Holy Trinity Church, Chesterfield, was alive with activity as they marked 200 years since the beginning of the modern railway.

George Stephenson Day took place on Saturday 27 August – the anniversary of the first journey of Locomotion No. 1; the engine Stephenson built in 1825.

That short 26-mile journey from Shildon to Stockton changed the world, opening up travel, trade and opportunity in a way never seen before.

Over 800 visitors walked through the doors of Holy Trinity on the Saturday. Families, railway enthusiasts, local historians and locals came together to learn about George Stephenson, who is buried at Holy Trinity.

A costumed interpreter brought him to life, meeting visitors, posing for photographs and gave talks on “The Railway That Changed the World.”

Revd Jilly Hancock said “There was a wonderful atmosphere all day, full of curiosity, conversation and community spirit. Revd Malcolm Pyatt led a short service of reflection and thanks, and it was a day full of God’s blessing, as we celebrated both our heritage and the people who made it possible. Our hope is that through this project, Stephenson’s legacy and the light of God’s presence in this place, will continue to inspire future generations.”

The celebrations continued on Sunday, with a service of thanksgiving, giving glory to God for the vision, courage and creativity that shaped our modern world.

Among those who attended the service were the Duke of Devonshire, Sir Andrew Haines - Chief Executive of Network Rail, Pam Liversidge - President of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, the Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield, HM Lord-Lieutenant, High Sheriff Sir Richard FitzHerbert Bt and Mr Tom Ingle.

The service gave thanks not only for George Stephenson but also for the generations of railway workers, miners, engineers and families whose work has shaped Chesterfield’s story.

The weekend formed part of a wider heritage project, supported by a £240,600 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside contributions from East Midlands Railway, Cross Country Rail, the Raymond Ross Fund, Graysons Solicitors and Holy Trinity Church.

Over the next two years, the project will see Holy Trinity transformed into both a place of worship and a heritage destination, with new interpretation displays, school and community activities and a dedicated visitor space within the church.

As well as celebrating Stephenson’s life and achievements, the project will explore Chesterfield’s wider industrial story, the growth of the town in the Victorian era, the Clay Cross Company and the region’s mining history.

It will also mark 40 years since the Miners’ Strike, providing space to reflect on how industry has shaped our communities and our faith.

Holy Trinity has always been proud of its connection to George Stephenson, but this weekend was a reminder that his story is about more than engineering. It’s a story of vision, perseverance, and faith, qualities that still inspire us today.

Featured on the photograph (L-R): HM Lord lieutenant, Sir Andrew Haines, Pam Liversage, Duke of Devonshire, High Sherriff of Derbyshire and his police cadet, Revd Jilly Hancock, Revd Malcolm Pyatt, David Nightingale, Mayor of Liverpool, Mayor of Chesterfield

Our Growing Younger team recently met with Revd James Lee, Team Vicar in the North Wingfield Team about how his team are encouraging families with a new Sunday afternoon service.

Q: Hi James, can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

James: My name is Revd James Lee and since last September, I’ve been Team Vicar in the North Wingfield Team, which is a team of five churches just south of Chesterfield.

Q: What was your motivation for starting your new service? 

James: Of our five churches, four meet on Sunday mornings, but St Barnabas Danesmoor has been a small afternoon congregation for many years, meeting at 5pm. Soon after I started I had a strong sense that there was a brilliant opportunity here for a family-friendly afternoon service for the many families who access the St Barnabas Centre throughout the week. I found that others I spoke to felt the same – and the scale of opportunity was confirmed by seeing 92 people (including nearly 50 children) come to our Christingle service last December.

And so a small team of us began working to launching this new service, which we decided to move to 4pm (as a better time for families) and call ‘St Barnabas@4’.

Q: What does the service look like now? 

James: We launched St Barnabas@4 in February and it’s been a fun roller-coaster ride ever since. If you were to walk in on a Sunday, you’d find us sat round tables in a relaxed style, with paper for drawing/doodling covering each table, with pens, fidget toys and a craft available, as well a play area at the back.

But as you stay, you’ll find that we seek to incorporate many of the normal parts of a regular service – songs, confession, Bible reading, prayers and a short talk – but with a very clear communication that it is ok for children to make noise, run around and play. This has been the most frequent comment from parents – that they’ve been able to come and relax and enjoy it, because they’re not constantly stressing about the noise their child is/could make.

