 | |
Type of site | Online dating service |
|---|---|
| Owner | Widernet Communications Ltd |
| URL | christianconnection |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Yes |
| Launched | 2000 |
| Current status | Active |
 | This article contains promotional content .(November 2024) |
Christian Connection is an online dating service aimed at single Christians in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. It is operated by Widernet Communications Ltd, based in London.
Christian Connection was founded by Jackie Elton and the UK site was launched at the Greenbelt Festival in August 2000. Registrations began in September 2000. The service gained attention in 2001 when it was featured on the front page of the Daily Telegraph.
In 2004, Christian Connection expanded to Australia, launching a dedicated site for the region.
Christian Connection entered the U.S. market in 2012 and launched services in Hong Kong and Singapore in 2013.
On 18 February 2001 Christian Connection was first featured in the Sunday Telegraph with the headline "Christian dating agency goes online to find perfect partners". [1] The following day it appeared in The Guardian newspaper, [2] as part of a special report on religion in the UK, commenting that there was "an estimated 300,000 single Christians in Britain".
Christian Connection was featured on the front page of The Daily Telegraph on 17 April 2001 with a report [3] highlighting its adoption among priests and priests-in-training. The service has also been covered in other national and Christian media outlets.
In 2013, Christian Connection received the "Best Niche Dating Site" award at the iDate Awards and was listed among the Daily Telegraph's "20 most useful dating websites." [4] It won the Religious Dating Site of the Year award at the UK Dating Awards [5] in 2014.
In February 2015, BBC Songs of Praise featured a Christian Speed Dating event, which was run by Christian Connection; plus an interview with the founder Jackie Elton, and a couple who met through the website, as part of a Valentine's Day special. [6]
In 2015, Christian Connection received multiple awards at the UK Dating Awards [7] , including "Daters' Favourite Site" and "Best Niche Dating Site." The platform received similar recognitions in 2016 and 2017.
In 2016, Christian Connection was commended for "Online Dating Brand of the Year" and "Best Customer Service."
The accolades expanded in 2017 to include Best Niche Dating Brand, Best Customer Service, and Best Use of Social Media, affirming Christian Connection's commitment to quality, member satisfaction, and active engagement on social platforms. [8] [9]
Christian Connection has advocated for improved standards in the online dating industry. [10] Founder Jackie Elton discussed this issue on BBC Radio 4's program "You and Yours."
In 2013, Christian Connection participated in discussions to establish a code of conduct for online dating agencies, as reported by Marketing Week.
In 2013, Jackie Elton became Deputy Chairman of the Online Dating Association (ODA), and Christian Connection joined as a member.
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