The Revd Ian Spencer has been appointed as the new Warden of Holland House, a Christian retreat and conference centre in Cropthorne. Licensed yesterday by the Bishop of Worcester in the centre's chapel, Ian has plans to introduce more people to the beauty of Holland House and help maximise its potential.

Ian comments: "Set in stunning gardens, Holland House is the perfect place to escape from everyday life. I want to develop the centre further, making it a retreat house in harmony with creation. As Christians we have a responsibility to look after God's creation and there is a real opportunity to do this proactively at Holland House, for example by serving fresh, local, organic produce in our kitchens and creating a ‘typical' Worcestershire environment in our garden."

Holland House can be used by any group looking for somewhere different to hold meetings, trainings or away days. Ian hopes to develop links with local schools to help them deliver their RE curriculum as well as with the local villages - he will be holding a sausage and sparklers evening on the 7 November and inviting everyone along!

The centre's ‘green' credentials will be developed further in conjunction with the Alliance of Religion and Conservation, a secular body founded by HRH Prince Phillip that helps the major religions of the world to develop their own environmental programmes, based on their own core teachings, beliefs and practices. Holland House will become a pilot site in the UK and Ian is in the process of developing a seven year plan to ensure that it is looking after God's creation in everything that it does.

For more information on Holland House and the facilities available, visit http://www.hollandhouse.org/ or call 01386 860330.