Introduction for Holiday Organisers

What are we offering you and your clients?
St. Christophers is a pretty, detached house, containing four self-catering flats, and two family units, which were all newly refurbished in 2002. It is 5 minutes walk away from the burnished sands of Westgate-On-Sea, and enjoys stunning sea views from it's commanding vantage point. Check out the family units by taking the tour.

The Anna Wilson part of St Christophers is well equipped to provide holidays for children accompanied by parents, teachers or group leaders. There is a resident manager and staff, who are prepared to ensure that your group or the family you are sponsoring will be well looked after, by providing food and services according to your requirements.

The centre can also be used by group leaders aiming to support children and young people's educational, emotional, social and spiritual needs. This could be by using our facilities and the surrounding opportunities for outdoor activities, for training for groups with special needs and for many churches and charities who put children and young people at the centre of their activities. We will organise the food and accommodation and leave you free to concentrate on your programme whether it be planning workshops for adults, in which case we can provide conference facilities using the lounge, or for your client group's activities.

If you wish to book the entire house comprising of the two Anna Wilson units and utilising the four self catering flats, the centre can accommodate various combinations of adults and children - see the small groups section. A full board service can be provided or you may wish simply to use our facilities on a self catering basis.

Please let us know if you have any further ideas as to how we can best use our centre to help you in your work supporting children and families.

Who is likely to use the service?
Families who are unable to afford the sort of holiday or activities that have become normal events for the majority.

Children and young people who belong to organisations where the organising body, probably a charity or church, feels they would benefit from using the service offered at the centre. The purpose of the visit could be for a whole host of activities in which children and their carers engage.

Group organisers who would benefit from using our centre for retreats, training or conferences.

Why 'Sponsored' Holidays and Activities?
Anna Wilson, after whom the original house in Tankerton was named, left her home by the sea for children in need of a break from the urban poverty of the early 19th century. The Salvation Army were entrusted with this early project. It was decided in 2002 to transfer and adapt the service to meet the differing needs of today's children and young people at Westgate-on Sea.

Our aim is to invite charitable and church organisations who are in touch with the needs of children and who raise funds for such purposes to use these funds to pay for the service at our 'not for profit' rates. The Salvation Army raises funds for such purposes through its own community programme at both corps and regional level. Our own officers and care staff have sponsored families at the Anna Wilson House when the service was offered at Tankerton. At Westgate we intend to offer a resource that equally meets the needs of today's children and extend the use of the resource to groups who care for children in a variety of ways as well as for family's holidays.

What next?
If you haven't done so already, use the links at the top of the page to look at the facilities, get idea for the sort of things adults and children might do in and around Westgate, and have a look at the tariff and booking conditions. When you are ready to make a reservation, please use the booking form provided, as this helps you not to leave any details out.

We have produced a printed brochure which will tells you, and any group or family you wish to sponsor, about what the Anna Wilson centre is able to offer. It purposefully does not mention our charitable aims so that your client group will be able to form a view on whether or not the holiday being offered is right for them. I know that you will have other options to offer but sincerely hope that you will consider our centre when making your choices.