Church camping movement seeks to spread the word far and wide

‘Champing’ has had a record year with people bedding down in churches across England and Wales while throwing a lifeline to these historic buildings

For millennia, pilgrims have taken time out from their epic hikes to overnight in churches, mosques, temples and monasteries to eat, sleep, pray and meditate while recovering from one day’s hard slog and preparing for the next. Christians keep up this practice on pilgrimage routes across Britain and Europe.

Now, people of all faiths and none are being invited to “champ” – church camp – in historic churches across England and Wales. The scheme was launched in 2016 by the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), the charity that protects Anglican churches made “redundant” (closed) and considered at risk. The project offers unusual accommodation to travellers and provides churches with funds to keep buildings maintained.