Off The Fence Ministry The project has had a record number of speaking and teaching engagements during this last period. At the beginning of 2007 Paul spoke in Brisbane, Australia. During the USA visit, he spoke to over five hundred young people in school assemblies, and had a good number of opportunities to speak within the Central Fellowship Church, hold Bible study groups and also at an addiction recovery programme.

Paul continues to preach and motivate to a wider field. New churches are starting to ask for more partnering and preaching with the charity. This has allowed Paul to befriend the Pastors / Mission leaders and offer an outside listening ear this inevitably builds long term friendships and partnering. A lot more Sussex churches have opened their doors to the team at Off The Fence to preach and lead Bible studies.

Off The Fence also offers training in pioneering and skills, such as HR and planning policies to churches and mission groups wanting to start similar projects around the country. We have brand new projects we are helping to start and partner with.

There is an increasing respect throughout the community for our work, leading to talking to the Brighton Chamber of Commerce, we have had visits from the Lord Lieutenant, High Sheriff, Mayor, local councillors and we are also nominated for the Queens Award for best charity in the South East. Paul meets face to face regularly with the key supporters of the charity and this has proved vital to the growing partnership across the city.

Our profile is being lifted regularly; we have Christian periodicals writing about the work, and Christian conferences are asking us to display and talk about our work.

We have also partnered with different Christian groups nationally such as NCAP - this has broadened our knowledge and we have been able to share our skills and working practices.

We have found that both the Church and the community accept us and appreciate our Christian response to the needs of the Brighton and Hove. The Church has a significant capacity for volunteering and we are able to encourage this resource with practical support. With the Church and the community working together, we have had the privilege of seeing many people come out of desperate situations and become active members of our society.

A number of our staff have taken part in short term overseas missions. This allows them to receive a wider vision and a better understanding of how other Christian groups work.

We had another major mission, 6 July - 13 July 2007, with Bishop Hannington Church, and Bolney Chapel benefiting. A group of American missionaries joined us from Central Fellowhip Baptist Church, Macon, Georgia.