THE CLOSURE of Nicholaston House Christian Centre has been announced with immediate effect – with the future building sale providing a cash injection for homeless projects in Swansea city centre. Trustees of Swansea City Mission & Educational Trust confirmed the closure of the retreat centre at Nicholaston near Penmaen (Gower) on Wednesday, November 30.
The site has provided support for the wider Christian community for the past 24 years but the building requires substantial refurbishment work. Supporters kindly offered donations, pledges and offers of interest-free loans for repairs but the fundraising target was not met. The Trustees have therefore concluded that Nicholaston House be sold and the funds from that sale put to good use by the charity through mission work in and around Swansea. This is not the end of Swansea City Mission & Educational Trust, but a very new beginning facilitating an expansion of ministry in the heart of Swansea.
Geoff Thomas, Chair of Trustees, said: “The Lord is leading us, I believe, to build a centre in the heart of Swansea – we are, after all, ‘Swansea City Mission and Educational Trust’.
“This will afford us the opportunity to be far more accessible to those in desperate need who would struggle to access our services out on Gower and also to work in partnership with other ministries, such as Zacs’ Place and Matthew’s House, already operating in the city.”
He added: “The Lord is so good. I believe the passage 1 Kings 17 is very pertinent for us: ‘when the Brook dried up’ that wasn’t the end of Elijah’s ministry, it led him to relocate from a rural location to engage with those in need in the city!”
Since 1988, Swansea City Mission has been helping people in need through a variety of ways: firstly, through street and hostel work with homeless men. Then through the provision of a donation-based counselling service, and more recently through the provision of a retreat and conference centre on Gower. Over the years, various retreats, courses and prayer ministry have taken place at Nicholaston House, which has provided a place for rest and restoration. However, the upkeep of an old building that dates, in part, to the 1880s has now led to a renewed vision for ‘Mission in Swansea’. Having considered the options very carefully and prayerfully, trustees of the Swansea City Mission & Educational Trust charity sincerely believe that putting the property up for sale is in the best interest of the charity and will help hugely to resource social need in and around Swansea City Centre. The aim is to start conversations with potential strategic partners to help identify gaps in provision and provide resources to support existing services and provisions, rather than duplicate them.
This rerouting from their present base on Gower, where the work is tranquil and peaceful and into the heart of Swansea, seeks to help meet a variety of social need through partnerships with others already working and delivering outreach services. It is estimated the sale of the Nicholaston House site will release significant funds to enable the resourcing a variety of services to those affected by homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. Trustees have noted expressions of interest from others who may be interested in purchasing Nicholaston House from Swansea City Mission & Educational Trust in order to continue the pastoral-type ministry that has developed over the years. Nicholaston House closed its doors on 28 November 2022 and is due to go up for sale shortly.
Update: Nicholaston House is now for sale. Interested parties should contact the sole letting agent, Dawsons: https://dawsonsproperty.co.uk/other/nicholaston-house-gower-swansea-sa3-2hl