A Permenant Home for Inner Peace
For centuries, Canterbury has welcomed pilgrims, seekers, and visitors from around the world.
Today, in a world that often feels fast, distracted, and uncertain, the search for inner peace is as relevant as ever.
For more than twenty-five years, Kadampa Meditation Centre Kent has helped people discover practical methods for developing peace of mind, compassion, and wisdom through meditation and Buddhist practice.
Now we have a rare opportunity to create a permanent home for inner peace in the heart of Canterbury.
At 35 Pound Lane, just minutes from the Cathedral, a remarkable building is being transformed into a welcoming place for meditation, learning, reflection, and community.
Please note: these images of 35 Pound Lane are AI-generated artistic visualisations intended to give a general impression of the proposed atmosphere, design, and community feel of the new Kadampa Meditation Centre Kent.
“There was a time when my mind felt like a constant storm — overwhelming, fragmented, and without hope. Through meditation, I discovered a peace within me that I didn’t know existed, and slowly my life began to change.”
Timeless Wisdom for Modern Times
Rooted in the Kadampa Buddhist tradition, KMC Kent will offer practical methods for transforming life’s challenges into opportunities for growth and positive change.
KMC Kent is part of a worldwide family of Kadampa Buddhist centres founded by the internationally renowned meditation master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, whose vision was to make Buddha’s teachings accessible and relevant to modern life, regardless of faith, background, or experience.
These teachings come from an authentic and unbroken lineage that can be traced back to Buddha Shakyamuni himself, passed from teacher to student through the centuries and preserved to the present day. They offer practical methods for developing inner peace, wisdom, and compassion that remain as relevant now as they were over 2,500 years ago.
A special characteristic of Kadampa Buddhism is its emphasis on integrating meditation and spiritual practice into everyday life. Through meditation and the study of Buddha’s teachings, people learn practical methods for reducing stress, anxiety, and negative states of mind, overcoming limiting ways of thinking, and developing greater confidence, clarity, resilience, and inner strength in daily life.
At the heart of this tradition is a simple but profound understanding: lasting peace and happiness arise from within.
From Canterbury, this centre will help make these methods available to people throughout Kent and beyond for generations to come.
At the heart of KMC Kent is a simple but profound aim:
To help people develop inner peace.
Today, more than 120–150 people attend classes and events each week across Kent.
In an anonymous survey:
• Over 90% reported improved wellbeing
• 85–90% reported greater emotional resilience
• 85–90% reported feeling less isolated and more connected
• 100% said they would recommend KMC Kent to others
Behind every statistic is a life being changed — someone finding greater peace, purpose, and hope through meditation and Buddhist practice.
By helping people develop a peaceful mind and a good heart, we contribute to a kinder and more compassionate world.
With the new centre in Canterbury, we will be able to at least triple the number of people benefiting from these teachings for many years to come.
A Centre for Every Stage of Life
More than a renovation project, this is the creation of a lasting spiritual resource for Kent.
A place where ancient wisdom for modern life can be studied, practised, and shared for generations to come.
This centre will serve people at every stage of life — students, families, working people, older adults, volunteers, visitors, and pilgrims — offering opportunities to learn, reflect, connect, and grow.
Through meditation classes, retreats, school visits, family and student programmes, outreach projects, volunteer opportunities, and free community events, thousands of people will be able to access practical methods for living with greater peace, purpose, and understanding.
A place where everyone is welcome, and everyone can benefit.
Accessible to Everyone
A place of peace only fulfils its purpose if it is accessible to everyone.
That is why the centre is being designed as a welcoming and inclusive space, with accessible facilities, affordable programmes and livestreamed classes.
So that as many people as possible can benefit from the peace, wisdom, and compassion these teachings provide.
“When I moved to Kent, I didn’t know anyone. The centre became a place where I felt supported and connected.”
“It helped me manage stress and anxiety, and gave me the inner strength to care for both my family and myself.”
Where Young People Find Resilience
Canterbury’s three universities are home to thousands of young people navigating the opportunities and challenges of student life.
Alongside academic pressures, many experience loneliness, low confidence, digital disconnection, and uncertainty about the future.
