The first Caister event was held in 1996, and took the name "The Word is Near". It was held at the Haven Holiday Camp in the village of Caister-on-Sea in Norfolk. Participation was restricted to those who qualified as an ordained bishop, priest, or deacon; or to those who were in training for ordination; or to members of religious communities (monks and nuns). However, from the second year onward (1997) the event was opened up to lay people as well. Attendance varied from year to year, but the retreat conference typically attracted between 500 and 1,000 participants annually.