A Lighthouse in the Centre of Town Showing the Way to Community

Published on: 27 May, 2025
Updated on: 28 May, 2025

The Lighthouse is in the Upper High Street, near the Royal Grammar School.

By Stella Kuchanny

From the outside, The Lighthouse on the Upper High Street, may seem like an ordinary store, but step inside and a very different story unfolds.

Run almost entirely by volunteers, The Lighthouse offers a range of services that respond to the real and growing needs within the local community.

The new community hub is scheduled to open on June 16 and this summer the team is focusing on their annual Back to School event, set to provide school uniforms, stationery and other essentials to over 400 children from Guildford.

Modest in appearance, inside it’s a warm and vibrant space where people are met with compassion, dignity and practical support, no matter their background or circumstances.

Erik Jespersen (right) and helpers attend to some signage.

“Parents are stressed at the start of summer,” explains Erik Jespersen, who helps lead the project. “The cost of preparing kids for school is significant, and many families are under pressure. This event brings some peace of mind.”

The Lighthouse is founded on a philosophy of radical welcome.

“We’d love people to experience true welcome,” says Erik. “That means being seen and known for who they are, treated with dignity and generous kindness.”

Guests are not just provided for, but listened to. The space offers food support, hot drinks, clothing, and even quiet corners for conversation. The emphasis is on creating a place that feels safe, human and real.

“There is no ‘us and them’,” Erik adds. “Just an inclusive recognition that we are all on a journey with ups and downs. Staff, volunteers and guests alike—we all have our own story that holds courage, dignity and worth.”

One of the most pressing issues The Lighthouse is working to combat is isolation, which Erik describes as one of Guildford’s greatest but least visible problems. Many of their visitors face what he calls four types of poverty: financial hardship, but also a lack of relationships, opportunity and hope.

Members of the Lighthouse Team and supporters enjoting each others company.

“We hope people will come in to have some company while enjoying a hot drink or maybe just because they are curious.”

The Lighthouse, which already has a hub in Woking, partners with other local initiatives such as Street Angels and Emerge Advocacy, a chaplaincy service at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Together, these organisations form a growing support network for people navigating life’s more difficult chapters.

An area to sit and enjoy a coffee perhaps with a new found friend

The team also works to challenge stigma and prejudice, especially the kind that surrounds those seeking help. Their approach is not one of charity, but of community—recognising shared humanity rather than drawing lines between giver and receiver.

For anyone wishing to support their work, The Lighthouse welcomes donations, volunteers and sign-ups to their community newsletter. In a town known for its history and affluence, The Lighthouse offers something else: a sense of belonging, and the reminder that everyone has worth.

For those wishing to learn more information generally about Lighthouse and how they can engage with the Back to School event through donating pre-loved items or funds please follow this link: The Lighthouse | Our mission is to transform lives.

Erik says: “We hope to live up to our name, shining quietly at the centre of Guildford as a steady source of welcome and hope.”