to St John’s College, Oxford, to study law.

During that time he felt the call to become a Baptist minister, so embarked on a second degree in theology.

After marrying his wife Elaine, from Rochdale, who studied history at Oxford, the couple chose to come to Hollinwood in 1956 and have remained here ever since.

Mr Joynes said: “Hollinwood has been my only posting. The scenery isn’t good but the people are great.

“Leaving is going to be a big wrench, this church and Oldham have been my life for over 50 years so it’s going to be strange handing the reins over to someone else.”

Mr Joynes has vivid memories of Hollinwood when he joined the community as a 25-year-old minister.

He said: “When I came there were still mills around and Ferranti’s, it was more industrialised than it is now — there was a still a colliery.

“I was very happy here, I felt it was a church that had a lot of potential. The church is a fellowship of believers, and I was welcomed with open arms by a very friendly group of people.”

Mr Joynes also remembers the affect on the community of the declining cotton industry.

He said: “The demise of the industry and loss of Ferranti’s engineering has been a big blow.

“The building of the motorway was also an enormous event. For years beforehand, places in the line of the motorway became run down as they were bought up.

“There was a build up in deprivation and since then there has been a slow attempt to regenerate.”

It has been his passion to help people that has driven him to undertake a whole host of different roles.

He helped establish a youth centre at Beulah Baptist Church in 1964 and it is still popular today.

He said: “It was the first in Oldham under the Government’s Albemarle scheme. One condition of the scheme was that we had to promise to use it five days a week for 28 years for youth sessions.

“We thought that was such a long time when we started but it has flown by and we’ve stuck to our word.

“It is still in use today, seven days a week. There is a need for it in the community.

“Every church ought to be involved in the community, and that is what has driven me.”

Between 1973 to 1993, Mr Joynes was head of RE at Counthill School, while still being minister.

He said: “Teaching was mostly very enjoyable, we had fantastic staff and it was a good school. I have very happy memories from that time. I see former pupils about town and they say hello.”

After leaving the school, Mr Joynes won election to Oldham Council, representing Hollinwood from 1994 to 2002.

He said: “The church has always been an active church and it led to my wife becoming a councillor, which in turn persuaded me to follow suit.

“Being a councillor was interesting and challenging. I was campaigning for people and trying to help them with problems. I’m still a Liberal Democrat but not involved in politics.”

Another lasting legacy is his work setting up the Interfaith Forum after the 2001 riots.

He said: “The riots came as a shock, but the forum has done good work since. It is making a valuable contribution to the life of Oldham. I can see it continuing, there will always be a need to bring communities together.”

The grandfather-of-seven last year took on the might of developers in a fight to have the former Oak Colliery site registered as a town green and protected from development.

But after 52 years fighting for Hollinwood, he believes it’s time to step down and take a less public role.

He said: “I’m retiring because I think it’s right for someone to take over.”

Taking over his role at Beulah Baptist Church will be Andy Sellers (55), from Skipton, a maths teacher who is currently training to be a minister.

Mr Joynes and wife Elaine will be moving to the village of Carlton, North Yorkshire, but that doesn’t mean he will be taking a back seat in community affairs.

He said: “We shall be relaxing a lot, but there are lots of Methodist chapels in the surrounding villages so I think I’ll be able to lend a hand.

“I’m indebted to my wife, three daughters, Alison, Rosemary and Christine, and family for their support.

“Elaine is glad she will spend more time with me and we also have the grandchildren to keep us occupied.

“I will definitely miss Hollinwood, its the end of an era.

“The church and Oldham have been my life for over 50 years so it’s going to be a big gap to fill.”

“I hope the church will grow and continue to serve the community.
“I hope Hollinwood will increase in prosperity, as the credit crunch has hit here as well as elsewhere.

“But I remain positive. I’m sure both Hollinwood and the church will ride through, they’ve been through difficult times in the past.”