On January 1, 2020, the Britain Bethel family began moving into the new Bethel facility located near Chelmsford, Essex. By early March 2020, all of the full-time branch volunteers will be living and working at the new branch office.

The Britain branch has been located in Mill Hill, London, since 1959. As the field grew and the workload increased, the branch expanded to include numerous properties scattered over a large area. This required extensive property maintenance and travel for the Bethel family. For a time, the branch was also a printing center, at its peak producing literature for over 10 percent of the worldwide field. In March 2018, after 92 years of production, the printing presses were shut down and sold. a

The completion of the new Britain branch was the culmination of a five-year construction project. These facilities consolidate all branch operations into one site, thus improving efficiency and conserving dedicated funds. It includes two production buildings, offices, and six residences with accommodations for over 400 people. A multifunction building will serve as an auditorium, dining room, and event space.

Currently, the Britain branch supervises the preaching work in a number of territories, including the Falkland Islands, Guernsey, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Malta. The new branch will now focus on producing audio and video content and digital publications. Additionally, the branch will continue to support the spiritual activities of more than 150,000 publishers, serving in over 1,800 congregations.

Tours of the new Bethel are scheduled to begin on April 6, 2020. Visitors can look forward to enjoying exhibitions on topics such as the history of the Bible in Britain and Ireland and the role of Bethel in Jehovah’s dynamic organization.

Brother Stephen Hardy, a member of the Britain Branch Committee, has been involved with the project since its inception. He summed up the feelings of many: “Jehovah has heightened the willing spirit of so many workers from our field and from abroad. The results are far beyond our expectations, all to Jehovah’s glory.”—Ephesians 3:20.