1967 – Present Day
Crawley Friends Housing Association (CFHA) was set up in 1967 with the aim to address the problem of loneliness, particularly for single people in a New Town. The building, Camfield, which was constructed in the grounds of Ifield Friends Meeting House, opened its doors to residents in 1971. Early success relied on the work of volunteers, many of them Quakers (Friends). A project of this scale could not, however, be sustained on voluntary help alone.
Today CFHA is an independent charity, but we maintain links with the Friends. Our mission is to alleviate homelessness, although loneliness is never far from the surface. We have a small, well-trained staff who manage the project and a committed team of voluntary trustees.
'A NEW LOGO'
The logo you see today was introduced in 2024. The box represents shelter, and the arrow represents moving on. Locally we are known as Camfield; but it is helpful to have our location specified for a wider audience – hence the name CAMFIELD CRAWLEY. The strapline encapsulates our mission. (With many thanks to pslondon for the design.)
The Meeting House and the origin of the name Camfield
People who visit Camfield ask about the Meeting House and its history. It is an impressive building and very visible from the Langley Lane. You may also wonder where the name Camfield came from…
