The Beginnings
The Fareham Well started life as a Christian Bookshop and Resource Centre co-located with a café which:
- Sold fair-trade items;
- offered a discreet listening-ear to those in need; and
- helped people seeking work experience to gain essential skills for their CV.
The vision for this community-based charity arose in 1997 from a series of discussions groups attended by members of Christians Together in Fareham who wanted to demonstrate that they weren’t inward-looking, concerned solely with their own churches. The best way to achieve this they concluded, was to co-operate in a practical project which would illustrate the Christian community’s engagement with, and support of, the town and its people.
The idea of acquiring a retail space quickly took root and a charity structure was established to support its delivery. The choice of the name – The Well – reflected the vision that this should be a place of physical and spiritual refreshment, safe and neutral.
Fundraising brought in donations and low / no interest loans from individuals and church communities for the purchase of two derelict shops which were soon transformed into a ground floor retail unit and a first floor, two-bedroom flat. By March 2000, the café and bookshop had opened for business.
The Well Bookshop and café
At the time there was nowhere to buy Christian books locally – and most people thought “Amazon” referred to a big river in South America. As for somewhere to buy a tea or coffee – there was only one other café in the whole of Fareham, and that was at the back of BHS! Our market was therefore considered to be fairly secure.
However, over the next decade everything changed. Online shopping captured most of the book trade, cafes sprung up everywhere – and the offer of a listening ear was no longer sufficient to balance the books. At the end of the “noughties” the shop ceased trading and the ground floor space was leased to help repay the debts. In keeping with The Well’s original vision, tenants were required to be local charities and were offered a discount on the rent as a means of contributing towards the delivery of The Well’s charitable objects.
2010 – and beyond …
Slowly The Well repaid its debts and with the finances on a sound footing, application was made to the Charity Commission to change the governance structure of the charity and its purpose. The Well is now a grant awarding body using the income generated by the rent paid on the flat and retail unit for The prevention or relief of poverty of people living in the borough of Fareham [see here for a full definition of the charity’s purpose].
While the method of delivering its charitable objects may have changed, the “new” Well remains true to the vision of its founders over 25 years ago and continues as a practical demonstration of the Christian community engaging with, and supporting, the people of Fareham.
What we do?
Our Purpose
Originally established as a Christian bookshop and café, the Fareham Well had a secondary purpose as a presence in the centre of town where people in need could find a sympathetic “listening ear” and could explore a range of opportunities to volunteer in a supportive and non-judgemental environment. In this way it was intended to be a practical example of the Christian community’s engagement with the town and its people.
After the bookshop and café became financially unviable, The Well started to use rental income to enable the award of grants that directly support projects and activities that benefit the local community of Fareham. The method of charitable delivery may have changed, but the Well remains true to the vision of its founders that it should be a resource through which the Christian community can offer support to the people of Fareham.
The New Purpose
In awarding grants, the trustees of the Fareham Well are guided by the charity’s Purpose:
“The prevention or relief of poverty of people living in the borough of Fareham, principally, but not exclusively, by providing grants, items and services to Christian and other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty or respond to community need.”
More details of how this Purpose is applied can be found in the section Apply for a Grant
Policies & Procedures
Donations
If you wish to make a donation towards the work of Fareham Well please contact the treasure for details of how this can be done. treasurer@farehamwell.org.uk
Who we are?
During 36 years as an officer in the Royal Navy I served in many classes of ship, saw active service in the Falklands and commanded an air defence destroyer, HMS Nottingham. After leaving the Navy I had a second career in Local Government, managing the learning and development team for Children’s Services in Hampshire County Council.
With a long-standing interest in charity governance, I have served on, and chaired, several charity boards and committees, including a national church charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC), two primary school governing bodies, and The Fareham Well where I have overseen the transition to it becoming a grant-awarding body.
A Fareham resident since 1981 I am a member of the local Roman Catholic Church (and also, through my Anglican wife, Lucy) of Holy Trinity Anglican parish. We have four children and six grandchildren, most of whom live locally. Although no longer in paid employment my family, church and other commitments lead me to describe myself as rewired – certainly not retired.
I am a Chartered Civil Engineer by profession. I spent 23 years working on various significant construction projects in the south east of England before turning my hand to Management Consultancy. This led to a broader portfolio that has included various non-executive roles within Further Education, Health, Housing and Parliament.
I became a Trustee of The Fareham Well in January 2022. I have held various roles within the local and regional Methodist Church and currently serve as a Circuit Steward and Treasurer of the Fareham Methodist Church.
I have lived in Fareham since 1979. I am married to Jean, and we have three children and five grandchildren. The church and grandchildren fill much of my spare time, but I do also attempt to ‘put a round of golf together’ most weeks.
I have enjoyed a varied career working in the private, public and charity sectors, including over 25 years’ experience in corporate governance roles.
I moved to Fareham in 2004 to work for the NHS and was employed for 19 years by local Primary Care Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups in the role of Board Secretary and corporate governance lead.
For the preceding decade, I had worked for the international ecumenical mission organisation, the Council for World Mission (a successor of the London Missionary Society). I am currently an employee of the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth, providing support on a range of governance matters following it becoming a charitable incorporated organisation.
I worshipped at Fareham United Reformed Church for over 20 years where I was an elder and trustee, with responsibilities for safeguarding, youth work, and communications before relocating to Lancashire in June 2025. I have a passion for ecumenism, grounded when living and worshipping in an ecumenical church in Milton Keynes for 15 years, and developed further through the activities of Christians Together in Fareham and served as its Secretary. I became a Trustee of The Fareham Well in October 2023.
I am married to Fiona, and we have two sons. When not at work or involved in church activities, I am loyal supporter of grassroots football and love going to live music gigs.