Tribute to Julia Chapman

PUBLISHED - 15th August 2024

A Thanksgiving Service for Julia’s life took place at Wokingham Baptist Church on 31st July.

The service was led by Tony Brown, our Chair of Trustees, who welcomed everyone and opened the service with a prayer. The hymn ‘In Christ Alone’ was then sung, which was followed by some Bible readings – John 14:1-6 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Julia’s sister, Sharon, then read Julia’s favourite Psalm, Psalm 139.

Words of appreciation were shared by Julia’s father, Brian Chapman, Anthea Owen from Open Ears and Gordon Temple, a previous CEO of Torch Trust. Brian shared about Julia’s salvation and the successful jobs in her life. Anthea shared of how Julia came to Open Ears and the amazing contribution she made to the charity.

Gordon then finished the tributes with these words:

“I start on a personal note…

In 1971 – the year of Julia’s birth – I had volunteered in my student holidays to help the Torch Trust start producing audio books and magazines. My long association with Torch had begun.

The next year, in 1972, our family moved here – to Wokingham – and we quickly settled into the church in Norreys Avenue – about ½ mile east of here. My Mum and Dad and Brian and Pearl soon became friends. I remember Sharon and Julia as Brian and Pearl’s two beautiful little girls.

I wasn’t here all that much – most of the time away from university I spent volunteering with Torch. Pat was among the staff at Torch House, then in Sussex and that’s where we got to know each other. Pat and I married here in Wokingham in 1974, with the wonderful support and encouragement of the Norreys Church folk, including the Chapmans!

As we have heard from Brian, Julia lived through some difficult times. One the greatest challenges was her loss of sight which then led to an untimely end to Julia’s career.

Looking to support Julia through these difficult days, Brian contacted me to see if there was any way she could do something in connection with Torch Trust. I realised that here could be an answer to prayer for Torch.

Let me explain …

Originating in the late 1950s Torch began when a Christian couple – Ron and Stella Heath – responded to the needs of blind young people at a training centre near their home. Having been educated in schools for the blind they were learning to live and work as blind people. Typically they saw nothing or very little. They read braille and used white canes.

Torch responded with Christian reading materials in braille and supported Christian fellowship among them.

But by the Millennium the large majority of those Torch was serving were quite different. They had lost sight during their adult lives. Across the UK, every day 250 people learn they are losing their sight.

Very few ever read braille – they rely on large print and audio alternatives and increasingly an array of gadgets. Many struggled with getting around and with meeting people – frequently becoming lonely and isolated. Torch was there for them too, responding to their Christian life needs.

Torch’s board included a number of life-long blind trustees but none who had known what it was like to lose their sight in adult life.

For years we had been looking out for someone who combined the skills to serve as a trustee with the personal experience of the trauma of losing their sight during their adult life – of experiencing the often-devastating losses and limitations that accompany serious sight loss.

So when Brian told me of Julia’s situation I wondered if she might indeed be the person we were looking for.

A deeply committed Christian, a chartered accountant who had worked with Microsoft, no less, and who had herself experienced the trauma of sight loss…

Interesting indeed! We talked, then met and then I introduced Julia to our existing trustees. Everyone agreed.

Julia was professional, supportive, thoughtful, challenging, with a strong desire to be useful. Everything you could expect from a good trustee. And her professionalism and her Christian faith played together to good effect.

With hindsight we can see it was timely too. As she herself had lived through difficult days, Julia supported Torch through some challenging times – through a period of change upon change. Over 6 years she served with 4 Chief Executives and 3 Chairs of Trustees!

In meetings – and between them – Julia contributed from her knowledge, skills and experience, together with her grasp of the Christian faith. This was the foundation for her strength of character, her fortitude and her compassion.

She was no pushover. She was strong minded and would say it as she saw it. When there were financial issues to tackle, she dived in deep. Despite her increasingly severe sight loss, drawing on her accountancy expertise she fluently navigated finance spreadsheets and posed insightful questions.

And Julia did indeed demonstrate a deep care for those who like her had lost sight in adult life. She became their advocate, bringing their experiences fused with insights from her own life experience to the table, sometimes challenging the perspectives of life-long blind people. This undoubtedly made a difference – and Julia wanted to make a difference.

Through her involvement at the heart of Torch, her lived experience – what she had struggled with herself – was turned around to benefit those Torch reaches out to.

Julia was a godsend to Torch – quite literally! A blessing to Torch and to the many people losing sight served by Torch.

Underpinning her commitment to Open Ears and Torch Trust there was a commitment to serve her Lord.

Torch misses her. We trust that God knows best but I cannot deny that it does seem too soon – a life cut short. Hers was a tough life with more than her fair share of set-backs … but it was a fruitful life bringing encouragement and blessing to many.

Julia loved life but also had expectations for heaven. She looked forward to being able to see again and very much hoped she would have opportunity to drive in heaven!

Today, as Julia celebrates in the presence of her Lord, we celebrate her life, drawn together in our loss and sharing in a deep thankfulness.

Words from the Bible come to mind: ‘… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.’ [Hebrews 12] Julia’s life can be an inspiration to us.”

Marilyn Baker then sang one of her own songs ‘What a Great Day’, which Julia had previously heard and enjoyed. This was followed by the address, delivered by Tony Brown. Julia had requested the gospel be shared at this event so that was the theme of the message, using a helpful comparison of a star player of a football team and the fans, to describe our feelings towards Jesus as His followers.

The service ended with the singing of the hymn ‘10,000 Reasons’ and a final prayer.

We can take assurance that Julia is now with our Saviour Jesus, and we pray for comfort for all who knew her. She was such a blessing to the work here at Torch and we are so grateful to have been able to work with her.