Spring 2014 - issue 4

Thank you for being willing to serve foranother year or to begin a new term of office.The role of churchwarden is vital not only tothe smooth running of your own parish, but tothe relationships between the bishops, theparishes and the diocese as a whole.

As archdeacons, we rely on churchwardensto give first-line support to their clergy, torepresent the needs of the people, and tooversee the legal and administrativedetails of parish life. Archdeacon/churchwarden relationships are thereforevery important indeed.

2014 is to be a year of change in a numberof important respects. We shall be fullycommunicating the new arrangements forCommon Fund, and asking parishes tobegin their part in setting their CommonFund giving for 2015. We shall continueto roll out the strategy for MissionPartnerships in order to ensure that ministryand mission are properly overseen in eachparish. Very importantly, we shall becelebrating the Centenary of the diocese,which we hope will tie us together evenmore closely as one Christian family.

A further key area of change results fromthe Central Services Review, undertaken in2013. While reducing our central servicescosts, we are aiming to be fully focused onsupporting the mission and growth of thelocal church. A newly formed Parish SupportTeam is available to help with Mission ActionPlanning, Mission Partnership Formation,Christian Giving, Community Action,forming New Congregations, and Youthand Children’s Ministries.

Our Communications Manager, LJ Buxton,took up her post in December. Her roleincludes ensuring that our diocesan visionand implementation strategies are wellpresented, so that parish leaders andchurch members can easily access,clearly understand and fully ‘own’ them.LJ introduces herself to us in her ownarticle later in this bulletin.

As always, the Archdeacons’ Office is herefor you to consult over any issues, hopesor difficulties you are experiencing. Ourexcellent secretary, Susan Jarman, is morethan willing to listen to your story wheneveryou call and, when needed, put you intouch with an archdeacon.

We look forward to working with you duringyour coming year of office, as we fulfill thevision of the diocese which, as you know, is“to grow a sustainable network of Christ-like, lively and diverse Christiancommunities in every place which areeffective in making disciples and in seekingto transform our society and God’s world”.

archdeacons’visitation news

Dear churchwardensA year of change...

Produced and printed by

www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Diocese of Sheffield

The VenerableSteve WilcocksonArchdeacon ofDoncaster

The VenerableMalcolmChamberlainArchdeacon of Sheffieldand Rotherham

In recent years, professionalcommunication functions have beencarried out by different people external tothe diocese. This has now changed withan internal Communications Managerstarting in post. The role will give bettersupport to the diocese and individualparishes, as well as supporting thediocesan vision.

Consistent and clear communications arevital in a media-saturated world. The rolecreates a vital link between Church House,the bishops, the parishes, the media andmembers of the public. Communications isnot just one-way, but is about listening asmuch as distributing. The diocese can be acomplex organisation but we are strongertogether; developing ways in which weshare our communications is essentialfor this.

Based at Church House, Lindsey-Jane (LJ)Buxton (pictured) is the new person in

position and is the central port of call foranything communications related.LJ previously worked in a similar job for theenvironmental regeneration charityGroundwork, promoting its social aims topeople from every walk of life: councils,parishes, community groups, schools,ex-offenders, young people, businesses...

LJ says, “I have experienced the art of goodand bad communications in my previousroles. I love working with a mixed variety ofpeople. I have found good communicationsisn’t necessarily about getting audiences toagree, but for all to understand why wedon’t.”

There is a lot to get stuck into for structuringcommunications within the diocese. Somekey plans for the future include creating astronger sense of identity, promoting thediocesan vision, creating individual casestudies, supporting parishes to promotetheir work and improving the website!

LJ adds, “I have been known to be a controlfreak with communications. It still haunts methat I let someone tweet in all seriousnesshow company employees now wore ‘badgersfor identification’! What a spelling error! I amlooking forward to working with ChurchHouse staff and parishes to shout about ourgood work and create bettercommunications for all.”

Spreading the word:Future communications within thediocese and beyond...

