2021 Convention- Your questions answered

Yes, the summer Convention will be held over three weeks, between 17^th July and 6^th  August.

The Convention is being planned within Step 3 of the current Government guidelines so it is still set to go ahead even if there is a delay of Government restrictions being lifted altogether (Step 4).

We are looking forward to seeing you in Keswick and this year we’ll be on the new Pencil Factory site for the first time. We have a full programme of events though there will be some changes due to Covid-19. For instance, we plan to operate with three medium-size venues rather than one big marquee to provide more distanced seating arrangements. We have also made some changes to the Children’s and Youth programme. We’ll keep the situation under review and let you know of any further developments.

Due to Covid restrictions and to assist our planning, we have introduced a registration and booking system for this year’s Convention. If you would like to come to the Convention, please let us know via info@keswickministries.org

You’ll need to book for the Morning Bible Readings, Evening Celebrations, All-age Sunday service and Families Together sessions.

Youths (11- 18 year olds) will still need to be registered separately for the Youth Programme.

Youth registration is now closed for week 3, so it is no longer possible for your young person to be registered for that week. However, it will be streamed online and can be accessed via our website so please do tune in online!

Keswick Convention takes place annually, bringing together thousands of like-minded Christians who want to hear God’s Word, become like God’s Son and serve God’s Mission. There’s a wide programme of activities and events to get involved in and you can choose whatever you would like to attend. See the pages throughout this website to read about what’s on offer this year, what happened last year, how you can book accommodation, where to park and how you can get involved.

Covid 19 is a serious and infectious disease – and it will still be prevalent during the Convention. We want everyone on the site to be as safe as possible.
The Convention will be operated as a Covid Secure Site. There will be a number of requirements including lateral flow tests, face masks and social distancing.

Please read the full document here.

1. Lateral Flow tests are obligatory for all over the age of 11
2.  Tests should be taken before you travel to the Convention and then Wednesday morning before coming on site, each week.
3. You can obtain lateral flow tests for free at your local pharmacy or via the Government website: Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
4. You should not come to the site if you or a member of your family or bubble tests positive.

• You should follow English government guidance.
• You should not return to the site without first having had a negative PCR test result.

– Stewards and site security may ask for proof of a negative test. *
– If Conventioners are unable to provide proof of a negative lateral flow test they will be asked to leave the site*

*Please note that proof of a negative test includes a confirmation from the NHS via email or text, a test result confirmation on the NHS Test and Trace app or you can physically bring the negative test with you.

Please read the full Covid procedures here.

Due to the English Government guidelines we will not be able to sing on 17th and 18th July. However, we will be able to sing from Monday 19th July onwards. You will need to keep your mask on at all times whilst you are in an enclosed space.

When seated in the cafe drinking coffee or eating you may remove your mask but only whilst seated.

We will have QR Codes on all main building entrances and you will be required to scan these for Track and Trace.

We are planning to hold Morning Bible Readings, Seminars, Keswick Lectures and Evening Celebrations.

To create the distanced seating, as a Covid safeguard, we plan to have a main venue supported by a small number of relay venues.

The Morning Bible Readings, Evening Celebrations, and Keswick Lectures will be livestreamed and available for catch-up afterwards. The seminars will be available for catch up.

After much prayer and consultation, our friends at Count Everyone In have sadly decided not to run their programme for adults with learning disabilities at this year’s Convention.

They recognise that there will be a lot of disappointment but feel that it is better to postpone meeting face-to-face until it is possible to do so with greater confidence. We hope to include contributions from Count Everyone In online this summer.

Due to the demands of Covid-19, we’ve had to make some changes to our usual Children’s and Youth programmes. The Children’s and Youth teams have developed an exciting programme which we hope all the children and youth will enjoy.

We’re holding a Families Together morning slot for children under the age of 11 and their families. This includes Bible teaching, songs, and activities around tables for families to enjoy.

The sessions replace the traditional Keswick4Kids morning programme and will take place during the morning seminar slot.

Please do arrive for the Families Together sessions from 9.10am. We have to start at 9.30 because we have to finish on time so we are going to need people to turn up early to get everyone in on time. We aren’t providing stationary so please do bring your own with you.

We are planning an all-age service for each Sunday of the Convention. Join us as all ages worship together.

