Abundant Life For All (ALFA)
Abundant Life For All Christian Community (ALFA CC) is a charity, formed in 2012, which aims to enable people, including those with learning difficulties, to learn new skills, working together to help or provide for others. Its base at Fulligrove House, Shirehampton, Bristol is a place of welcome and hospitality, with a lovely garden which is part of the Quiet Garden Movement - offering a venue for reflection and prayer.
Training activities for adults with learning difficulties are the Lunch Club for elderly guests (which runs at Etloe Church in Redland), and woodworking and gardening in Shirehampton. Respite is also offered via the Shared Lives Scheme (supported by Bristol City Council) or by private arrangement.
A welcome for all is offered at drop-ins for cream teas on Wednesday afternoons and once a month on Saturdays for a Garden Cream Tea with activities. A few times a year we also host Celebration events which link to the training work of the charity in the context of our Christian faith.
If you would like to come to the garden for a period of peace and reflection please check on suitable times or join us for a Quiet Garden Morning once a month for a led time including times to sit quietly in the garden. As part of the Quiet Garden Movement we share our outdoor space for wellbeing and the inner journey of faith. On weekday evenings we have a short time of prayer and worship at Fulligrove House which others are welcome to join.
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” [John chapter 10 verse 10 - English Standard Version]
Key ideas
- As people, we thrive when we relate to others - accepting and loving/caring for others and being accepted and loved.
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We all have abilities, and none of us can do everything – that means that we should work together, everyone doing what they can
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It is good to work – to have a useful job that others really appreciate.
See our charitable aims and key staff.
Please contact us by e-mail at
The founders and co-leaders of the Abundant Life For All Christian Community are:
Chris and Lyn Morton
We are based in Bristol, and were members of the Fellowship of the King Church from its inception in 1980 until it closed in a formal capacity in 2016 (various gatherings of people continue). We worship regularly in the churches in Shirehampton. Via ALFA CC we are continuing the support of Christian ministries and missionaries previously supported by the Fellowship including the wonderful Swahiba Youth Networks organisation in Kenya.
The charitable purposes of the ALFA CC Charity are:
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To relieve those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability (especially, but not exclusively, those with learning difficulties), financial hardship or other disadvantage; and
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To advance the Christian faith.
In order to do these we have established a caring, worshipping Christian community which is able to provide a respite home for adults with disabilities. We also provide a daytime setting in which adults with disabilities are helped to have a full and good life, in particular by supporting them to work in a way that helps other people e.g. in the Lunch Club, woodwork training and gardening training. We value each person and aim to be a supportive group for each other.
Fulligrove House is also a base for hospitality and offers an outdoor space for prayer, reflection and appreciation of the natural world as part of the Quiet Garden Movement.
This is now part of our Garden Cream Tea events - various activities are available including ideas for being creative with materials from the garden. Garden Cream Teas are on the 3rd Saturday of the month from May following a launch Celebration event on 27th April.
Respite
We offer a home, especially to adults with learning difficulties, for short periods of respite.
Please contact us if you are interested in this or you know someone who is.
A warm welcome awaits at Fulligrove House and Garden
Pop in for a cup of tea/coffee, cake, scone etc. on a Wednesday afternoon between 2.30-4.30pm.
Enjoy the gardens (weather permitting) and have a chat if you wish.
Come along to a Garden Cream Tea - one Saturday afternoon a month (usually 3rd in the month, but check the calendar).
Look out for the noticeboard at the entrance - there may be fruit or plants we are giving away.
