safety, hope & community
A BIT ABOUT US
In Spring 2019, a few of us started praying weekly, with a burden for women in our area. After two years of prayer (and the COVID-19 pandemic) we started outreach & community surveys connecting with local women, asking them about their needs.
In Spring 2022, three years after we first started praying, we started ‘Gather’, a drop-in, which we hope will become a safe place for many women to find hope & community.
CORE TEAM & ADVISORS
BEULAH - CHRISTINE - JULIE - LUCY - LYDIA
Our Core and Advisory Team bring together a wide range of both lived and life experience.
We also bring a broad skill set including counselling, medical, mental health support, adult education, TESOL, crisis counselling, HIV/AIDS, sexual health and supporting those seeking to exit commercial sexual exploitation.
Not only do we draw on the expertise of our core team & advisors at a local level, we are part of the YWAM family of ministries.
YWAM
Youth With A Mission is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world.
YWAM Holmsted Ministries, has its home at Holmsted Manor, West Sussex. It's a mission-focused community, passionate about Jesus and about participating in God’s transformation of the world. A place to find belonging, YWAM Holmsted Ministries are committed to cultivating space for individuals to deepen their relationship with God and become more of who they were created to be.
Our goal at YWAM Holmsted Ministries is to see hope flourish as we serve together in our local, national and international communities.
One of YWAM Holmsted's national communities, which has emerged from our Holmsted Manor community over the years, is the team in Thanet, Kent.
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
"Everything that was will continue to be; everything that has been done will be done again. Nothing new ever happens here.
There's nothing anyone can point to and say, “Look! Here's something new.”
In fact it's been around for ages, long before our time.
The problem is we don't remember people from the past, and people in the future won't remember those who came before them." Ecc 1:9-11 FBV
We want to say a special thank you, give credit and honour to those who have helped, supported taught, led and inspired us along this journey.
What we are doing has been inspired by many sources and takes threads from so many people & projects.
Here are just a few of those - Jenny from Oakbourne; Gillian, Norma & Gill from The Pregnancy Help Centre; Donovan & Mae; Steve from YWAM Mercy; Sam & Irene from YWAM Uganda; Ruth & the team at Azalea; Sam & Paula from SafeHaven Women - Brighton, Sarah from SafeHaven Women - Hastings; Heather; Jo & Steve, Raph & Jess, Kim and all the team at YWAM Holmsted Ministries.
Thank you also to Revd. Paul and the community at St Luke's Ramsgate for allowing us to use your beautiful church.