Sherwood is drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre
Hidden, but not hiding in this tranquil environment, is an atmosphere of love, honest work and practical Christianity. People seeking change have an opportunity to find real answers to their needs.
We are a residential rehabilitation centre with our program running from 6-12 months, depending on the needs of the individual.
The Sherwood program encourages a healthy lifestyle involving an active work routine, regular exercise and the re-establishment of good sleep routines.
We are not here to foster a gospel of “community living”, but a gospel of caring, compassion and love. Our family orientated program of rehabilitation is an expression of our holistic concern for people.
Sherwood Cliffs has the capacity to cater for up to eight single men and two legally married couples (with up to 4 children, aged from birth to 10 years).
Sherwood is a Christian Community
Some come to receive, some to give, some to learn, some come just to look and to share our hospitality. Here, many have had problems resolved, pressures lifted and new visions imparted.
Each person residing on a Sherwood property is encouraged to participate in all aspects of community life, including meal times, work programs and outings.
Sherwood is home
Sherwood is home to our volunteers living on site, to our program participants and to our many guests who come to stay with us. As we live together we learn to live with one another, we learn to appreciate our similarities and differences as we share life with others.
Sherwood is family
At Sherwood we live together, work together and share together. We aim to provide a family orientated environment where unconditional love and acceptance is evident; where family relationships are re-developed and where wider support networks are developed to enable a smooth transition to living in the wider community once rehabilitation is complete.
Sherwood is industry
Sherwood Cliffs is a farm that provides a substantial amount of produce for both centres. With an established orchard, dairy, large vegetable gardens, chickens and cattle to tend to, the program revolves heavily around an active farm work routine, as it is our desire to be as self supporting as possible.
Our home is far from being a rest camp in the sense of a respite from the working world. As well as the daily cooking, cleaning, washing and other domestic activities, there is always the sound of saws buzzing, hammers banging and a tractor running. Using our land to the best advantage involves a variety of small farming operations. A thriving garden produces a lovely supply of fresh vegetables, the orchard provides fruit, the dairy cows give milk, and the chickens lay eggs, the cattle are sold for meat and the bees provide us with an abundance of pure honey.
One day John collected Honi after work and they were lead to a man named George, who epitomised the needs of all the hitchhikers and others they had been leading to the Lord. John and Honi began praying together about the overall problem presented by these people. ‘God, what should we do? How should we handle all of this?’
And God spoke to them.
…Thinking back over their nearly six years in the west, John commented, “I believe the Lord brought us here when he did, to show us He wants total dependence on Him; living by faith alone and doing things His way; with an ongoing, self-sacrificing commitment to people over years.”
Where the money comes from
While it is our desire to be as self supporting as possible, by developing internal industry, Sherwood is financed largely by the generous giving of interested people. It is not a policy to solicit funds. Finance needed is literally prayed in for the specific project on hand.
Sherwood does not apply for government assistance and is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). Click here to view their ACNC record.