Partner organisations

Together Southwark works with local churches and communities in South London and East Surrey to promote mission, ministry and practical action in response to hardship and deprivation.

Among other projects, the organisation seeks to combat food poverty with programmes such as its Lunchbox Library, alleviate loneliness and social isolation with community hubs, and help those experiencing financial distress with advice on money management.

For more information, see our Together Southwark page.

Welcare is a charity working with families and children up to the age of 13 in South London and East Surrey. It provides practical help and support to families experiencing difficulties, with services such as life skills development, domestic abuse recovery and parenting programmes. It also offers assistance in accessing opportunities so that children in these families can have a happy, confident future.

You can read more about Welcare’s work, and some of the families it has helped on their website.

The Mothers’ Union is an international Christian movement that has been promoting the well-being of families and communities in the UK and worldwide since 1876, by means of prayer, reflection and practical action. It has more than four million members in 84 countries.

In Southwark, members volunteer, pray and raise funds for a variety of projects that help to support married life; encourage parents to develop the faith of their children; promote the protection of children; and help families facing adversity.

Visit our Southwark Diocese Mothers’ Union pages for more information on their work, including upcoming events and publications.

SAGE is a Southwark Diocesan Working Group that has been invited by Bishop Christopher to explore and develop the spiritual, pastoral, ethical and missional aspects of the life of older people in the Diocese.

It holds regular events and workshops giving parishes and individuals the opportunity to share ideas, reflect theologically and shape appropriate responses to the issues facing older people. Members of the working group are also happy to offer bespoke advice, training, presentations on appropriate themes and ideas for resources.

You can sign up for SAGE’s e-mail newsletter and find out details of upcoming events by e-mailing [email protected] or find out more on the SAGE web page.

SPIDIR is an informal network for people interested in the work of spiritual direction, founded in 1979 by the Revd Canon Gordon Jeff. It provides training for people wanting to become spiritual directors, as well as other courses and retreats aimed at promoting spiritual growth. It also connects people with trained spiritual directors.

Find more information about the work of SPIDIR and upcoming events on their website.

Southwark Cathedral, situated in London Bridge, is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Southwark. It is led by a Dean with five Residentiary Canons whose primary responsibility is to maintain the tradition of prayer and worship on this site which began in the 7th century. They work in and serve the Diocese and support the Diocesan Bishop in his ministry.

Find out more on the worship, work and history of Southwark Cathedral here.

The Southwark Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE) supports 105 schools and academies, colleges and universities educating more than 37,000 young people across South London and East Surrey.

Its goal is to promote excellence in education, both locally and nationally; to develop inclusive, effective Church of England schools rooted in Christian values; and to celebrate the richness of its schools and chaplaincies.

More details of the SDBE’s work are available here.

St Augustine’s College of Theology provides non-residential theological training to students across the South East of England. It has a close relationship with Southwark Diocese, with one of its centres of teaching operating out of the Diocesan offices at London Bridge. Training encompasses both lay and ordained ministry, as well as initial ministerial education.

More information about courses and admissions can be found on their website.

Wychcroft, the Southwark Diocesan Training Centre, is a Victorian house 22 miles south of London in the Surrey countryside, open to all religious groups as a place for training, prayer and reflection. It serves as a centre for Diocesan conferences and meetings, parish house parties, retreats and study groups.

The house is open throughout the year and can accommodate 36 guests; when it is not being used residentially, it is available for day conference groups.

Follow this link for more information on Wychcroft’s facilities, and details of how to book.