The Association for Promoting Retreats
The Association for Promoting Retreats was founded in 1913 by group of clergy and laity keen to encourage and promote the attending of retreats in the Church of England. In the latter part of the 20th century, other denominational retreat groups grew also formed, which in turn led to the establishment of the Retreat Association in the 1980s.
APR primarily exists to support the ministry of Anglican retreat houses, but is also active in related areas. We currently organise a biannual conference for Church of England diocesan spirituality advisers, as well as administering a bursary fund to enable more people to go on retreat, especially where cost might be an obstacle.
Did you Know?
- APR promotes the work of more than 80 retreat houses across the UK, and beyond
- Each year, our Bursary Fund supports 60-70 people in financial hardship to go on retreat at one of these houses
- We promote over 50 individual Retreats and Quiet Days each month
As a membership organisation we rely on subscriptions to enable our work. If you are not already a member, please do consider joining APR, so that we can do even more to promote retreats. You can read the latest edition of our biannual newsletter here.
Our Trustees
The Trustees meet four times a year to discuss our plans and activities for the future, and a general meeting is held each autumn, to which members are always very warmly invited. New Trustees are sometimes needed, and anyone interested in applying is invited to contact the Administrator to find out more.
Revd Cameron Butland, Chair of Trustees
Before he retired, Cameron was chaplain to the Bishop of Carlisle and Diocesan Spirituality Adviser. He was also a member of the Cumbria Ecumenical Spirituality Group, (CESG), which trains spiritual directors and manages the Christian spiritual directors’ network for Cumbria. He continues to lead regular quiet days and courses, and is the author of numerous books, including: 'Work in Worship'; 'Our Daily Bread'; 'Walking into Celtic Spirituality'; 'Growing Spirituality'; and 'Soul Desire'. Cameron is also currently Chair of the Trustees of the Retreat Association
Revd Alison Christian
Alison has been a trustee of APR since 2017, and is currently Vice-Chair. After seventeen years as an incumbent in two London parishes, Alison became Warden of Launde Abbey, in Leicestershire, in 2012, where she co-created and led the spiritual direction course for the Dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough. She then worked as ‘Advisor and Advocate for Spiritual Direction’ at the London Centre for Spiritual Direction, before retiring in 2019. Alison continues to lead retreats and offer spiritual direction and enjoys art, theatre, poetry, music and walking.
Susan Parker
Susan has served as APR Treasurer since 2011. She has a professional background in accounting and administration roles within the Royal Air Force (11 years) and 27 years’ experience of setting up and running the National IT Learning Centre Company. She is a member of the Mother’s Union, in which she has held various roles, and is also currently Chair of Newark Services Club CIC. She lives near Newark with her two grown-up children.
Stewart McCredie
Stewart has been the Director of St Katharine’s, Parmoor since 2018, and was formerly General Manager of the Chelsmsford Diocesan retreat house at Pleshey, which marked a significant change of direction after 24 years in the oil industry! Stewart is particularly keen to encourage those who might never have considered a retreat to take that step and ‘give it a go’. He also enjoys spending time with the family, music of many styles - whether that be playing, listening or leading it - as well as golf and photography.
Urs Mattmann
Born in Switzerland, where he lived for many years with an ecumenical Christian community, Urs moved to London in 2005, and to Thirsk in 2020. He is currently employed as Senior Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor and Spiritual Director at Holy Rood House, where he is also part of the chaplaincy team. He has facilitated or co-facilitated retreats in Switzerland, Italy, Great Britain and the USA. He is the author of 'Coming In – Gays and Lesbians reclaiming the spiritual journey' and contributed chapters to 'The Good Retreat Guide' and 'Willing to Love – Stories of the Couple’s Journey as a Path of Transformation' (Ed. Anne Yeomans).
Revd Ian Spencer
Ian is an Anglican Priest, authorised yoga teacher (Association of Yoga Studies) and Zen practitioner (Wild Goose Zen Sangha). Having spent over 14 years as Warden of Holland House Retreat Centre, Ian has now retired to concentrate on his ministry of spiritual exploration through the Christian contemplative, Zen and Yoga traditions, leading quiet days, retreats and teaching days for both groups and individuals.
Revd Dawn Harrison
Dawn Harrison is an Anglican Priest, and currently a Diocesan School Advisor for the Liverpool Diocese, as well as being the Bishop Officer for Spiritual Direction. Dawn has a background both as a teacher, as well as a Parish Priest. She is passionate about the ministry of Spiritual Direction, training those in this ministry and providing support for Directors and encouraging all in the benefits of retreats.
APR President
Rt Revd John Stroyan, APR Patron and Acting President
Bishop John was Bishop of Warwick from 2005 to 2023. He was appointed President of APR in 2017, and Patron in 2024, on his retirement from active ministry. He is an experienced retreat leader and has a keen interest in the Eastern Spiritual Tradition, from which he draws deeply in his devotional book ‘Turned by Divine love’. He writes, ‘A fundamental priority of my ministry is the spiritual renewal of God’s people and the deepening of our life of prayer’.
Bishop John has been actively involved in the ministry of healing and in the encouragement of this ministry in parishes and elsewhere. He also has a particular interest in the relationship between faith and the arts. He continues to be involved in rural affairs and the farming community and is now increasingly engaged in prison ministry.
APR Administrator
Demelza Henderson
Demelza has been APR Administrator since 2017. She is a licensed Reader/LLM and Spiritual Director in the Diocese of Exeter, and also a part-time virger in Exeter Cathedral. She became an Oblate of the Society of Our Lady of the Isles in 2019, and continues to practice contemplative prayer and lead retreats and quiet days. She was a founder member of the Friends of St Levan. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the bassoon, and making jams and chutneys from local produce.
Contact Details
The Association for Promoting Retreats
2 Brookfield Cottages
The Strand
Lympstone
Exmouth EX8 5ES
Tel: 01395 272243
Email: promoting.retreats@gmail.com
Reg. charity no. 222458
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