Church News

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Church Summer Retreat 2024

23rd-25th August 2024
Come and join us this August for a weekend of learning, prayer, worship, and fellowship.

We are so excited for our services to spend time together as a church family!

The Summer Retreat is an amazing chance for us to connect with one another, and to be refreshed by God through teaching, worship, and prayer.

Book your tickets now!

We have a range of ticket types. Check the booking link or the scroll down for more information about what we can offer.

We do not want finances to be a barrier to anyone who would like to come, so please contact the team at [email protected] for information about subsidies or finance plans. We are also pleased to offer discounted tickets for volunteers.

Book now

Helpful Information

We will be releasing more information about the Retreat, including the programme of events, what to bring, and coach bookings, a little closer to the time. Please keep an eye on this page, Noticeboard emails, and during Sunday services for these updates.

Tickets

We offer two types of residential tickets and two types of day tickets, each with discounted prices for children:

– Residential Standard tickets
– Residential Ensuite tickets
– Day tickets with meals included
– Day tickets without meals included

Please make sure you book the correct ticket. Please feel free to contact the team at [email protected] with any questions about tickets or booking.

Residential Tickets

All residential tickets will be inclusive of meals, accommodation, all activities and events, and access to the grounds at Ashburnham Place.

All the rooms at Ashburnham Place accommodate between two to four people. Unfortunately we are unable to offer single occupancy rooms.

Standard tickets are for rooms that share a bathroom with the corridor, and Ensuite tickets are for rooms that have a private bathroom within the room.

Day Tickets

Day Tickets are a great option for those who would prefer to stay off-site and/or can only join us for one day.

As with the Residential Tickets, Day Tickets include access to all activities and events, as well as the grounds at Ashburnham Place; however, meal inclusion will depend on your ticket type.

For those without meals included, you can buy food at The Orangery Tea Room at Ashburnham Place or drive to Battle town centre.

Directions and Transport

Train

The nearest train station to Ashburnham Place is Battle Station, which is approximately 15 mins away by car.

We will be providing a free coach service on Friday 23rd August and Sunday 25th August between Battle Station and Ashburnham Place for those traveling by train. When you book your ticket, please indicate whether you will need a seat on the coach.

Car

If you will be driving, Ashburnham Place is 5 miles west of Battle on the A271. You can find more detailed directions on Ashburnham Place’s website.

Terms and Conditions

Before attending the Summer Retreat, you must sign our Liability Waiver Form to confirm that you have read and accepted our terms and conditions.

By booking a ticket, you are acknowledging that:

– Your participation in the events listed below, and any other activities while on site at Ashburnham Place are conducted at our own risk. Activities include, but are not limited to:

– Sports, e.g., football, badminton, rounders
– Inflatables, e.g., assault course, bouncy castle
– Campfire

– You will be responsible for the welfare of any children in your care at all times (except during the designated Kids sessions).

– You are solely responsible for your personal belongings while on site. Rooms should be kept locked, and no valuables should be left in cars.

– Any lost room keys will be subject to a £20 replacement fee.

Swimming Policy

If you (or your family) would like to swim in the lake on the Saturday afternoon, please read Ashburnham Place’s Water Policy and confirm when booking that you understand the associated risks. There will be no lifeguard on duty. If you have children who want to swim in the lake, you must take full responsibility for their safety and welfare for the duration of the activity.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Should you need to cancel your ticket, we are able to offer you a 100% refund (less fees) if you cancel by Friday 31 May, or a 50% refund (less fees) if you cancel by Sunday 30 June.

After 30 June, unfortunately, we will not be able to offer you a refund. This is due to the committed cost of hiring Ashburnham Place. In this case, we will be able to accept a ticket transfer to another person.

In the event that we are unable go ahead with the retreat, we will offer a full refund to everyone who has booked.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the retreat, please scroll down for our FAQs. If you could not find an answer to your question, please do not hesitate to contact the team at [email protected].

Book now

Photos from previous years

FAQs

When is it?

The programme for the Retreat will begin on the evening of Friday 23rd August; however, you are free to check-in anytime after 4pm. We will be serving dinner on this day.

The Retreat programme will end after lunch on Sunday 25th August. We will be providing a coach service back to Battle Station after lunch, but you are free to explore the grounds at Ashburnham Place for a little longer after we end.

A programme of activities, events, and mealtimes will be released closer to the time. Please keep an eye on this page, Noticeboard emails, and during Sunday services for these updates.

What is Ashburnham Place? 

Ashburnham Place is a Christian retreat and conference centre located in Sussex. Their grounds encompass 220 acres of land with woodlands, lawns, and meadows. It is truly a wonderful place for a city break and spiritual refreshment. You can find out more about Ashburnham Place on their website.

Where will I be staying?

Ashburnham Place has various accommodation options. When you book, you will be allocated randomly to one of these rooms based on your ticket type.

All rooms are shared, so if you would like to share with someone specific, please book your tickets together in one transaction.

What will I eat? 

All Residential Tickets and Day Tickets with meals included will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner served by Ashburnham Place. There will be refreshment breaks between sessions with tea, coffee, and biscuits. Please let us know of any dietary requirements – Ashburnham Place are usually able to accommodate for any dietary needs.

If you have not booked a ticket that includes meals, you can purchase food at The Orangery Tea Room, which is on-site, or you can drive to Battle town centre for shops and restaurants there.

You are also welcome to bring you own food and drinks to Ashburnham Place.

We will be able to provide water, tea, and coffee for everyone. There is a also a paid bar on-site.

What is there to do? 

In addition to our teaching and worship sessions, there will be plenty of time to relax and enjoy yourself during the Retreat. There is very limited phone and WiFi signal at Ashburnham Place, so the Retreat is a great opportunity to stay offline for a couple of days, but please plan accordingly.

On Saturday afternoon, there will be a few hours of free time, where many will be playing games on the lawn, exploring the woodland and grounds, or taking a swim in the lake. For a calmer experience, there is a Prayer Centre on-site for quiet time.

On Saturday evening, depending on the whether, we will be lighting a bonfire and making s’mores.

It is your responsibility to keep yourself and your children safe during any activities outside of our planned teaching or kids sessions. Please see our Terms and Conditions above for more information.

What will my kids do?

We have a full programme of children’s activities arranged by our Families team. These sessions will take place in conjunction with the teaching sessions for adults.

Those looking after your children during these sessions will be a combination of Christ Church London staff and Kids Work volunteers. All adults working with your children will be DBS approved.

Outside of these sessions, it will be your responsibility to look after the safety of your children. Please see our Terms and Conditions above for more information.

I do not want my (or my child’s) photo taken.

We will be taking photographs throughout the Retreat from when we begin setting up the rooms on Thursday 22nd August until our staff have packed down and left the grounds on Sunday 25th August. These photographs will be used fairly as stated in our Privacy Policy and may be used in places such as our website and during church services.

If you do not want your or your child’s photo taken, please let us know either in the Notes section of the booking form, or by emailing the team at [email protected].

What is your cancellation policy?

Should you need to cancel your ticket, we are able to offer you a 100% refund (less fees) if you cancel by Friday 31st May, or a 50% refund (less fees) if you cancel by Sunday 30th June.

After 30th June, unfortunately, we will not be able to offer you a refund. This is due to the committed cost of hiring Ashburnham Place. In this case, we will be able to accept a ticket transfer to another person.

In the event that we are unable go ahead with the retreat, we will offer a full refund to everyone who has booked.

What is your privacy policy?

You can find the Christ Church London Privacy Policy on our website.