“Chinese Overseas Christian Mission (COCM) is a mission organisation reaching Chinese people in Europe with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since January 2021 thousands of Hong Kong immigrants have come to the UK to make their home here on a new visa route. We wanted to bring Hong Kong families together for community and encouragement, to give them practical, emotional and spiritual support.
We needed a place good enough for a large number of families to enjoy and bond together. We needed to run separate programmes for adults, youth and children, which called for multiple spaces. Quality catering was vital, and we needed it all at an affordable price. That’s why we chose The Hayes – we had been before and it left a great impression.
Booking was simple, especially thanks to Sales Manager Gemma who was incredibly helpful and accommodating, giving us confidence whenever we were unsure. Visiting the site we were really impressed by the facilities, from the number of rooms to tech support to the diverse range of food.
The event was a weekend conference with over 260 adults, young people and children – it was a great success. With the excellent facilities we had, we ran different sessions of worship, Bible talks, workshops, men’s and women’s nights, a youth music night and all sorts of group activities. We also loved the leisure time with each other in the beautiful gardens and comfortable lounges.
The teaching was about walking with God and with one another, knowing that we are strangers in this world and heaven is our eternal home. Half the guests were new immigrants to the UK – they were encouraged that this journey from Hong Kong is under the sovereign plan of God. They are not alone, God will guide them, and as Christians we will all love and support each other.
The guests told us they felt relaxed and reassured by the teaching and community provided. New relationships were formed thanks to this conference. The majority of those who filled in the feedback survey said they would come again to a similar event, so we have booked on for next year and are looking at booking 2024 too!
The Hayes is our first choice of Christian conference centre for large-group programs and I will certainly recommend it. It’s a place of tranquility and beauty, where we can easily feel the peace of God and one another. The all-inclusive price package also gave us great value and peace of mind. Thank you!”
Lawrence Sin, COCM
We’re delighted to serve Christian churches and groups across the country with our conference spaces. If you’re interested in exploring a booking at our Derbyshire or Hertfordshire centres, you can explore more here.