Hiring out our halls or reordered churchbuildings is a great way to connect with andserve the local community, whether it is a keep-fit class or a church group wishing to use ourfacilities for prayer and worship. It is a valuableservice we perform in return for useful income,but it can create issues if not managedcarefully. On the advice of Ecclesiastical, hereare some key points to consider when hiringout your church premises.

The difference between formaland informal usersMost outside user groups need to have theirown public liability insurance. Ecclesiastical’sParishguard policy only provides insurance

cover for private hirers and ‘occasional non-commercial use’ – weddings, parties, socialevents and one-off meetings – but only if noother insurance is in force. For example, somehome insurance may provide cover for somesocial events.

Any formal group – i.e. a group that meetsregularly, has an organiser or a committee orits users pay fees – must have its own publicliability insurance that will cover damage to thechurch’s property and injury to its members orusers. A church representative must see proofof insurance and confirm it is appropriate.

Have a written booking agreementWhenever premises are hired, a formal bookingagreement setting out the conditions of hireshould be signed by both parties and keptsafely. This is a legal document, so needs to bedrawn up after consultation with the church’slegal advisers. It should state clearly thatoutside users must have their own insurance.

Are your premises safe forthis activity?

The safety of your premises when rentingthem out should form part of your church’shealth and safety policy. Ecclesiastical has

produced guidance notes and a model healthand safety policy template, which can bedownloaded from its website:www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Safeguarding

Hiring church premises to children’s groups isvery common. Your PCC should refer todiocesan safeguarding guidelines atwww.manchester.anglican.org/safe-church/policies and the DiocesanSafeguarding Adviser for advice and guidance.

Ecclesiastical strongly recommends that thePCC obtains written confirmation from anygroup involving children that it has asafeguarding policy.

Are they using the church itself?

If the group is regularly using the church as avenue, this requires a licence under faculty,obtained through the normal DAC procedures.

Is this a church group?

If you are unsure about any church groupasking to use the premises, you should consultthe Diocesan Ecumenical Officer who will beable to give advice.

Renting out church premises does need tobe done properly to avoid turning a minormoney-spinner into an expensive problem.If you would like more information, contactEcclesiastical’s Customer Services Teamon 0845 777 3322.

Hiring of church premises toorganisations...

New figures from Ecclesiastical showthere were fewer than 500 churchinsurance claims for metal theft in 2013,well down from the peak years of 2007–08when claims were up to 2,400. However,experts at Ecclesiastical believe the drop inthefts may be reaching the bottom of thetrough, with the potential for an increase inthe next two years.

John Coates, director of church insurance atEcclesiastical, said: “Churches have made atremendous effort over the last few years but it’simportant to remember that metal theft is acyclical crime. The impact we’ve made recentlyhas definitely accelerated its downturn, but wehave to remain vigilant and be prepared for anescalation of activity in the future.

“Even 500 claims a year is too many. That’s still10 churches being targeted every week.”

Claims experts at Ecclesiastical are convincedthat the effort churches havemade withSmartWater combined with the heightenedpolitical profile of metal theft and the police’sproactive approach are behind the drop in thefts.Scrapmetal dealers have also played their partby checkingmetal for signs of SmartWater andpaying for it electronically, thus creating atraceable link between themetal and its vendor.SmartWater is working closely with the policeon a series of covert raids on dealers’ yards,some of which have resulted in arrests.

In addition, Ecclesiastical’s initiative to fit roofalarms to the most vulnerable churches hasproven a significant deterrent.

“The price of lead has not dropped markedly, sothe reason for the reduction in this crime must liein the actions we’re taking,” addedMr Coates.

The use of forensic marking fluid such asSmartWater by churches has becomemuchmore evident. But Ecclesiastical’s metal theftcoordinator Paul Playford noted that there wasstill some confusion surrounding the display ofsignage. He said: “A lot of churches contact usbecause they are unsure about how to use thesignage that is provided. The key is that thesigns must be displayed prominently where athief can see them – on church gates,downpipes, an exterior noticeboard or besidethe main doors. SmartWater signage displayedinside the church may well go unseen. It’simportant to remember that displaying the signsprominently is a condition of your church’sinsurance cover for metal theft.” You can callEcclesiastical for new or replacementSmartWater signage on 0845 600 9659.