In the mornings in all three weeks, there will be small-group Bible Studies, resources and teaching for the youth. Some of the wider Convention seminars will also be particularly relevant to youth.

We will be running evening celebrations for the youth in week 1 and a limited evening programme in Week 2.  Week Three will feature live evening celebrations that will also be livestreamed so young people around the UK and further afield can join in and benefit.

We think the alternative programme is the best that can be delivered, given that plans for the summer need to be made now and that social distancing may still be required.

We are all conscious that having 40-50 young children from all over the country in one room in July may be neither legal nor responsible. We wanted to plan for something now that has the greatest likelihood of success and the best way to bring young people the Gospel in this year’s circumstances. But we do recognise that many families value highly the kids and youth work at the Convention, alongside the Bible teaching, and we’re committed in future years, by God’s grace, to return to the previous model that has proved increasingly popular.

We’ll be following government guidance and best practice to ensure everyone is kept as safe as possible.

We are hopeful that some of the restrictions will have eased by the summer, but are mindful that other precautions will still need to be in place e.g. registration, social distancing and the use of the NHS app. So we are planning with caution, flexibility and optimism.

We’ll keep you updated on this page.

This year we will not be selling bottled water so please do bring your own supplies with you.

We are thankful that through the generosity of our supporters we are able to make the Convention available to all, without the need to charge for any events. So everything is free, including the children’s and youth activities (apart from an occasional ticketed concert). Of course, the budget is substantial. But we estimate that if every adult attending for a week gave £120, Gift-Aided where possible, we would reach our budget. We recognise that some people can’t afford this much, whilst others may be able to give more. So during each week we provide opportunities for people to contribute as they feel able. 

• Week One (17- 23 July): Paul Mallard, Morning Bible Reader
• Week Two (24 – 30 July): Tim Chester, Morning Bible Reader
• Week Three (31 July – 6 August): Mark Meynell, Morning Bible Reader

Confirmed speakers and other programme information is available in our Convention section. This is updated as more information becomes available so please do keep checking these pages.

• Week One (17- 23 July): Colin Webster and Phil Moore
• Week Two (24 – 30 July): Ben Slee
• Week Three (31 July – 6 August): Olly Knight

We don’t keep a list of accommodation in Keswick; however we do have a shortlist of places to help you start your search on our Plan Your Visit page.

For the first time they will be held on the new combined site of the Pencil Factory and Rawnsley. Rather than one big marquee, we will be operating with three medium-size venues. There will also be relay venues around the town.

There is no convention Parking on the Pencil Factory and Rawnsley site for the duration of the Convention. If you are driving into town, please use the existing town car parks or the Rugby Club car park. Tickets £4 per day.

Due to the Government restrictions, there will only be a drop off at Rawnsley and for those with disabilities we will endeavour to help but there will be very limited disabled parking this year. Please do factor this in for times of arrival.

During the booking process, please indicate if you are a wheelchair user. This will help us with our planning to provide the best possible space and allocation in the venues on the Pencil Factory site.

Provision is also available at the Keswick Methodist Church. You don’t need to book to attend this venue.

For health and safety reasons, only assistance dogs are permitted on Keswick Convention sites and in meeting venues.

Yes you can but we would ask you to minimise the bringing of bags and rucksacks onto site because again under Covid guidelines bag searches are more complicated and you may have empty your contents onto trays for checks. This will delay your entry times so please do consider what you bring this year.

The Reception Office will be open every day to answer any questions. More details to follow.

If you are driving, we would encourage you to park at the Rugby Club ground or one of the other town car parks.

In the venues, all songs are projected onto screens and monitors. Covid permitting, large print and braille songbooks are available – please ask a member of the Welcome Team. For copyright reasons and for the benefit of others, these must be handed in at the end of each meeting.

A loop system operates in the three main venues and at the majority of the seminar venues. In the main venue, those wishing to benefit from the provision of BSL Interpreters can sit in the designated area in front of the platform.

This year, there is no creche. However, there will be an unsupervised area assigned with relay facilities.

• If you’re arriving on a Saturday, the roads in and around Keswick will be busy, so please be patient! 
• Get acquainted with the town. There are two supermarkets, bakeries, take-aways and plenty of places to eat. 

• The first meeting is the Evening Celebration at 7.30pm on the Saturday.
• The Convention finishes after the Evening Celebration on the Friday of each week at 9pm.