History of The Living Well

The Living Well is the realisation of a vision held by the congregation of St Edmund’s Church, and the community of Temple Hill. In many ways a typical housing estate community, Temple Hill has shown that remarkable things can be achieved when people work together.

Temple Hill was established in the 1950’s, and St Edmund’s Church built to serve this new community. In the early 1990’s the church and the community formed strong links to work together to realise the dream that perhaps St Edmund’s could be a focus of healing and wholeness for Temple Hill.

What began as an idea to make better use of the original church building, ended as a proposal to demolish a much loved church and start again! In 2004 St Edmund's Church Living Well opened its doors to the community. The new building has been designed by architect Andrew Boakes.

Living Well—a partnership project

Partnership is at the heart of the Living Well. The community of Temple Hill have driven the project from its inception. Throughout the process of designing the new building to it’s completion a number of individuals and organisations have worked together to make the vision a reality.

At a cost of £2 million, the project has been funded through significant charity donations, national and local government and investment by the Church of England through the Diocese of Rochester. It now provides a much needed focal point for work right across Temple Hill, The Bridge community and other communities in Dartford. 

"...stunningly brilliant."

Many organisations have visited the Living Well and have been inspired by what they found.  On her visit to the Living Well, the then government Minister for Children and Families Margaret Hodge said;  "This place is quite unique.  The idea of linking a Sure Start facility with a local church and also a GP practice is stunningly brilliant."