How It All Started

Waleswide is a church planting and transitioning organisation that began in 2005.  David Ollerton, who had led and planted churches, had been working with Menter Eglwysi to help transition Welsh speaking churches to a model that had a viable future.  At the end of 2004 he had a sabbatical and travelled across Wales looking at church plants that had succeeded, struggled or failed.  At the end of this he wrote a report entitled Waleswide, over 500 copies of which were circulated to any interested parties.

In response to this Stuart Olyott, then the Pastoral Director of the Evangelical Movement of Wales, suggested getting leaders together to discuss the issues.  This was enthusiastically supported by Elfed Godding, then National Director of Evangelical Alliance, Wales.  He made all the staff and resources of EA Wales available to organise the first Waleswide Consultation in Newtown in October 2005.

At this consultation it was agreed that a network of evangelical leaders from across the spectrum and from all regions of Wales should be established to plan, pray and work to raise awareness of the need for church planting and strengthening in Wales.  This network, known as Waleswide Cymrugyfan, registered as a charity and continues the work today.

David Ollerton went to be with the Lord on 18 March 2017.