2014 will be a big year for Wycliffe Bible Translators with the relocation of their headquarters and celebrations to mark their 50th anniversary in the UK.

The charity has announced the sale of the Wycliffe Centre in Buckinghamshire, where they have been based for the last 40 years.

Wycliffe executive director Eddie Arthur said the facility, with its training and conference centre, was larger than what was needed for its operations. There are plans to move to office space nearby and change the way they engage with supporters.

"The need to make the Bible available in the language that people understand the best is one of the most urgent missionary tasks of our generation," he explained.

"We need to concentrate our efforts and resources on working with the Church in the UK and worldwide to bring the Bible to all people.

"The Wycliffe Centre has been a wonderful home for our mission, providing us with office space, a training centre and allowing us to host church groups and conferences.

"However, changing patterns in missionary training worldwide mean that we no longer need such a large facility for our own needs.

"Running and maintaining a conference centre is a worthwhile job, but it isn't what God has called Wycliffe to do."

From this August, Wycliffe training courses will be available to a wider audience through Redcliffe College in Gloucester.

Instead of bringing people to Wycliffe, the organisation will be hitting the road more often to host its awareness-raising events where people live.

Arthur added: "This isn't about Wycliffe scaling down work in the UK, far from it. "his is about us asking God what the future of mission looks like and organising ourselves for that."