Safeguarding Workshop

On 6 March the staff team, along with parish leaders and volunteers attended a Safeguarding workshop held at St George’s Church and facilitated by Revd Tom Darwent and Jackie Broadfoot from the Diocesan Safeguarding team.

As St Giles’ and St George’s has a large intergenerational congregation , including a large number of children and young and elderly people, Tom wanted to ensure that the church had a firm grip on safeguarding practice, and that the subject became more normalised. The main objective being to get anyone who works with youth or vulnerable people or in governance to feel empowered and knowledgeable about safeguarding, and equally able to protect someone.

Tom Said. “Good safeguarding practice is just the right thing to do. Jesus went beyond welcoming children; he issued a powerful mandate to protect them. Throughout His ministry, Jesus made it clear that how we treat children reflects our understanding of God’s heart.”

This Safeguarding workshop reinforced the message brought in our Safeguarding Sunday sermon held early in 2025. The session was interactive with no paperwork. When Jackie shared statistics on the prevalence of abuse, everyone in the room was stunned and realised that the victims could be our friends, family members, even others in the room. It was a sobering realisation, but it’s strengthened our determination to act urgently.

And we are excited to be one of the first parishes featured in the diocesan series of stories showcasing the ways parishes are embedding a positive culture when it comes to safeguarding. The stories will highlight how we all have a responsibility in protecting vulnerable people and are therefore all part of the wider ‘Safeguarding Team’. You can read the full story on the diocesan website here.