HUNDREDS of people are expected to flock to The Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester this coming weekend for the return of the Stay Awake Christian conference.

Stay Awake is back for its second year and boasts an exciting line-up of speakers.

This year there will be talks from Sister Carino Hodden – a Dominican Sister of St Joseph based in the New Forest in Hampshire.

Revd Dr Russ Parker – the former director of the Acorn Christian Healing Foundation and current director of 2Restore will also be talking at the event.

Fin Allen, a 19-year-old Catholic studying at the University of Manchester will be discussing how if you choose to follow Jesus you will not look back.

And GP and deacon Jonathan de Kretser and Cherry Clarke of Refresh – The Churches of Weymouth and Portland in Action, will also be giving talks.

Jasmine de Kretser, who organises the event, told the Echo: “We had only planned to do Stay Awake for one year, but the reaction was really good, and people said on the day – see you next year.

“I kind of laughed it off, but after prayer and sermon, I felt God was leading me to do it again.

“It’s going to be very similar to last year, we had some very good feedback – the plan for the day is much the same.”

She said she was amazed by the incredible turnout last year and said: “We had 244 people on the day. I didn’t expect more than 100 people to come, that blew me away.

“There will be mass, but we really hope that doesn’t stop anyone from coming. In my heart I aim to bring about more Christian unity – we all believe in the same God.

“There will also be free pizza again this year from Papa Johns, they did it last year and it worked so well.”

The event will take place at The Thomas Hardye School on Saturday, February, 15. Registration will be from 9.30am and the conference will start at 10.15am and finish at around 7pm.