The use of SmartWater or anotherforensic marking product approved byus is a condition of your policy. For moreinformation, speak to your local insuranceconsultant and surveyor or visitEcclesiastical’s website atwww.ecclesiastical.com/smartwater

SmartWater vital inthe fight againstmetal theftThe concerted effort by the Anglican community,Ecclesiastical, the police, SmartWater and politicians iscontinuing to put pressure on metal thieves in the UK, withthe number of thefts dropping.

SmartWater Facts� All SmartWater kits come with

signage that must be displayedprominently.

� To be most effective, the SmartWatershould be brushed in a line alongjoints and seams of lead or copperroofing, where one sheet of metaljoins the next.

� Lead or copper flashing should bemarked on the edges, where itcomes out of the wall and along thebottom edge.

� Cleaning doesn’t remove SmartWater.

� SmartWater works closely with thepolice targeting scrap dealers whobehave illegally.

� Additional SmartWater solution canbe purchased at a preferential ratefor Ecclesiastical Policyholders,directly from SmartWater by calling01952 204 102.

Thief’s clothingled to convictionWhen metal thief Robert Kirvej’saccomplice screamed as he fellthrough the skylight in a Birminghamchurch’s roof, Kirvej fled the scene.The sound of breaking glass andsubsequent commotion was boundto raise the alarm – and it did.

Police found the fallen man inside thechurch, bleeding from a fractured skull,and immediately launched a search of thearea. They stopped a Renault car whichwas being driven very slowly, possiblylooking for something, and questioned thetwomen inside, one of whomwas Kirvej.

Kirvej initially denied any involvement inthe crime, but police officers seized itemsof his clothing, which were tested andfound to have traces of SmartWater onthem from the church’s roof. Thisevidence was sufficient for hisprosecution and eventually jailing forthree years.

Ecclesiastical’s Paul Playford said:“This case is a terrific example of how thecorrect use of SmartWater can give policethe overwhelming evidence they need toclamp down on metal thieves.”

CASE STUDY

1. If one of your employees or volunteersis injured in the course of their dutiesand takes sick leave, after how manydays’ absence should you notify theHealth and Safety Executive?

2. What is the minimum number of fireextinguishers a church should have?

3. How frequently does Ecclesiasticalrecommend a church’s portableelectrical equipment is tested forsafety?

4. Is it compulsory for a church to havea lightening conductor fitted?

5. What is a hot work permit?

6. What is the most common cause offire in churches?

7. What does legislation say should beplaced beneath an external oil tank?

8. How regularly should fireextinguishers be inspected?

9. What is the minimum number ofstewards who should accompanyguests touring the church’s tower?

10. TheHSE says that ladders should beused to work at heights only when thejob is of ‘short duration’. What length oftime does the HSE define this to be?

11.When does the law say a path to thechurch door should be cleared afterheavy snow?

12.What are the minimum first aidprovisions for your church?

You’ll find the answers on the reverse ofthe opposite page.

Welcome to ourhealth and safetyspecial edition

It may not seem the most gripping ofsubjects, but health and safety is becomingmore of an issue for Anglican churches.Increasingly, the team at Ecclesiastical isseeing more liability insurance claims frominjured staff or visitors.

We are aware of churches being prosecuted in recent times for breaches of legislation,which is why we’ve devoted two pages to bringing you up to date with the latest news –and hopefully giving you some interesting ways to test your health and safety knowledge.

If you’d like more information on health and safety, visit the Church Matters section ofwww.ecclesiastical.com or speak to our customer service team on 0845 777 3322.

Eight top tips to behealth and safetycompliant

Health and safety legislation seems tobe such a minefield that it can be hardto know precisely what you have to doto comply with it. After all, there are somany different pieces of regulation,and those you may be familiar withare subject to frequent change.

