Welcome to BeSpace
BeSpace is a Christian charity based in Oxfordshire that equips local churches to facilitate prayer and reflective spaces in schools.
About BeSpace
Creating space to Be.
Our vision is to give every child the space and opportunity to pray and reflect. We do this by supporting and equipping churches to serve the spiritual life of schools and their communities through creative, interactive prayer and reflection spaces. We love seeing the impact prayer and reflection spaces have on those who encounter them.
What children, churches and schools are saying:
Since 2010 in Oxfordshire we have seen…
prayer and reflection spaces in schools
schools reached (more than 1/3 of the schools in the County)
students impacted
new schools have had a space since Sept 2022
prayer and reflection spaces in 2022/23 academic year
prayer and reflection spaces in 2023/24 academic year
prayer and reflection spaces in schools
schools reached (more than 1/3 of the schools in the County)
students impacted
new schools have had a space since Sept 2022
prayer and reflection spaces in 2022/23 academic year
prayer and reflection spaces in 2023/24 academic year
Meet the team…
Catherine Clayton, CEO
Catherine leads BeSpace, she loves to see children, young people and adults grow spiritually and to see this happen through equipping the church. She started her career as a primary school teacher and undertaking a senior leadership role in a school. She initiated the first prayer space in Oxfordshire in her school in 2010, this led to her founding BeSpace. She was also a founding member and co- leader of the Prayer Spaces in Schools national movement for 8 years.
Following on from this she joined Kids Matter, a UK based international children’s charity, where for four and a half years she led their partnerships team where she extended their reach into the north of the UK. Catherine is an accredited coach with the International Coaching Federation, as well as an accredited C-me training facilitator. In her time outside of leading BeSpace she offers 1:1 and group Coaching for leaders and teams incorporating practices of stillness into her approach, for increased purpose and impact for organisations.
When she is not working she is swimming or trying to learn golf! She also enjoys looking after her four young nieces and one nephew.
Rosy Taylor, Area Networker
Rosy is our Area Networker for the Vale of White Horse region, covering the towns and villages around Faringdon, Wantage and Abingdon. Rosy is part of Standfast (St Andrew’s family service team) in Shrivenham and has worked with many families in the area, both as a families worker with the Chaplaincy at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham and by working in a local primary school for many years. She is an avid believer in the vision and values of BeSpace and is very excited to be part of the team.
Contact Rosy: rosy@bespace.be.
Harriet Baldock, Project Co-ordinator
Harriet is our co-ordinator for BeSpace, she is based in Bicester but travels all over Oxfordshire to help facilitate prayer spaces. Harriet attends Highway church where prayer is seen as a vital part of christian life and is incorporated into church life in a variety of ways. Harriet is also a nanny and has worked in childcare for over 7 years. This has given her lots of experience in working with children and how best to give them the space they need to express themselves.
Contact Harriet: harriet@bespace.be.
Rt. Revd Gavin Collins, The Bishop of Dorchester, Patron
Gavin is an Area Bishop in the Diocese of Oxford, with responsibility for supporting clergy, parishes, and schools across the County of Oxfordshire, as well as being the lead bishop for Rural Ministry and for Ministry and Mission. He is delighted to support BeSpace as Patron, as BeSpace provides a wonderful way for children to come to experience prayer, peace and the love of God, and is also a great opportunity for churches to build partnerships with their local schools. Gavin’s interests include cycling, running, international travel and engagement with politics. He is an avid Brighton and Hove Albion fan, which, he says, proves that he is a man of faith.
Geoff Bayliss, Trustee
Geoff is our chair of trustees. He is the Rector of Cowley St James and St Francis church in Cowley, Oxford. Before becoming ordained he was a secondary school teacher and brings his experience of education to BeSpace.
Patrick Gale, Trustee
Patrick has had an extensive career in financial software and retail financial services, holding non executive director roles for several organisations and acting as trustee for a number of Christian organisations. Patrick brings a wealth of experiences in strategic leadership to BeSpace.
Nina Oskarsdottir, Trustee
Nina is the associate pastor at Emmanuel Church Northwood, before this she was the family pastor at St Aldates Church. She has a heart for church unity and reaching children across Oxford. Before moving to Oxford Nina had experience working with children and young people in Norway where she also functioned as a trustee in organisations similar to BeSpace. These experiences are valuable as she contributes to the work of BeSpace.
Mary Krutz, Trustee
Mary was previously our CEO. In January 2021 she decided to leave the company to spend time with her young daughter. However, we are delighted that she has agreed to become a Trustee to continue to share all the knowledge and experience she gained whilst working for BeSpace.
How does it work?
BeSpace works in connection with local churches to provide prayer and reflection spaces within schools in Oxfordshire, with the aim that the church team is trained during the first prayer and reflection space and takes responsibility for providing subsequent prayer and reflection spaces for the school. Where a school has no direct church link we will discuss with the local church(es) how they can take prayer and reflection spaces forward for the school.
Prayer spaces in schools are day events or week long events where students can experience prayer and reflection in creative ways. In a practical sense this involves transforming a physical space (a classroom, library, meeting room etc.) so students can creatively explore faith and spirituality from a broadly Christian perspective.
In a primary school, typically half a class will access the prayer and reflection space for approximately 45 minutes, for secondary schools this is usually a whole class for a class period. The session includes a short introduction on what Christians believe about prayer and what reflection is, time to explore the interactive activities set up in the room and coming together again as a class at the end to give their feedback.
The students are invited to reflect on the different activities as they complete them or pray if they would like to. Prayer and reflection spaces help students to engage with spirituality and prayer in a creative, experiential, inclusive and safe way.
Prayer and reflection spaces are available free of charge to any schools within Oxfordshire. We have an extensive range of activity resources and soft furnishings that churches can access to run a prayer and reflection space for their local school.
If you would like to set up a meeting with BeSpace to discuss the possibility of a prayer and reflection space within your school please email us at info@bespace.be.
Information for churches
A primary school prayer and reflection space requires volunteers for each activity area (typically 4) and a session leader. A secondary school prayer and reflection space requires 3 adults present in the room (including a session leader). We ask the local church to find volunteers and leaders for the prayer and reflection space.
BeSpace provides equipment resources, training and the support of one staff member on the ground for the first 1-2 days a first prayer space is running. This staff member will model setup and how to lead sessions and give feedback and support to the session leaders for the first 1-2 days the prayer and reflection space is running. For the remainder of the prayer and reflection space the local church/ organisation will lead the days independently, pack down the prayer and reflection space at the end and return the equipment to the BeSpace store.
We hope that for second and subsequent prayer and reflection spaces, churches are confident in collecting and returning equipment and setting up and running the prayer and reflection space independently. BeSpace provides ongoing support for churches running prayer and reflection spaces in their local schools which includes advice, resources, and training.
Information for schools
Prayer and reflection spaces support schools in developing Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC), in teaching of Religious Education (RE) and for Church schools in meeting the requirements of SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools).
How to support BeSpace
- Volunteer at a local prayer and reflection space.
- Become an area networker for your area. Here is a link to the job role.
- Donate to BeSpace. Above is a link to our donation page or email info@bespace.be for other ways to donate.
- Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with our work.
- Pray for BeSpace!
Free resources
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to be able to run Prayer and reflection Spaces regularly in the life of your local School and in the wider community. Click on the link above to find useful template documents for organising a prayer and reflection space and activity ideas that you can download and use in your Prayer and reflection Space.
The Prayer Spaces in Schools website also contains a wealth of ideas of activities which you may find helpful as you plan Prayer and reflection Spaces regularly.