Q: How have you seen your ministry grow? What do you think was the catalyst for this? 

James: We were blown away by having 71 people there on our first week, though I was always aware that ‘regular numbers’ would likely fall off from that. We’ve settled into an average of around 40-45 people each week, about half of whom are children, which is great.

But more than just numbers, it’s been really exciting to see a sense of community and belonging begin to grow – we’ve recently seen our first baptism, with interest in thanksgiving services too. We’re looking to grow our team as well, encouraging people to consider how they might be able to get involved.

As to a catalyst for growth – I think the excellent connections developed over many years at the St Barnabas Centre have been a big part of it, as well as the importance of sharing food together at 5pm each week too! It’s been really encouraging to see people start to invite their own families and friends to come along too!

Q: What is your recent success? 

James: Aside from the blessing of having a baptism a few weeks ago, we’ve had some big highlights over recent months, particularly having a live donkey (and a horse) with us on Palm Sunday and having a big Easter Party with over 100 people coming along!

Q: How has this impacted your wider church community?

James: It’s been an encouragement within our Team of church to see so many children and young people coming along, with St Barnabas going from our smallest congregation to nearly the largest, and is helping us think through what more we can be doing to engage with children and young people across the team.

It’s also given us a closer connection point between the brilliant work of the team at the St Barnabas Centre, and all they do for the community, and St Barnabas Church.

Q: Do you have plans going forward for your current ministry, or anything new starting? 

James: My key watchword for St Barnabas@4 is ‘sustainable’ – it’d be very easy to come in, do a flashy new thing and then fizzle out after six months, but  we’re determined to build something stable and faithful to last for many years to come – still looking to make things good quality and staying fresh, without going in for gimmicks etc.

Our focus at present is building something to last, though we are always considering how to adapt and make things better. Our hope is, in time, to introduce a simple celebration of communion, and explore whether those who attend might be interested in a smaller bible study group. There’s lots of other possibilities too – the challenge is being patient to see what God is calling us into next!

Q: What has challenged you or your team, or continues to challenge you?

James: One of the challenges has been starting with a relatively small team, without a long lead-in time before we launched. But alongside that, it’s been encouraging to see people getting involved in helping out in lots of different ways too.

Also, building community takes time! Many of those who come along have little history of attending church and there are weeks where the number of people there fluctuates a lot, which is normal – I have to keep reminding myself not to judge things solely on numbers!

Q: How would you encourage churches who are thinking of starting out with a children’s or youth ministry? 

James: I would encourage all churches to have ‘Growing Younger’ as a key part of your discussions at PCC and as a church team – to think through what will best enable you to reach children and young people in your area.

Also, have courage to try things! We had no idea how things would go with St Barnabas@4, no idea if anyone would turn up, but we felt this was the opportunity God was leading us towards – so we went for it!

Q: We would love to pray for you, what specifics can we pray for? 

James: Please do pray for us as we continue to get established, for God to be at work to bring more people along, as well as building us into a loving, caring, welcoming community of people who are getting to know Jesus better together. 

Please pray as well for us to continue to find creative and engaging ways to help both adults and young people to be engaging with God’s Word, and to be able to build something that is sustainable for the long term.

Last weekend saw two special services take place to say farewell and thank you to the Venerable Karen Hamblin, as she looks forward to her retirement.

The services were held on Saturday 13th at St John’s church, Walton and on Sunday 14th at Derby Cathedral. 

The special evensong at Derby Cathedral was beautifully sung by the Girls and Lay Clerks of the Cathedral Choir, the first lesson was taken from Isaiah 63.1-16 and the second lesson, read by archdeacon Karen, was Corinthians 1.8-25. Prayers were led by Archdeacon Matthew and Archdeacon Nicky. 

The sermon was taken by Revd Alicia Dring, who reflected on why people are called to ministry.

“A life in ministry is costly and demanding but it is worth every moment to see lives changed, communities built, and hope restored. Karen, I have seen you do this throughout your life. Planting seeds, watering with encouragement and kindness, pruning with love when needed, but always, always encouraging growth.”

She also presented Archdeacon Karen with an olive tree, explaining that Karen often gave olive trees to couples she married as something to grow with them throughout the seasons of their marriage. 