Here, Kevin Thomas, Ecclesiastical’sacknowledged expert on all things healthand safety, gives you his top eight tips forkeeping your church on the right side ofthe law – and ensuring everyone stayssafe as a result.

1. Appoint a church official or member tobe responsible for health and safety.

2. Take time to read Ecclesiastical’sguidance notes. You can find themon our website atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters.

3. You need a written health and safetypolicy. Our downloadable template isa good place to start. Just visit ourwebsite to find it.

4. Conduct and complete your riskassessments.

5. Implement the actions from your riskassessments. If you don’t, you’resimply going through the motions.

6. Review your health and safetyformally once a year – and recordyour review. Evidence of your effortsis essential.

7. Record everything you do in relationto health and safety, but in particular,record your activity in your church’sannual report.

8. If you have questions or need advice,contact Ecclesiastical’s customerservice team on 0845 777 3322.

By following these eight steps, you willensure that your church has doneeverything reasonably possible to complywith the law – and you will be able toprove as much should the matter becomean issue.

How good is your health andsafety knowledge?Trustees and members of the clergy have a responsibility toensure that their churches and other buildings comply withhealth and safety legislation. But just how much do you knowabout current health and safety legislation? Test yourself withthe questions below.

“Risk assessment? Oh no, not one ofthose.” This is a fairly common reactionwhen people are faced with completing arisk assessment form, something manysee as a bit of a waste of time. But speakto Ecclesiastical’s Kevin Thomas andyou’ll get a very different perspective onthese documents.

“They’re absolutely vital,” Kevin declares.“As well as reducing the risk of potentialinjuries, a properly completed risk assessmentcan stop a vexatious insurance claim or courtcase dead in its tracks. It helps us defendclaims, highlighting you take your health andsafety responsibilities very seriously.What itshows is that a church has thought carefullyabout the risks an event, a hazard or a piece ofequipment poses and has taken the necessaryaction to reduce that risk occurring.”

The risk assessment formWith so much depending on the riskassessment, conducting it correctly is ofparamount importance. According to Kevin,the most important points to bear in mind are:

� Remember that a risk assessment is notjust a form to complete; it’s a riskmanagement process to go through.The form documents that process.

� Take time to think through the assessment.The more thorough your evaluation, theharder it will be for anyone to find fault with it.

� Consider who is most likely to be affectedby a hazard – clergy? Volunteers?Members of the public?

� Ask someone else to read your completedassessment. They may well spot somethingyou might have missed.

� Make sure you tell people who need toknow about the risk assessment and storethe document safely in a location whereother people will be able to find it. If no onecan retrieve the document, there is nothingto prove the risk assessment took place.

� A risk assessment is only effective if youact on its findings.

� Review the assessment regularly.

If you would like help conducting a riskassessment, visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatterswhere you can download arange of helpful guidance and riskassessment templates, or speak to ourcustomer services team.

Your health andsafety questionsansweredThe team at Ecclesiastical regularly receives questions fromchurches about health and safety issues. To help you, we havechosen the most common questions and given you the answers.

Q. What is the colour used to identifya water-type fire extinguisher?

A. Red. The other colours are black forcarbon dioxide, blue for dry powder andcream for foam.

Q. Should our church conduct a riskassessment for fire?

A. The law says yes. You should also make arecord of your assessment and keep it safely.

Q. Can we allow people to tour ourchurch tower?

A. Yes, but subject to Ecclesiastical’sguidance, which you will find atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters.Key points are no children younger thaneight; under-16s to be accompanied by anadult; no heavy or awkward baggage anda minimum of two stewards to escortthe party.

Q. What should we do if we discovera hazard on our premises?

A. Record it on your risk assessment and takeaction to reduce the risk of injury.

Q. What, if any, action do we need to takeregarding asbestos in our church?

A. You are legally obliged to find out if there isany asbestos present in your buildings.

Please refer to our Church Health & SafetyGuidance notes onwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Q. Why is safeguarding important?

