Bognor Regis Contact Details
Bradbury House51a Aldwick Road
Bognor Regis
West Sussex
P021 2NJ.
Email: bognor@larche.org.uk
Telephone: (01243) 863426
Fax: (01243) 840383
About L'Arche Bognor Regis
In brief: three shared houses (with a fourth solely for assistants), a workshop, shop, retirement project and garden project.
We are a medium-sized community located by the sea, established in 1978, when we first welcomed Janet, Mary and Raymond. There are now 16 members with learning disabilities, plus a similar number of residential assistants. who live in the shared houses as friends rather than clients and staff. We also have many other friends and supporters who live locally.
In the workshop, members undertake skilled work making candles, cards, and carpets; we also do cookery and have a computer project. Our small shop in Bradbury House sells crafts from our own and other communities. The retirement project provides activities for members needing a more relaxed pace. In the garden project, people grow flowers and vegetables, do woodwork, pottery, and also look after about 10 hens!
L'Arche Bognor Regis is one of a handful of L'Arche communities around the world that is located by the sea. The English Channel (warmed by the Gulf Stream) is just three minutes from Bradbury House, or ten minutes from the houses. Bognor Regis was the first purposebuilt seaside resort, established in 1786. King, George V used to come here for the bracing sea air, and the town reputedly has the highest sunshine record in the UK! Bognor is a small town within cycling distance of the beautiful South Downs and close to the historic towns of Chichester, Brighton and Arundel and many other places of local interest. London is 90 minutes by train.
Plans and Projects
Our aim is to live as a Christian community in which each person can grow in maturity, fulfilment and creativity.
We are seeking to develop our community life, with an emphasis on celebration and affirming the gifts and belonging of each person. Throughout. we seek to ensure that people with learning disabilities are at the centre of the community. As part of this we are seeking to develop resources to enable core members to express themselves more easily and to participate more actively in community events and decision-making. We also want to develop our links with the local neighbourhood - and in particular with the Anglican, Catholic and Baptist churches with which we are involved.
A major building project is to find accommodation for members who would like to live more independently, while still remaining members of the community. Longer term projects include establishing a community room. This would enable us to come together more easily as a community and have more flexibility and creativity in how we celebrate.
Ways to support us
Whatever your interest, such as becoming an assistant, a friend, volunteer, sponsor, donor, or praying for us on a regular basis, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Members' views of L'Arche Bognor Regis
"L'Arche Bognor is 'Retreats, Christmas, work, shopping, Gateway Club, house group, Church, steam engines, relationships, going to the pub, seeing your family, going to college, outings, birthdays, house meetings, walks, haircuts, going to the doctor, pilgrimages, holidays, weddings, horse riding and Easter."
Kevin Lee. Kevin, steam train enthusiast, joined L'Arche Bognor as a core member 11 years ago. He is an expert at giving assistants nick-names and particularly enjoys working in the garden.
"What I like most about L'Arche Bognor is the creativity: finding ways to help core members find life interesting and exciting. When I see people who are happy I feel I've done a good job. If I see people down or stuck in a rut I know something needs to change."
Luigi Caste. Following a degree in Chemistry, Luigi left Italy for the UK where he came across L'Arche. He's been with L'Arche Bognor for four years, during which time he met and married Katrin, another assistant in the community.
"The best thing about L'Arche Bognor is having friends. The worst is funerals and when assistants leave."
Sarah Cramp. Sarah came to L'Arche Bognor in 1982. She knows the birthday of every member of the community and is a specialist on the geography of England. She works part time in the local Oxfam shop and hopes to move into more independent accommodation within the community shortly.
"The best thing about L'Arche Bognor is meeting people who want to spend their time with you. Beginning may be hard, but it disappears after the first month. Believe me, I've experienced it!" Hanna Lizakowska. Hanna was an active member of Faith and Light (a sister organisation to L'Arche) in Poland, as well as having a degree in languages from Poznan University.
"What I like best is the community mornings talking to people and hearing everyone's news. What's hard? Sometimes it's hard to think."
Kathy Kramers. Kathy has been at LArche Bognar since 1992. One of the things she particularly enjoys doing is going to the local Community College to study on Tuesday evenings.
"It"s a completely unique experience to be able to live and work alongside people with learning disabilities and not simply working for them."
Hugh Campkin. Hugh had over five years experience of working with people with learning disabilities with other organisations before coming to L'Arche Bognor. In addition to L'Arche Bognor, he has also spent time at L'Arche Syracuse, New York.
"I like living in L'Arche because its my home. Its nice and warm when my feet are cold."
JanetFrost. Janet has been at L'Arche Bognor Regis almost from the start in 1978. She is a musician, playing her keyboard on Sundays while listening to Songs of Praise; she also plays the organ at St. Wilfrid's Church at times.
"Bill Stuart has touched me deeply since I came to L'Arche Bognor Regis. At 68 He's the oldest member of the community. I have lunch with him each day in the workshop, and I always appreciate his simplicity, honesty and openness as he prays at the end of each meal. There's no selfconsciousness but a heartfelt sense of the presence of God. He teaches me how I too can be more honest and open in the presence of God."
Tjeerd Vonk,.. A student of health sciences, Tjeerd came from Holland to L'Arche Bognor to experience community life with people with learning disabilities. He heard about L'Arche through reading the books of Henri Nouwen.
When asked what she likes doing best, Victoria chooses pictures from her communication file on candies and workshop. She also said that the thing she likes best is eating together. Victoria recently enjoyed going on the Community pilgrimage and going on holiday in Yorkshire. She wants to save up money to see her brother Brett in America.
"L'Arche is a place where I have discovered more about myself through building relationships with others both those with and without learning disabilities."
Russell Snowden. Russell had just completed a degree in music and theology when he Joined to the community in 1996. He originally planned to stay for just a year or so. and although at times it's been tiring and frustrating, he found L'Arche Bognor to be a place where he felt at home and to be growing as a person.
Jeremy communicates best with Makaton hand signs. He indicated that he likes L'Arche, and that he likes going to town in his wheelchair to collect leaflets. He also indicated that he likes drinking coke in the pub. Jeremy has been an established member of L'Arche Bognor for eleven years. He has lots of interests: music, dancing, football. balloons and going out to cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops. He is also a collector of leaflets.
"L'Arche is not only a place where people work with people with learning disabilities. It is also the place where people learn about themselves. You find out lots of good and painful things about yourself. That knowledge is invaluable for the future."
Hanna Antowiak. Hanna came to L'Arche both to improve her English, and to be creative with her life. Over the last year she says she's found a deeper side to her life and is learning how to be more patient.
"I like it here. I'm doing the wages tomorrow. I like cleaning best."
Derek Coombes. Derek is well known in Bognor through his visits to the shops, the pub, the Stomp Disco, the Links Club and his involvement in the Church. He's very sociable and enjoys talking to everyone he meets, and he appreciated meeting Jean Vanier at a recent retreat.