“Here is an olive tree for that next season. One where you continue to share God’s light and love and hope, but maybe now there will be time and space to sit and actually watch things grow rather than having to dash onto the next thing.” 

At the end of the service, Bishop Libby reflected on Karen time in the diocese and how she shown such Generous Faith, Courageous Hope and Life-giving Love. She added that it was appropriate that Karen’s last day in ministry had been spent at the Bishop’s badge service honouring the gifts, ministry, service and mission of the whole people of God across the whole diocese.

Archdeacon Karen was then divested of her Archidiaconal Cope by Archdeacon Matthew and Archdeacon Nicky. The cope was taken to the high alter marking the end of Karen’s role as an Archdeacon. 

Karen was presented with a hamper of goodies and joined guests for refreshments after the service. 

You can watch the service on Derby Cathedral’s YouTube channel here

Photos from the service are here

Rev Ailsa Hunt was ordained as Priest in July this year. We asked her to reflect on her curacy so far, and where she has seen God at work in the communities around her. 

"I started curacy licensed to one church (Kirk Hallam) but am now licensed to five, with my training incumbent Rev Christine French now priest in charge of the West Hallam, Stanley, Stanley Common and Mapperley benefice too. I love the variety which this has brought to my curacy and am grateful to serve in several different contexts.

"I started my curacy holding tight to this verse: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27: 13), and certainly I have seen the Lord’s goodness in too many ways to mention! One example is through a reflective prayer space I ran in a state primary school, during Children’s Mental Health Week. It was themed around Psalm 139: 14, helping the children to think about words of affirmation – what made them amazing and wonderful. It was hard that some children struggled to think of something amazing about themselves, but then a beautiful glimpse of God at work when other children gently suggested something to them.

"Ministry with children has also helped me to grow in readiness to speak of the hope that is within me! I remember one evening when I was talking to a local cubs group about Easter. I had spoken about Good Friday and then everyone started talking at once – “Jesus lived with the Romans?” “They put nails in his hands?!” “That was not a good Friday.” “Why did Jesus have to die?”. I love how children’s quick-fire theological questions have challenged me to get better at communicating Christian hope in a succinct way which works for the context.

 "For me the biggest joy so far of being a priest is being able to offer formal blessings. I find there is a hunger for blessing in our parishes. Last year I was asked by one village school to do formal blessings in collective worship, and had to explain that I couldn’t until priested. It was a moment to treasure when I could offer a blessing for the year 6 leavers at this little school. I have long been drawn to Celtic blessings and poems of blessing, and often use Jan Richardson’s beautiful book Circle of Grace. Being able to offer blessings myself feels like a fulfilment of something that has been tugging at my heart for a long time."

A brand-new step-free path at St James Church Idridgehay has been installed, marking the completion of a long-awaited accessibility to connect the roadside to the heart of the church.

This initiative has been years in the making, driven by a shared vision of accessibility and inclusion. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) recognised the challenges faced by many in the community, especially those with reduced mobility, when attending services or community events hosted by both the church and the Idridgehay Community Association.

St James' received a grant from the Raymond Ross Fund and support from the Diocese of Derby Buildings for Mission team, who guided them through the grant applications and church approvals process.

From tea and cake sales to garden fetes, a total of £12,000 was raised for the project, supported by the incredible generosity of the Idridgehay community.

This isn’t theirfirst major undertaking. Just three years ago, we invested over £35,000 to stabilise the church spire. While the spire may look unchanged, the effort behind preserving it was monumental. But this new path is different: it is visible, tangible, and symbolic. It represents their community’s values of inclusion, care, and unity. Whether people use a wheelchair, mobility scooter, walking aid, or push a pram, this path ensures that everyone can access their shared spiritual and social space.

