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History

History

Making God's love real to all the people within our reach

Crossfire Trust is a registered charity which cares for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the people, primarily in South Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The Trust was established in 1984 by four Trustees who had considerable experience volunteering in Crossmaglen and who wanted to develop further the links Ian Bothwell had made in the area since 1978.

At the height of 'The Troubles', Ian watched a TV documentary on the border town, Crossmaglen, which conveyed fear, isolation, community breakdown and the need for hope. In response to these scenes and the felt need, Ian travelled from his home at Tynan to remind the people of God and His love for them despite the religious and cultural barriers that existed between Tynan to Crossmaglen, and to convey ‘there is a God and He does love’.

In the early years relationships were built within the community through the following activities:

  • Visitation
  • Running a market stall 
  • Poverty relief / family support
  • Prisoner support
  • Summer schemes / camps
  • Bus coffee bar
  • Youth work

Relationships of trust and respect were developed. The suspicion and fear of those years subsided and support grew for this new initiative from likeminded individuals and faith groups.

The formation of the Trust provided accountability and a management structure to ensure that we were prepared for the initial challenge of buying Darkley House in the border area, to cater for the growing opportunities.