Priors Place - A Project In Process...
Located between Bath and Bristol, 'Priors Place' is a house but so much more than a house! An organic developing 'green shoot' and home to Claire and George Parker-Chauvet, its all about Godly rest, relaxation, personal and relational development, art and perhaps feeling the heartbeat of God in day to day living.
Set in a quiet green location with potential to develop retreat space and courses 
linked with Christianity, arts and the environment, Claire describes it as “An interesting and relaxing place littered with hens, rabbits and wildlife.”
Claire and George felt led by God to locate in the rural location and work on the grounds to create a 'retreat' arena with a definite emphasis on art, creativity, Christianity and the environment.
(PICTURE: Claire Parker-Chauvet at the recent Christian Networking Fair).
Claire said: “George and I are both committed to working on this project and it seems to be becoming a calling for us both. We found the location after praying which came out of writing the vision down..asking, seeking, knocking.
“The heart of the project is to give anyone needing a rest time by appointment, time out and activities that help time out. Various people have been here and participated in workshops and taken time out and helped us too! Prior's Place could have a varied appeal as a place of rest, restoration and sanctuary to the young, bereaved, women, men, small groups, for holidays, focus groups, vision groups, pastors.
“There are walks locally and the location gives access to people from two cities, as well as perhaps in time hosting people from further afield. The garage and the outhouse could be developed. The garden is a healing and it seems creative space.”
Comprising of a house and garden – which stretches into fields - and including various 'builds', this is definitely a labour of love in the making.
Indeed Claire even makes projects out of projects and hopes to make a project out of decorating and transforming a caravan into a space for art and quiet. “I have been using materials to make a prayer space this summer here.” She says.
In fact the couple are wanting to revamp and decorate many of the spaces at Priors Place - and are looking for interested volunteers to come and get involved, by appointment.
Workshops held by the couple so far include; building a garden wall, planting hedging, greenhouse growing, composting, art, creativity, make a piece of art, help one another project, boys bonfire, girls decorating, day of rest, friends and hospitality.
The couple would love to speak to investors, or people who might want to get involved with Prior's Place and describes this year as crucial. They can manage practicalities and are trusting God for provisions however and say there is a sense of the right help and the right intercessors would be very helpful..perhaps mutually.
Claire said the couple would like as much input as possible from mentors, advisors, helpers, spiritual directors, project developers groups and prayer groups.“I will contact a Springboard Navigator in due course. We are praying for these connections to focus and build."
The couple hope their 'caterpillar' will become a beautiful butterfly in due course and evolve into a Christian centre for wellbeing, wholeness and restoring a sense of belonging and family.
She says: “My heart is that people blossom when encouraged and are educated. In Christian terms there is so much for people to learn and not enough encouraging places to relax and learn - often in cities programmes are busy but in quieter places the pace can be slower.
“My original impulse was to see a place where it was possible to go that was not a retreat centre but would enable an afternoon in a green space doing things and being built up constructively and with a chance to take this deeper in a training school nearby also. It is level at the foot of the Cross'..and that is the nature of the workshops.”
This is a project in process over the next year - and much has been done in the last two years...