Resources to support promotion of the 2025 Bishops' Harvest Appeal

Word Documents

>> Text from September Diocesan message (Bishop Malcolm)

>> Parish Magazine article promoting Harvest Appeal

Harvest Appeal Logos

>> Trees for Peace banner [JPEG]

>> Trees for Peace Logo including line from Revelations [JPEG]

>> Trees for Peace Logo including statement [JPEG]

>> Website image [JPEG]

Photos from Bujumbura

>> Image 1 [JPEG]

>> Image 2 [JPEG]

>> Image 3 [JPEG]

>> Image 4 [JPEG]

>> Image 5 [JPEG]

>> Image 6 [JPEG]

"Serving in Swadlincote in the south of the diocese, I have led and preached in four different churches, and occasionally in another spread across the breadth of church traditions. I have also had the privilege to come alongside people at the highs and lows of life, from sitting with the bereaved, to celebrating marriages and baptising folk, including my own teenage son at Easter in the glorious sunshine.

"Serving God, and ‘doing church’ doesn’t just happen in building, though, and I have led folk in worship in God’s own creation, both a summer Churches Together Ecumenical picnic and praise service in the local park and in mid-winter, for which we were blessed with gloriously clear and dry skies as we shared the Lord’s meal overlooking the fields surrounding Swad.

"It comes as no surprise that with a young family, I have a particularly keen interest in growing church younger and seeing children and young people flourish and grow in the depth of their knowledge of God’s love for them. I have been fortunate to have been able to facilitate schools and scout visits to church, and

assisted in Messy Church, Experience Christmas and the assemblies team. While still finding time to learn about and become a foundation governor at the primary school local to my house, so I can be strategically involved in the flourishing of more of the children in that parish.  

"I have tried not to neglect the other missional communities within the minster, visiting as many as I can at least once in my first year, enjoying soup with the sewing group, coffee with my conversation, bingo at the Ark and bible study with prayer groups. 

"One of the qualities of an ordained minister in the Church of England is to communicate and interpret the Christian faith in a credible way that respects the context and engages with those of other faiths and none, about issues facing the world and local community. Early into my curacy, I started writing for the local magazine, which is distributed around Swadlincote to around 18’000 residences and businesses, which led to being interviewed on the local radio show talking about, amongst other things, sin, church history and tradition, and God’s immense love. I have also had the opportunity to serve at Download Festival as a chaplain, which led to some really interesting conversations about relationships and Jesus, although, like in church, not everyone always agreed.

"Since being ordained Priest this summer, I have found myself surprised as once again I feel like I am even more myself than I have ever been, and I am really looking forward to what the next year, and years of ordained ministry will bring."

Kara is Assistant Curate at Swadlincote Minister

This week the Diocese of Derby became aware of a breach of personal information at a company, Access Personal Checking Services Ltd (APCS), used by the Church of England and other organisations to process DBS background checks.

The Diocese no longer uses APCS but has done in the past, and this means that a number of people – clergy, church volunteers and staff, and members of the Parish Support Team at Derby Church House – have been affected by the breach.

This week we have sent emails to the PCCs (Parochial Church Councils) of the churches that we are aware of that have been affected by the breach, so that they can in turn inform the people whose data has been breached. This email contains information about what information specifically has been included in the breach, and also what support and advice is available to them from the national Church of England and the Diocese of Derby.

We have done this by contacting the PCC secretary, clergy and DBS co-ordinator for each parish, asking them to forward the message to people affected.

We are acutely aware that this situation has caused anxiety and concern, and we are offering practical and pastoral support to people wherever we can. We have set up a dedicated email address – databreachsupport@derby.anglican.org – which people can use to contact us about this if they need to.

We have also set up a page on our website which includes a list of frequently asked questions about the breach, who’s responsibility it is, and what steps need to be taken by individuals affected and churches (via their PCCs) following the incident.

We will continue to update that page as and when more information becomes available.

Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, and the Very Revd Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby, are delighted to announce the planned appointment of the following Honorary and Lay Canons to Derby Cathedral:

Honorary Canons

Revd Alicia Dring

Revd Michael Futers

Revd Alan Griggs

Revd Philip Mann

Revd Dr Nicola McNally

Revd Bryony Taylor

Lay Canons

Alison Craig

Nicola Goodhew

Will Hagger

Their collations will take place across two services at Derby Cathedral on 21 and 28 September both at 5:15pm.

Bishop Libby said: ‘Those to be appointed Honorary and Lay Canons bring a rich variety of experience and expertise from across our diocese. I thank God for them and the ministries they exercise in their contexts. I am grateful that they are willing to offer themselves for the role and responsibility of honorary Canon in our Cathedral. Please hold each of them - Alan, Alicia, Bryony, Michael, Nicola, Phil, Ali, Nikki, Sarah, Will,  - in your prayers.’

