Resource (The Christian Resources Project) is not just an ordinary Christian bookshop. We are a resource centre based in Plymouth which specialises in books for children and young people, and support those who work with them in schools and churches. We also specialise in tracking down high-quality books to sell at highly reduced prices – because we know how stretched your budget is.

Resource (The Christian Resources Project) is not just an ordinary Christian bookshop. We are a resource centre based in Plymouth which specialises in books for children and young people, and support those who work with them in schools and churches. We also specialise in tracking down high-quality books to sell at highly reduced prices – because we know how stretched your budget is.

Our History

On November 4th, 1980, a new Plymouth organisation was registered with the Charity Commissioners, its aim to “promote and advance the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and encourage Christian education, in Great Britain generally, and in the Plymouth area more particularly.” But CRP wasn’t born on that day; it had, by then, been in existence for several years.

It had evolved from the Youth for Christ movement which, since the early 1970s, had begun to develop a schools’ ministry and I was involved as one of the workers. k we visited schools, taking part in assemblies and RE lessons, it became clear that very few quality resources were available for Christian education. I began to build a  small resources library and, as time went on, it became apparent that if this was to develop it needed to be a separate entity from the largely music-based YFC ministry. 

So, CRP started – with one member of staff, a corner of a bedroom as an office, an ancient stencil duplicator and a library of a collection of filmstrips with cassette soundtracks. However, I was quickly able to link in with two organisations providing 16mm films – Fact and Faith Films and the Lord Rank Film scheme. 

The work developed into a pattern of school visits, carrying projector and screen and showing films like Voice of the Deep and City of the Bees. By the time CRP registered as a charity we had moved from the bedroom to an office at the newly-opened Crossline Centre in Union Street, opposite the old Palace Theatre. There I shared my time between school visits and helping with the Crossline counselling ministry. The higher public profile given by the move helped the work to steadily grow.

By 1982, CRP was outgrowing its premises in the Crossline Centre, and in November 1982, we moved into 14, Lipson Road.

We seek to provide an excellent resource to schools in Plymouth and the surrounding area. Our purpose is to help young people in their school context and bring the good news of Jesus to them where appropriate.By supporting young people we hope to bring positive experiences and influences that will help in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We run Christian Unions, lunchtime clubs, assemblies and lessons.

Simon is a qualified youth specialist working with re:source and has a degree in Applied theology with Moorlands College.

Simon has worked for a youth charity called Catalyst Tavistock. Catalyst was commissioned by the local churches to provide resources for local young people. Catalyst works in schools and take RS lessons, assemblies, Lunchtime clubs such as CUs supporting the school and young people. One of the most challenging and rewarding activities for Simon was helping with the school’s inclusion Hub where he spent an hour each week with a year 8 lad working as a mentor and we saw some amazing results.

He currently works in schools working alongside a local pastor running a lunchtime Christian Unions. In this particular case, he aims to help Christians young people with support and encouragement whilst they are at school. He also helps to run an after school drop in and a another drop in where a number of young people go to.

He has worked as a youth pastor for two years at a local Baptist church running clubs, events and summer camps. He has even taken a team of young people to Mexico to build a house for a family living in poverty.

Simon has also been an instructor for the annual Ten Tors event. He sees real benefits for young people who do this event and is very encouraged to see local schools still entering teams.

We specialise in tracking down high-quality books to sell at highly reduced prices – because we know how stretched your budget is. Whatever you are looking for, we can help!