St Leonard’s in Watlington has become the first church in Oxfordshire to welcome ‘champers’ for a night’s stay. Church camping – champing – has become popular for guests looking for an unusual place to stay, in a beautiful setting.
The Revd Daniel Thompson explained why St Leonard’s had got involved. He said: “Like any church we do not have a lot of money, we struggle. So, we are always looking for fundraising ideas. This was remarkably easy to set up, we already have the kitchen and toilet facilities.
“When you meet a family who are on holiday, staying with us, there is a real sense of something deeper, about hospitality and the church, and providing a nice experience for them. It’s just a wonderful thing.”
Visitors are able to book a night’s stay via the Churches Conservation Trust which hosts the Champing website, which operates like other online accommodation providers. The church provides beds, access to facilities, as well as information about the local area of Watlington.
The church’s first guests were a family from America who described their stay as ‘absolutely perfect’.
Daniel added: “We are all really excited about this. We already have more bookings in the diary!”
Find more church fundraising ideas on our parish pages.