Dean Peter said: ‘The Chapter and I look forward to welcoming new Honorary and Lay Canons to the life of Derby Cathedral. We are delighted that the Bishop of Derby has appointed such a wide range of lay and ordained people whose gifts and skills will enhance so effectively the mission and ministry of Derby Cathedral from the breadth of the Diocese, and vice versa. Each new Honorary and Lay Canon will make a key contribution to the Cathedral fulfilling its vision and strategy for the future. I commend each new Canon to your prayers as they take up their appointments in September.'

We have been made aware of a data breach affecting Access Personal Checking Services Ltd (APCS), a company who carry out DBS checks for a wide range of organisations, including some Church of England bodies. Up until March this year, the Diocese of Derby used APCS to process its DBS check processing, which means that some of our clergy, lay leaders, church volunteers and the Parish Support Team are affected.

Affected data includes name, date of birth, email, address, place of birth, gender, National Insurance number, passport details, driving licence details. The data is text data only. It does not include images or documents. It does not include medical information, information on any disclosures, information about protected characteristics, such as ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, marital status.

APCS believe the data compromised involves applications from 1 December 2024 to May 2025.

We have emailed all PCCs who we believe are directly affected by this data breach via their PCC secretary, clergy and the designated person who coordinates the DBS checks in those parishes.

We have also outlined the steps that each affected PCC needs to take, as data controllers, to report this breach of personal information to the Information Commissioners Office and the Charity Commission.

What can I do?

While there is no guarantee that the information exposed in this breach won't be misused, most people affected by data breaches do not experience any problems. However, if you are affected by this breach, there are some steps you can take to remain vigilant about how your data could be used:

• Stay alert to unexpected emails, calls, or letters that mention personal details about you
• Never give personal information to unsolicited callers, even if they seem to know details about you
• Verify any unexpected contact by calling the organisation directly using their official number
• Monitor for new applications made in your name:
  • Check your credit report
  • Look for any new accounts, credit searches, or applications you didn't make
• For general advice, contact:
  • Citizens Advice: 0808 223 1133
  • Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040

As always, stay alert for any suspicious activity via email, SMS, or phone calls. Responsible organisations will not contact you and ask you to provide them with personal account information such as your username and password. If you are unsure about anyone you are in communication with, online or over the phone, make sure you verify their identity independently before engaging with them further.

What support is available?

There is specific support available to the individuals named in the data breach which will be communicated directly to them.

We have set up an email address databreachsupport@derby.anglican.org for people who have any questions or concerns that they wish to share with us about this data breach and our response to it.

What do churches and PCCs need to do?

Each PCC is a separate legal entity and data controller, and needs to report a breach to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) within 72 hours of being made aware of it.

Details for PCCs, as data controllers, about how to report a data breach to the ICO can be found on their website here. 

Template guidance for how to report a data breach to the ICO can be found here.

As of Thursday 28 August, there is no longer a requirement for PCCs to refer this incident to the Charity Commission. If PCCs decide that they still wish to report this as a serious incident, the following links may be helpful.

Details for PCCs, as charity trustees, about how to report a serious incident to the Charity Commission, can be found on their website here.

Template guidance for how to submit a referral to the Charity Commission can be found here. 

We are actively monitoring this incident and will regularly update this page as new advice or guidance becomes available.

Frequently asked questions

About the breach

What has happened?

We have been notified that one of their suppliers Access Personal Checking Services Ltd (APCS) has been subject to a significant data breach. ACPS carries out Data and Barring Services (DBS) checks on behalf of the National Church Institutions (NCIs), some Dioceses and Parochial Church Council (PCCs). The breach has affected clergy, lay ministers, volunteers, and staff.

Who has it affected?

This breach has impacted people across the Church who have been subject to a recent DBS check. APCS carries out DBS checks on behalf of some Dioceses and PCCs, and the NCIs.

Who are APCS and what do they do?

APCS specialise in processing disclosures for individuals and small business owners, large public and private sector companies, organisations, and recruitment agencies.

What have APCS said or published about the data breach?

APCS have issued their own Frequently Asked Questions page on their website.

When did the data breach happen?

