The roots of Children Worldwide began in the 1950s when God called David Iliffe to work with children.

In 1954 David, along with two colleagues from Matlock Bible College (now Moorlands), started an evangelistic team with the name The Crusade for Christ. This team drove all around Great Britain conducting missions and meetings, with David being the British Evangelist for Children. After five years the other team members moved on, but David continued the momentum he had built up organising camps and mission trips, and working with schools across the country.

As time went by, David began to receive invitations to use his ministry in Europe, which he undertook under the name Europe’s Children. An invitation to lecture in Switzerland opened opportunities to meet key workers from other countries. As a result he received and accepted invitations to serve more widely in the Netherlands, New Zealand, USA, Egypt, Hong Kong, Ireland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland to name a few.

During this time David became aware that children’s workers can feel very isolated, and he identified the real need for them to be able to have fellowship together and share experience. Children Worldwide as we know it was born around 27 years ago and continues to grow especially in the UK and Latvia, with increasing association with work in several African countries.

Under the initial leadership of David, then Graham Reed and currently Steve and Kay Morgan-Gurr, the work has continued to develop and adapt to existing needs in a changing world whilst retaining the unchanged purpose and vision.

It was under the leadership of Graham Reed that Future Builders - our apprenticeship course in children’s work - began. Over the years this became accredited, and was run with Birmingham Christian College. At the time of writing there are some changes afoot, but we will continue to run a 1-year apprenticeship course for a limited number of people who want to undertake the Future Builders blend of academic and practical training, including placement in a local church.

In 1991, Dalesdown was purchased. This is a Christian Conference Centre on the South Downs specifically for children and youth. Since then thousands of young people have been reached with the Good News, and many have become Christians. Seventeen schools regularly use Dalesdown for their activities. Throughout the summer there are 6 weeks of camps, with a programme of youth events and training programmes the rest of the time. 

Understanding the advantage of a permanent facility like Dalesdown, David Iliffe realised that other countries would benefit from having a similar centre. In Latvia and in association with Latvia Christian Mission, Norkalni has been purchased as a permanent site with its large acreage and buildings. Work goes on to develop and establish this centre, and its already significant use.

Both Children Worldwide and Dalesdown work under the official charity Family Foundations Trust. If you haven’t heard of us before, that’s probably because we love working and partnering with other organisations wherever we feel we can be of help in promoting and encouraging excellence in children’s work.