Through partnerships with local universities and student-led societies, KMC Kent already provides free meditation classes and events that help students develop concentration, resilience, confidence, and a more positive outlook.
Most importantly, they learn that authentic happiness and self-worth arise from within, rather than from external achievements or approval — a lesson that can benefit them throughout their lives.
“I started university feeling lost… I felt a real sense of loneliness. Coming to the classes gave me a sense of belonging. It helped me build a regular practice and meet like-minded people I could talk to about life.”
“Before going to meditation, I felt isolated and didn’t know how to cope with my anxiety… now I feel part of a community.”
“It has made an incredible difference. I feel like I belong.”
Supporting Families & Children
For many families, finding time to slow down, connect, and simply be together has become increasingly challenging.
Children are growing up in a world of constant stimulation and distraction, while parents navigate the demands of modern family life. For neurodivergent children and families, these challenges can often be amplified.
KMC Kent’s Mindfulness for Parents & Children sessions offer practical methods for developing confidence, resilience, kindness, and inner calm, while helping families strengthen connection and create positive experiences together.
“Meditation helps me be calm and not get over-frustrated.”
“I’ve made lots of friends here, and I’ve learned how to be kind and include people.”
“It helps me feel calm, peaceful, and happy.”
“I can’t protect my children from everything they’ll face in life — but I can give them the tools to cope.”
The programme also includes a free parent session — something many parents describe as a lifeline in helping them navigate the pressures of modern family life with greater calm, confidence, and compassion.
“It is a space where you feel safe to share vulnerable moments in parenting… and feel heard and accepted.”
The Power of Community
One of the most unique aspects of KMC Kent is that it is almost entirely volunteer-led.
In Buddhism, a supportive spiritual community is known as Sangha.
Many volunteers first came looking for peace, support, or answers to life’s challenges. Having experienced the benefits of meditation and Buddhist teachings for themselves, they naturally wanted to help others benefit too.
The building project itself reflects this same spirit, with volunteers contributing time, skills, and energy alongside professional contractors and specialists.
What is being created is more than a centre.
It is a community built on kindness, service, and shared purpose.
“I feel like I am part of a fantastic community… I can support others, which gives me meaning and purpose in my life.”
“The sangha provide ongoing support and trusted community which is priceless.”
A Vision Led by Compassion
This project is being led by James Baskerville, Resident Teacher of KMC Kent.
For more than twenty-five years, James has dedicated his life to sharing Buddha’s teachings and helping people develop greater inner peace, wisdom, and compassion.
A practising architect as well as a meditation teacher, James is voluntarily leading the design and development of the new centre.
His vision is simple: to create a lasting place where people can discover the benefits of meditation and timeless wisdom for generations to come.
Help Complete the Vision
More than 50% of the project funding has already been secured, and renovation work is underway. We are working to complete the centre by mid-2027.
We are now raising the remaining £184,000 needed to bring this vision to completion and open the doors.
Your support will help create a beautiful meditation hall, welcoming community spaces, technology that enables people to participate from home, and an informal café and potential community garden where people can connect and reflect.
Most importantly, it will help establish a lasting place where practical tools for inner transformation can help people navigate the challenges of modern life with greater peace, compassion, and perspective.
Every donation helps create a permanent home for inner peace in the heart of Canterbury.
Creating a Lasting Legacy
This project is being made possible through the kindness and generosity of people who share a simple wish: to help create a more peaceful world.
By supporting the new centre, you are helping establish a lasting place where future generations can access a living tradition of wisdom and compassion, and a supportive community dedicated to inner peace.
If you would like to support the project or find out more, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Chelvi: +44 (0) 782248316
partnerships.meditateinkent@gmail.com
More than a Building
This project is about creating far more than a meditation centre.
It is about creating a lasting place where people can discover the benefits of meditation and practical wisdom for themselves.
A place where inner peace can be developed amidst the busyness of modern life.
A place where wisdom and compassion can flourish.
A place where future generations can encounter teachings that bring genuine meaning, purpose, and happiness to daily life.
From Canterbury, these teachings will continue to benefit people throughout Kent and beyond, contributing to the creation of a more peaceful world.
With your support, we can create a permanent home for inner peace in the heart of Canterbury.