The Joy of Opening Doors

One of the quiet joys of being High Sheriff is being asked to open things. This evening I had the pleasure of doing just that at Wesley Memorial Church in Oxford – though there was no ribbon to cut, only the rather more meaningful opportunity to open a door and welcome everyone present into the newly created Gibbs Research Room.

Funded by the Westminster College Oxford Trust, this beautiful new space will be home to the Wesley Historical Society and its extraordinary collection of over 20,000 volumes, artefacts and archives on the history of Methodism. It’s a place where faith and scholarship meet – a resource for all who seek to understand how Methodism has shaped learning, justice and community life over the centuries.

As a proud Westminster alumnus, it was especially moving to see how the Trust continues the College’s mission of combining intellect with compassion, knowledge with service. Westminster taught me that education is not only about acquiring facts, but about transformation – nurturing curiosity, conscience and care for others.

Oxford has always been a city of ideas and ideals – a place where the head and the heart meet. The Gibbs Research Room embodies that beautifully: a space for discovery, reflection and the continuation of a great Methodist tradition of learning in service to others.

My warm congratulations to everyone involved – the Westminster College Oxford Trust, the Wesley Historical Society, and all those whose vision and dedication have made this possible.

Opening that door tonight felt like a small act, but a deeply joyful one. For in doing so, we welcomed not only a new room into use, but also the many conversations, studies and insights that will unfold within its walls for years to come.