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Spring Harvest is an inter-denominational Christian conference and gathering in the United Kingdom. Its' "Main Event" takes place annually at the Butlins resorts in Skegness and Minehead over Easter. Attendance at the 2005 Spring Harvest was around 55,000. The tone is generally evangelical with modern worship music, workshops and Bible study groups. The programme offers different streams for age groups such as children, youth, families, adults etc. The organisation also runs a number of events, conferences and courses and produces a range of resources.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Members of Spring Harvest 1.2 Leadership Team 2 Media Coverage 3 Contact

[edit] History

1979: The first Spring Harvest event at Prestatyn, North Wales with 2,700 attending.

1982: At the outbreak of the Falklands War, Spring Harvest sent a telegram to the Prime Minister expressing 'the love and concern felt by Christians for both governments and peoples involved.' £7,800 was collected and sent to the Church in Argentina.

1985: Seminars were held on social topics such as single parenthood, gender issues, racism, the socially disadvantaged.

1986: For the first time Spring Harvest took place at two locations in the UK: Three weeks in Prestatyn, and two weeks in Minehead.

1988: At the 10th Spring Harvest, the attendance was over 50,000 mark. A worship album was launched, with profits going to Christian projects involved in supporting those with AIDS/HIV. It went on to raise over £20,000.

1989: Spring Harvest expanded to three locations, opening up a new Centre in Ayr, Scotland.

1991: £250,000 was given in voluntary offerings for a wide range of Christian work. £49,000 raised for a 'Greener Burkina' by the youth programme, was used to replant a forest and build a dam to alleviate drought conditions in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

1993: Spring Harvest became a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Spring Harvest Word Alive was launched in-conjunction with the Keswick Convention and UCCF.

1994: Over 70,000 Christians attended Spring Harvest at its four locations in Ayr, Minehead, Pwllheli and Skegness. Spring Harvest brought attention to the war in the former-Yugoslavia by sending a film crew to Mostar, Bosnia - a UN designated War Zone.

1996: Spring Harvest launched an initiative with Focus, and Holy Trinity, Brompton.

1998: Spring Harvest unveils plans to develop its activities, the first new initiative 'At Work Together' a conference for Leaders planned for September 1998. Alongside the developments a new Corporate Identity is also launched.

1999: Spring Harvest raises thousands of pounds to help the victims of brutality in Kosovo.

2000: Spring Harvest launches Generation 2000+ at Minehead, the family week, in conjunction with Care for the Family and raises over £1 million for children worldwide through the 'remember me' project.

2003: Spring Harvest Holidays is launched with the holiday site in the Vendée, western France, opening to its first visitors. The first 'Youthwork the conference' takes place in Southport in November 2003.

[edit] Members of Spring Harvest

Below is alist of the Council of Management, which includes some Christian and business leaders. The Council is chaired by Lyndon Bowring.

   * Lyndon Bowring (Chair)*
   * Dotha Blackwood*
   * Pete Broadbent
   * Steve Chalke
   * Steve Clifford*
   * Ian Coffey
   * Ruth Dearnley
   * Joel Edwards*
   * Stephen Gaukroger*
   * Gerard Kelly
   * Alan Johnson
   * Don Latham*
   * Jeff Lucas
   * Peter Meadows*
   * Rachael Orrell
   * Dave Pope*
   * Marion White*

[edit] Leadership Team

Below is a list of the Leadership Team responsible for the day-to-day planning of "The Main Event".

   * Pete Broadbent - Bishop of Willesden
   * Ian Coffey - Senior Pastor, Crossroads Church, Geneva
   * Alan Johnson - Chief Executive, Spring Harvest
   * Gerard Kelly - Director, Cafe.net
   * Jeff Lucas - Writer and Broadcaster
   * Rachael Orrell - Church Leader, Chawn Hill Christian Centre
   * Steve Chalke - Founding Director of Oasis and Faithworks
   * Ruth Dearnley - Consultant RE Advisor and lecturer, speaker and broadcaster.

[edit] Media Coverage

- In Week 2 at Minehead in 2003, Spring Harvest was featured on the BBC programme 'Songs of Praise'. The first 'week' (week 1), still in Minehead, Spring Harvest was featured on both local and national news as a mystery illness spread rapidly around the event.

- In Week 3 at Minehead in 2006, the BBC returned to pre-record a Pentecost edition of Songs of Praise, and also to transmit a live Easter Morning service from the event.

- Spring Harvest has also featured in other media, including BBC radio, and also regularly in Christian media.

- During the event, a Spring Harvest Television Channel is broadcast across the site. It is run by Premier Christian Radio.

[edit] Contact

Spring Harvest's website is www.springharvest.org