Housing Project team visits churches transformed into community hubs
The Host Cafe at St Luke’s Southsea
The Archbishops’ Council Housing Project team recently visited Portsmouth as part of their wider engagement with parishes across the country. They are exploring examples of how church land and buildings can be creatively repurposed to meet local housing and community needs. The initiative, inspired by the Coming Home report, seeks to address the housing crisis through sustainable, affordable, and community-focused development.
At St Luke’s Southsea, the team were welcomed into The Host Café, a recently launched community hub that has transformed the church hall into a stylish and welcoming café space. The Host is a social enterprise with a heart for hospitality and empowerment, providing training and volunteering opportunities for young people, including those from nearby supported housing. They are fundraising in order to support apprenticeships in the hospitality sector.
The team went on to visit St Margarets Community Church in Southsea, a former closed church that was brought back to life through a church planting project. Now called St Mag’s, the church’s vision is to build community with Jesus at the centre, and they are doing that by using their refurbished building to the full. It’s open six days a week as a community hub which hosts a café, shop, food pantry and soft play area for families.
Project manager Beki Winter said, "It’s always inspiring to see how churches are using their spaces to meet real community needs. Both St Luke’s and St Mag’s are fantastic examples of what’s possible when churches think creatively and act courageously."
Executive support Tash Jesson added, "These visits remind us that housing and community development are deeply connected. It’s not just about buildings—it’s about people, relationships, and hope."
