Diocese of Portsmouth
The Church of England

In this section

Sherpherd’s Law hermitage

Annual Retreats

Making Space to Be Renewed

In response to the 2026 Clergy Wellbeing Survey we’d like to encourage all our clergy to make use of the provision of time and space to take an annual retreat. One of the key findings that stood out this year was that only 46% of our clergy go on an annual retreat. That means more than half of us are carrying the joys and weight of ministry year after year without a dedicated time to step back, rest and be met by God.

The Portsmouth Diocese recommends that all clergy seek to take a time away from the parish for spiritual retreat for up to 5 days between Sundays once a year. This is an invitation to personal renewal. We want to encourage you, warmly and gently, to make space for retreat in the year ahead.

Why retreats matter

A retreat is not a luxury added to ministry; it lies at its heart. After the disciples returned from their first mission, Jesus said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). Luke tells us that Jesus himself "would withdraw to deserted places and pray" (Luke 5:16).

As clergy, we spend our lives making space for others to encounter God. Retreat is the time when that space is made for us. It offers:

  • Rest for bodies and minds that rarely get a full day off from being needed.
  • Perspective, a chance to see the shape of our ministry from a little distance.
  • Renewal of prayer, without a service to plan or a sermon to write.
  • Honesty before God about what is life-giving and what is wearing us down.

Time away is also one of the simplest ways to look after our wellbeing over the long haul. The clergy who flourish over decades are clergy who have learned to stop well.

What gets in the way

We know there are real reasons why retreats slip off the calendar. You may recognise some of these:

  • “The diary is simply too full.”
  • “I can’t leave the parish without cover.”
  • “It feels self-indulgent when there is so much to do.”
  • “I’m not sure where to go or what kind of retreat would suit me.”
  • “I’m worried about the cost.”
  • “I have family commitments that won’t let me get away.”

Yet a parish is best served by a priest who is rested and attentive, not one running on empty. Taking time away is part of the work, not time stolen from it. In doing so you create a healthy example of seeking to spend time with God for those around you.

Clergy retreats are an accepted ministerial expense that should be covered by your PCC. We recognise that asking for money for yourself can be difficult. But this is a necessary wellbeing investment. See details of further grant funding for retreats listed below.

Making it happen

A retreat doesn’t need to be long or elaborate to be fruitful. There are many ways in:

Kind of retreat What it offers
Individually guided Daily conversation with a spiritual director, with space to pray at your own pace
Silent or self-directed Quiet, rest and freedom from words, in a retreat house or religious community
Led or themed A group retreat with input on prayer, scripture or a particular season
Quiet day A single day set apart, a good place to begin if a longer stay feels out of reach


A few practical steps can make all the difference:

  1. Book it now. Put dates in next year's diary before other commitments fill them, and treat them as fixed.
  2. Arrange cover early. Taking a retreat between Sundays should be manageable and cover for midweek services can usually be arranged.
  3. Tell your people. Most congregations are glad to know their priest is being renewed, and it models healthy rhythms for them too.
  4. Ask for a recommendation. Your spiritual director or a clergy colleague may know just the place.
  5. Start small if you need to. A quiet day this term may be the first step towards a longer retreat next year. It can be as simple as taking a day to find a walk that will take you to a pub or café where you can sit and read in peace.

You don’t have to do this alone

We would love to help you take that step. If you would like ideas for where to go, help thinking through cover, or information about financial support, please get in touch with Neil Smart.

  • Retreat grants or funding: funding for retreats can be applied for from the local charity the Trinity Trust: Trinity Trust. Their Trustees will meet three times in 2027 in February, June and October, with the first deadline for grant submissions on January 31st.
  • Suggested retreat houses: The Retreats Association has a list of nearly 140 retreat centres, listed on their website, that can be filtered by many categories including cost and will show the distance for you to get there. Retreat Directory
  • See below for the top recommendations for retreat houses from the Ministry and Discipleship Team

Our hope is that when we next ask, far more than 46% of us will say yes, we went away this year, and we came back refreshed. May the God who invites us to come away and rest a while give you the courage to accept the invitation, and meet you with grace in the quiet place.

Our top recommendations for Retreat Houses

This is a list of places our team have found helpful and that might just work for you. Listed in order of distance travelled from Portsmouth.

Please get in touch with Neil Smart if you want a personal recommendation on any of the above or more information for any aspect of taking retreats.