A. Protecting the most vulnerable people in ourcommunities is a vitally important duty.Failure to do so can result in prosecutionand major liability claims.

Q. Can we run a food bank?

A. Yes, subject to Ecclesiastical’s guidance.Policies and procedures should be in placeto cover its operation, including details oftypes of food donations accepted, storage,staffing levels and opening hours.

Q. If we allow our church to be usedas a night shelter, do we need totake any precautions?

A. Yes. The Ecclesiastical team can give youguidance but you should have at least twovolunteers at all times, appoint a coordinator,keep records in a log book and provideguidance for both volunteers and guests.You should also inform Ecclesiastical thatyou are running a night shelter.

If you have a question not covered here,please feel free to contact the team atEcclesiastical.

How to conduct theperfect risk assessment

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All our guidance notes are collected togetherand sorted into the key categories of security,health and safety, fire and storms and badweather. You can download our guidance andalso see the latest information on topics suchas food banks and telephone masts on churchtowers. There is also our month by month riskplanner with short videos about each topic to

help and inform you. Many customers also nowget updates by email – just let us have youremail address if you too would like to beupdated in this way. As well as our websiteyou can also get help from our customerservices team or your local insuranceconsultant and surveyor.

Our website:www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Customer services:call 0845 777 3322 or emailchurches@ecclesiastical.com

Insurance Consultants & Surveyors(IC&S): to find your local IC&S go towww.ecclesiastical.com/churchsurveyor

Claims: call 0845 603 8381(24 hour service) or emailfaithclaims@ecclesiastical.com

Rock-bottom interest rates from banksand building societies will have causedmany Treasurers to ponder over higher riskinvestments in the hope of restoring muchneeded income, as well as to protect capitalfrom the erosive effects of inflation.

Our new brochure on the Amity CharityFunds attempts to put this into contextand also explains why ethical investingcan enhance, rather than detract from,long-term performance. Copies may bedownloaded from our website atwww.ecclesiastical.com/charityinvestments

Althoughwe cannot offer specific investmentadvice, wemay be able to offer some generalguidance which youmay find helpful.

Contact Mike Goddings on020 7680 5839 or emailmike.goddings@ecclesiastical.com

Please note that the value of investmentsand the income derived from them may fallas well as rise and you may not receive theoriginal amount invested.

Keeping up to dateWe hope you are familiar with our Church Matters website whichhas a wide range of information, guidance and tools you can use tohelp you look after your church.

Help for the TreasurerAs charity trustees, it is the duty of the PCC to try to achieve the bestfinancial return within an acceptable level of risk.

Answers: Health andsafety knowledge1. Seven working days. 2. Two;one water, one carbon dioxide.3. Ecclesiastical recommends annualchecks. 4. No, but churches should seekguidance from their architect. 5.A hotwork permit is issued by the church to acontractor before they start work at thechurch. The permit controls the risksfrom heat-generating activities such aswelding and grinding. 6.Arson. 7.A driptray or bund – a protective wall to preventspillage. 8. Annually. 9. Two. 10.Up to30minutes. Longer than that andscaffolding or a platform should be used.11.When it is reasonable to do so – forexample, after a snowstorm has finished,but not necessarily during the storm.12.A suitably stocked first aid kit and aperson appointed to take charge offirst aid.

Could an excess save you money on your church insurance?One of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of your Parishguard insurance is toinclude an excess in your policy, or increase the amount of your excess. Just like caror home insurance, the excess is the amount of any insurance claim that the church agrees topay for itself. The church will pay the first part of the claim, up to the value of the excess, withEcclesiastical meeting the balance of the claim. For instance, with an excess of £1,000, if youmake a successful claim for repairs costing £10,000, your church pays the first £1,000 andEcclesiastical pays the remaining £9,000. In return, the overall cost of your insurance policy isreduced because your church is effectively retaining some of the risk. The larger the excess,the greater the saving. If you would like to discuss your options to see if you can make savingson your premiums, please call Ecclesiastical’s customer services team on 0845 777 3322.

