Oblate News

Update from The Oblate Retreat Centre, Crewe – February 2021

By Rachel Challoner

The Oblate Retreat Centre at Wistaston Hall is undergoing a number of major changes and renovation works at this time. Although the centre has largely been closed to visitors due to Covid-19 restrictions throughout the past 12 months, work has been ongoing in refurbishing much of the building. In mid 2020, works suffered a set back when part of the centre suffered extensive damage from an electrical fire. Rachel Challoner, a member of the Retreat Centre team, provides us with an update of how the work is progressing. 

At Wistaston Hall we strive to offer a place where our visitors will find peace, rest, and an opportunity for prayer away from the stresses of daily life. We welcome all people who are searching and in more normal times we  host a wide variety of groups from different faith and social backgrounds. After a fire in August of last year, the current pandemic and the planned renovation of the Grange there has been a lot to contend with at the Oblate Retreat Centre.

The progress on Wistaston Hall and the Grange is still going strong. Many changes have taken place on the Main side of the building, as well as with the new building next door, from new windows and doors to log burners, which came in very handy during the last snap of cold weather.

The builders have been hard at work in the Grange and Francis Morrisey OMI building, both inside and out. The new art space is on the way to being completed, after being rebuilt from the ground up, and will provide the perfect space for creativity to flow. The conference room is also coming along well and is waiting for the new windows and doors to be fitted. The bedrooms in the Grange have been sectioned out and plastered ready for the next stage of building work.

The roofs of all the buildings, both on the Main Hall and The Grange, now have solar panels on them, which is part of our commitment to making the Centre more environmentally friendly and self-sustainable.

On the Main Hall side of things there are a few changes that have already been made, a lift has been installed into the new wing, to make the bedrooms more easily accessible, and we have a new log burner in the old conference room. Many of the communal spaces are awaiting a fresh coat of paint, which will make a huge difference to the look and feel of the place.

There are many things to look forward to and all in all things are progressing very well and we hope to be able to welcome visitors back to the Centre in May.

– Rachel Challoner