Senior Leaders Retreat

WE ARE NOW SOLD OUT

4 - 5 June 2026
Milton Hill House, Oxford

Every leader needs a place to receive, be equipped, and be encouraged. A place to find community and understanding among other women who just get it.

SOLD OUT
SOLD OUT

Your Invitation

Over the last four years, we have hosted several retreats for women in senior church leadership. These have been precious times of connection with other leaders and of meeting with Jesus in a space where we can celebrate the joys—and acknowledge the challenges—of our roles.

If you are a Female Senior Church Leader, we would love you to join us in 2026. Our desire is to make these 24 hours as worthwhile as possible, recognising the demands that leadership places on each of us.

Our theme this year is ‘My Soul Finds Rest’, focusing on caring for our own souls while navigating the challenges of leading others. Orchard co-founders Revd Amy Hughes and Rachel Hughes will lead the teaching alongside our guest speaker Revd Rachel Bedford, with worship led by Zo Ross-Waddell and Beth Croft. Together, we will open the Bible, make space for worship and ministry, and create time for each of us to leave strengthened, inspired, and equipped for leadership.

Tickets cost £220 for an en-suite single room and £190 for an en-suite twin room, payment plan available.

We have seen God work powerfully in the past at our retreat and we are so expectant for what he will do in 2026.

We would love for you to join us,
Amy and Rachel.

Programme

  • 10.30: Arrivals

    11.00am: Pastries and coffee served

    11:30am: SESSION 1 - Teaching and worship

    1pm: LUNCH

    2pm - 4pm: SESSION 2 - Teaching and reflection

    4pm: FREE TIME - check in, explore 22 acres of parkland, take a swim, use of leisure facilities including gym, pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi or catch up with new friends!

    6.30pm: DINNER

    8pm: SESSION 3 - Worship

    9.30pm: Finish - bed or bar!

  • 7.30-9am: Breakfast

    9:00am: SESSION 4

    11.30am: Finish

    (timings subject to change)

Speakers

Rachel Hughes

Rachel is married to Tim and together they have five children. She is co-senior Pastor of Gas Street church in Birmingham, a church they planted in 2015. Two of her passions are seeing women of every age and stage released into the call of God on their lives, and the other is inspiring families to foster and adopt.

Amy Hughes

Rachel Bedford

Rachel is a long time friend of the Orchard. An ordained Church of England minister Rachel leads Greyfriars Church in Reading. Previously Head of Training for the HTB network Rachel carries a real passion for raising up leaders and seeing them flourish in the places God has put them.

Amy has been leading Trinity Church Nottingham since 2020 alongside her husband Jonny. She is an ordained priest into the Church of England. Spending much of her time being mum to her five young children, she is also known to squeeze in a home DIY project here and there. She enjoys walking the family dog with her husband, but her life passion is leading people into the beautiful presence of Jesus where life is transformed and freedom released.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions.

  • Yes, single rooms are available. Twin rooms can also be booked, if you would like to share with someone you know we would recommend booking for tickets together or at the same time to guarantee the room!

  • Yes, this retreat is aimed at women in positions of senior church leadership, if you have leadership in other areas or are serving your church in another way we would recommend booking onto our main conference

  • Yes, there is plenty of free parking at the hotel.

  • We are trying to be very specific on this retreat that it's for women currently serving as senior leaders (overall church leadership), clergy and ordinands as we've found it's been really precious for these women to have connections with other in the same position (and with similar challenges!) as them. The spaces are definitely in demand!

    We're hoping to put on some more wider events for women in other areas of church leadership in the future as we have lots of student pastors, ops pastors, women's pastors, pastoral leads, operational heads and kids leaders who are keen to get more input too! 

Accessibility

We want everyone to feel welcome at The Orchard Women’s Conference so we’ve answered a few questions to help you plan your day a little better. For more information specific to Milton Hill House please visit their website. Or for any general access queries please email us at hello@theorchardwomen.com.