Safe & Supported – a safeguarding event at Hereford Cathedral for the wider community

Sunday 19 – Tuesday 21 November 2023

To mark Safeguarding Sunday this November, the Safeguarding Team at Hereford Cathedral has organised three days of activities to help the community feel safe and supported.

Safeguarding Sunday, a safeguarding awareness campaign for churches, takes place on Sunday 19 November. Thousands of churches from diverse backgrounds and traditions across the UK will come together to reflect on their own safeguarding journey, and to celebrate all the good work that is being done by so many behind the scenes to protect vulnerable people.

To highlight safeguarding at Hereford Cathedral, the team have arranged Safe & Supported, an event which includes talks, discussions and information-sharing from Sunday 19 – Tuesday 21 November. Following the Cathedral Eucharist at 10 am on the Sunday morning there will be a range of displays and stands in the South Transept, thanks to local organisations including West Mercia Women’s Aid, Vennture, We Are Farming Minds and West Mercia Police, together with national support service Safe Spaces. Staff from the cathedral’s Safeguarding Team will also be on hand to assist with signposting, and to speak to the congregation and visitors about its own work, and that of the different organisations being hosted.

Across Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 November, six different talks will be taking place in College Hall which are open to anyone to attend. Robyn Barratt from The Courtyard will open the discussions on Monday morning with a ‘Dementia Friends Information Session’ (9.30 am) followed by a short course on ‘Raising Awareness of Exploitation and Vulnerability’ with Samantha Brace of West Mercia Police (11 am). The afternoon will see Martin Christmas Nelson, Team Manager of the charity Safe Spaces and First Light, deliver a presentation on Church-related abuse and the role of Safe Spaces (1 pm). 

On Tuesday 21 November, the day will include talks on fraud prevention and scam awareness, with Kirsty Jenkins (HCC) and PCSO Charlotte House (10 am), Home Fire Safety with HW Fire and Rescue Service (11 am) and Sue Coleman, CEO of West Mercia Women’s Aid, who will end the day with a discussion on older women’s experiences of domestic abuse at 2 pm. All of the Safe & Supported talks are free and tickets can be booked in advance via the cathedral website. (A full list of events can be found below)

Chris Milton, Chief Operating Officer and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Hereford Cathedral, said: “Safeguarding encompasses so many aspects of our work here at the cathedral; from protecting our young people and supporting the more vulnerable, to looking after the wellbeing and mental health of our wider community.  As a cathedral we are committed to promoting the importance of safeguarding to our community. Our Safe & Supported event will hopefully act as an opportunity for people and organisations to come together to share knowledge and understanding.”

Safe & Supported will take place from Sunday 19 – Tuesday 21 November in the cathedral, with talks and presentations taking place in College Hall. The event is open to everyone to attend.

Monday 20 November 9.30am -10.30am	Dementia Friends Information Session with Robyn Barratt, The Courtyard  As part of The Courtyard’s commitment to making Hereford more dementia friendly, Robyn will be delivering her popular Dementia Friends information session. Anyone can be a Dementia Friend, it is about understanding a little more about dementia, and the little ways you can help. Book your free ticket here
Monday 20 November 11am-12noon	Raising Awareness of Exploitation and Vulnerability with Samantha Brace of West Mercia Police This short course looks at vulnerability factors and links to child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation and county lines.  It also covers the following topics: • Adverse childhood experiences • Organised crime groups • Modern day slavery • Consent for sexual activity • Child sexual exploitation • Criminal exploitation/county lines • Appropriate language • National referral mechanism • General Data Protection Regulation/disclosure • Pathways/diversionary/sharing of intelligence Participants who provide their names and contact details will be provided with a certificate of attendance from WM Police. Book your free ticket here
Monday 20 November 1pm - 2pm	Church related abuse and the role of Safe Spaces with Martin Christmas Nelson (Safe Spaces Team Manager of Safe Spaces and First Light) Presentation discussing the varying forms of abuse that can occur within the religious setting, including but not limited to Sexual abuse, Financial abuse, Spiritual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse, including interactive anonymised case examples for group discussion of abuse cases, discussing what has been handled well and what has not, and recognising signs and risks at an early stage to avoid messy/harmful situations. Book your free ticket here
Tuesday 21 November 2023 10am – 10:30am	Fraud Prevention and scam awareness with Kirsty Jenkins and PCSO Charlotte House This talk will raise awareness of current fraud and scams and how to keep yourself safe Book your free tickets here
Tuesday 21 November 2023 11am – 11:45am	Home Fire Safety Talk with HW Fire and Rescue Service Our Fire Safety Talk will include information on fire safety and hazards in the home, looking at cooking, electrical, candle and smoking safety as well as, smoke detectors, night time routines and escape plans. We will be on hand following the talk to speak with individuals one to one and take any referrals for those eligible for a FREE Home Fire Safety Visit.  Book your free ticket here
Tuesday 21 November 2023 2pm – 2.45pm	Older women’s experiences of domestic abuse with Sue Coleman, CEO of West Mercia Women’s Aid  WMWA are actively addressing the issue of older women experiencing domestic abuse by raising awareness. This talk will explore domestic abuse which is occurring to those in later life and how they are increasingly seeking support. Book your free ticket here

 For more information about Safeguarding at Hereford Cathedral, please click here.