Camfield was the brain-child of Bryan Reed who, with the other founders, are commemorated in the Founders’ Garden. Bryan was the warden of the Friends Meeting House at the time. CFHA’s original mission was to address loneliness by building a house where people could live communally, eat together – and be involved in outreach work. Camfield opened its doors to its first residents in July 1971, with no limit on length of stay. 

 

The Story of Camfield 1967-1996, by Renate Warner documents the evolution of Camfield from being a house largely run and supported on a voluntary basis, to a house that is staffed by fully trained and remunerated staff. The focus now is on homelessness although loneliness is always under the surface. In 2008, CFHA instituted a one-year licence for residents and the staffing support to encourage the development of life skills.

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In 1996 we celebrated the 25th anniversary of Camfield. In 2021 we shall be celebrating its 50th anniversary.