This is how one well-known saying extolsthe virtues of volunteers and the vitalcontribution they make – a contributionthat Britain saw first-hand and up closein 2012, as thousands of people steppedup to become unpaid volunteers at theOlympic and Paralympic Games.

Volunteers working at grass roots level arethe lifeblood of the nation’s Anglicanchurches. Without people willing to committheir time and energy to maintain churchbuildings, attend meetings and raise funds,churches simply could not function in the waythey do today.

Volunteering in declineBut volunteers are in short supply in allwalks of life. A study by the Department forCommunities and Local Government in 2010recorded a decline in volunteering over theprevious five years. Robert Putnam, in hisseminal 2000 book Bowling Alone, arguedthat over the last 50 years, changes in thedemands of people’s working lives, the riseof a more home-centric social culture, theimpact of television and the movement ofwomen from the home to the workplace,have all served to make society less willingto give up its collective time. The book’s coremessage is that we may be more willing towrite a cheque for a good cause, but we areless likely to knock on doors for it, or attendmeetings on its behalf. The sad truth is thatvolunteering has been in steady declinesince the 1950s.

Turning the tideSo what can churches do to encourageindividuals and families in their localcommunities to organise a prize draw or havea charity bake-off? There’s lots of advice andsuggestions from many sources, but when itcomes down to it, a small group of verysensible ideas rise head and shouldersabove the rest.

Be very clear with people what you’retrying to achieve and what the benefitswill be.

Asking people to turn up year after year torun the lucky dip at the church fête may sufferfrom the law of diminishing people. Put theevent into context: explain the state of thechurch’s funds, how much you’re hoping toraise and what the money will be spent on.An event to raise £1,000 to repair a much-loved stained-glass window will probably getmore support than the annual autumn fair.

Make sure your volunteers feelappreciated.

If Mrs Johnson volunteers every year toarrange flowers in the church, it can be alltoo easy to take her contribution for granted.Ensure she’s thanked and her work isrecognised, perhaps with a mention in theparish newsletter.

Try not to link volunteering to set times.

Many people struggle to attend at a specifictime each week. Flexibility is often the key for

would-be volunteers, particular those inemployment or with families to look after.If a task can be carried out at any time duringthe week, let the volunteer choose whenthey do it.

Be clear with volunteers up front whatlevel of commitment you’re asking for.

People who volunteer for one hour a week andfind they’re actually giving five are unlikely tobe happy with the situation. They’re also morelikely to withdraw their support.

Make the most of social media.

Online communication channels likeFacebook, Twitter, blogs and the church’sown website can be great places to ask forhelp and to strike up engagement with thelocal community. Of course, don’t forget moretraditional forms of communication likenewsletters, posters and even the local paper.

Consider approaching local businesses.

While most people know that firms will oftendonate money, many are now encouragingtheir staff to volunteer. If you have a specificproject with which you’re looking for help, abusiness could well assist.

Protecting your volunteersOnce you’re found your volunteers, insuringthem is one thing you don’t have to worryabout. Ecclesiastical’s church insurance policytreats authorised volunteers in the samemanner as employees, offering protectionagainst injury and what is known as third-partyliability – damage or harm the volunteer mightcause during their work for the church. KevinThomas of Ecclesiastical makes the point verysuccinctly: “Don’t let risk stand in the way ofrecruiting new volunteers. They’re the lifebloodof the church and Ecclesiastical gives you thecover to protect both them and the church.”

Sources: www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/apr/29/donations-charity-volunteering-decline http://bowlingalone.com/

Harnessing the powerof volunteers“Volunteers are unpaid – not because they’re worthless,but because they’re priceless.”

Whilst Ecclesiastical has used reasonable endeavours to ensure that the information in this newsletter is correct at the time of publication, please note:(a) the information is not intended to constitute a definitive or complete statement of the law on any subject, (b) the information may over the course oftime become incorrect or out of date; and (c) neither Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. nor its subsidiaries can accept any responsibility or liability foraction taken or losses suffered as a result of reliance placed on the information provided in this newsletter.

© Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc 2014 4/14

For more informationcall 0845 777 3322

email information@ecclesiastical.comvisit www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc (EIO) Reg. No. 24869. Ecclesiastical Insurance Group plc (EIG) Reg. No. 1718196. Ecclesiastical Life Ltd (ELL) Reg. No. 243111. Ecclesiastical InvestmentManagement Ltd (EIM) Reg. No. 2519319. Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services Ltd (EFAS) Reg. No. 2046087. Ecclesiastical Services Ltd (ESL) Reg. No. 1811698. E.I.O. Trustees Ltd Reg.No. 941199. All companies are registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ, UK. EIO and ELL are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority andregulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. EFAS and EIM are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. ESL is an appointedrepresentative of EIO who is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Surprisingly, for a role that’s soubiquitous in the life of the AnglicanChurch, churchwardens do not featureheavily in art or literature...

Vicars are commonplace; vergers ten apenny – thinkDad’s Army and The Vicar ofDibley – but the humble churchwarden ishard to come by. This seems odd consideringthat churchwardens bear much of theburden of running and maintaining a church,being responsible for the day-to-dayfunctioning of the parish. Perhaps the sheervolume of activities in which they engagemakes them unsuitable characters for worksof popular fiction?

In truth, churchwardens have one of themost varied of roles in the churchcommunity. According to one diocese, thechurchwarden’s enemies are numerous andvaried: rising damp, blocked drains andgutters, poor ventilation, faulty wiring,insecure windows and doors, unservicedboilers, slipped slate and crumblingstonework. Quite a list to be going on with.

Although duties differ from parish to parish,the following list of questions, compiled withthe help of experts at leading church insurerEcclesiastical, offers some generalguidance on key tasks and responsibilitiesof these valuable volunteers.

If the answer to any of these questions is‘no’, then speak to your churchwarden aboutwhat needs to be done.

The church, churchyard andtheir fabric

1. At the last annual meeting of the PCC,was a report on the fabric, goods andornaments of the church presented?

2. (i) Are any essential works for thechurch building, as noted on the lastquinquennial report, in hand or planned?

(ii) Are there proper arrangements inplace for routine maintenance and theregular clearance of gutters and down-pipes to prevent blockages?

(iii) Are arrangements in hand forproper maintenance of the churchyard?

Presentation and care ofchurch records

3. (i) Are your service book records andregisters for burials, baptisms andmarriages up-to-date?

(ii) Are you satisfied that all churchregisters, records and books are insatisfactory condition and properlystored or deposited within the archives?

4. (i) Are you satisfied that external andinternal noticeboards are in good orderand up-to-date?

(ii) Is the current Table of ParochialFees displayed clearly in the church?

(iii) Is the Churchyard Directivedisplayed prominently and publicly?

5. Are you satisfied with arrangementsfor the care and cleaning of the church’sinterior, church linen and otherornaments and vessels?

6. Do you have up-to-date churchguidebooks available and, if appropriate,are they available in other languages?

7. Is there a logbook for your church andis it up-to-date?

8. Is there a plan of your churchyard andis it up-to-date?

Finances

9. Is all your church insurance up-to-dateand does it give you appropriate cover?

Other matters

10. (i) Has your PCC discussed the EqualityAct and Health & Safety issues, and hasan audit been carried out?

(ii) Do you have a policy and a person(s)with responsibility for the issues?

A guide to the role of the churchwardenis available from the diocese. In addition,there are a number of books availablecommercially.

A checklist for yourchurchwarden

Churchwarden factsThe office of churchwarden datesfrom the 13th century.

Churchwardens are the legalguardians of a church’s movablegoods.

Most parishes have two electedchurchwardens.

Historically, there are two types ofchurchwardens: the people’swarden and the rector’s warden.

The churchwarden pipe – a long-stemmed tobacco pipe – was sonamed because churchwardensused them to smoke in church whilepoking their pipe out of the window.