After nine years based in Sidcup, north Kent, Church Army is moving its offices north to a soon to be refurbished Wilson Carlile Centre in Sheffield.

The £2 million redevelopment of what was the Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism (which is expected to be self-funding) will take place in the summer and autumn.

The new centre will be a base for creative Christian mission, as well as host the management, administrative, training and research functions of Church Army, alongside a state-of-the-art conference facility.

Mark Russell, Church Army’s Chief Executive comments: “We will be sad to leave our base in Sidcup, but this is an exciting opportunity to bring together all the functions of Church Army in one location for the first time in our recent history.

"This will make our work even more effective. In Sheffield we have our own building, and an established reputation for pioneering education and training of Evangelists, which provides the best possible location for consolidating our work.”

Roy Totten, Chair of the Board of Church Army adds: “The Board have made this decision after many hours of prayer and discussion. It is a major step forward and we have put plans in place to encourage our staff - currently based in Sidcup - to join us in this exciting new move, as we seek to live out what it means to be a Christian community focused on supporting and developing evangelism across the UK and Ireland.”

The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, said: "I warmly welcome the decision of the Church Army Board to move their offices to Sheffield and create a dynamic centre for mission here.

"Sheffield is a wonderful, vibrant, welcoming city. Church Army will bring significant gifts, expertise and challenge to the life of the diocese and the region. It has been a delight for me personally to work in close partnership with Church Army for a number of years now, and I look forward to that partnership strengthening and deepening in the years to come."