APCS have stated that their external software supplier, Intradev, notified them on 17 August that their system had been compromised between the 31 July 2025 and 15 August 2025, and certain files containing personal details were copied. APCS were provided with copies of the compromised data on Monday 18 August. APCS’ own network and servers were not compromised. From initial assessments made by APCS, the data that is affected is from 1 December 2024 to 9 May 2025.

Have other organisations outside of the Church of England been affected?

Yes. APCS provides Data and Barring Services (DBS) to many organisations. This breach also impacts those bodies.

How confident are we that only those notified have been affected?

APCS have started the process of notifying those individuals affected by the breach. APCS have said that the breach only affects those individuals who were subject to a DBS check between the 1 December 2024 to 9 May 2025, but this is a moving situation, and we will keep you updated as we receive more information.

What personal information has been leaked?

We are waiting for more details from APCS. We understand that the breach may have affected some or all the following information:

• Name, phone number, date of birth, email address, address, place of birth, National Insurance number, passport number, driving licence number.

It does not include:

• Medical information, information on any disclosures, information about your protected characteristics e.g., ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, marital status.

The information that was accessed was in text format only. No documents, images, passwords, or financial details were affected.

What is the Diocese of Derby doing in response?

• People affected by the data breach have been contacted with advice and support.
• Support includes 12 months free access to a credit checking and monitoring service from Experian.
• This incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and to the Charity Commission

Does the Diocese of Derby use APCS for their DBS checks?

No, not anymore, but we have done in the past which is why people in our diocese are affected. The Diocese of Derby stopped using APCS for DBS checks in March 2025, but the data that has been leaked is from before that date.

What company does the Diocece of Derby use for DBS checks?

We use a company called thirtyone:eight to process our DBS checks. They do not use the same software systems as APCS. The data they hold is securely hosted in the UK by Security Watchdog – which means full compliance with UK data protection law. 

Reporting the breach and data protection

Do PCCs need to report the incident to the ICO?

Yes. PCCs should report separately to the ICO as they are the data controller.

Who is responsible for reporting a breach to the ICO?

The data controller is responsible for reporting a high-risk data breach to the ICO. A high-risk data breach is one which has a significant effect on the rights and freedoms of data subjects. All parties are accountable for taking steps to mitigate the effects of the breach where possible.

If the data breach is caused by the processor, the processor must implement technical and organisational measures to assist the controller to deal with the breach but is responsible for their own failures or those of their sub-processors. However, the ICO can investigate all parties involved to ensure they have met their obligations appropriately.

Do we need to report this incident to the Charity Commission?

The Charity Commission have informed the National Church Institutions that due to the large number of Serious Incident Reports they have received on this, trustees in PCCs and diocesan boards of finance do not need to report to the Charity Commission "if in substance they simply wish to report the same incident in materially similar terms".

Is the 72-hour deadline for reporting the incident to the ICO based on when an email notifying the breach was sent, or when the email was seen?

The 72-hour window is based on when your organisation became aware of the data breach (i.e. when the email sent from APCS was seen). If you have missed the 72-hour deadline, you can explain that the reason for the delay is because you were fact finding, but it is best if you can do this as close to the 72-hour window as possible.

I would like to request that any data held by APCS on me is deleted under GDPR. How do I go about this?

If you wish to make an erasure request, you can contact APCS via email to enquiries@accesspcs.co.uk or by phone on 0845 6431145. The APCS Privacy policy is available here: www.onlinecrbcheck.co.uk/docs/privacypolicy.pdf

Why are parishes being asked to submit a report to the ICO?

In the event of a data breach, the data controller is responsible for submitting a report to the ICO. In this instance, the “controller” is the organisation responsible for uploading data to the APCS system, for example, the PCC.

Support for people affected

What support is available for those who have been affected?

Access to a credit checking and monitoring service from Experian is being made available for 12 months for those affected. If you have been affected by this data breach and you have not received a code to access your Experian Identity Plus account, please contact [insert local details]. More information about the service available from Experian is contained within these FAQs.

Advice about what additional steps you can take, and the resources available to help protect you from fraud, are also included in these FAQs.

Who can I contact about the data breach?

We have set up a dedicated email address for enquiries relating to the data breach. Please email databreachsupport@derby.anglican.org

What support will I be offered if my data is used maliciously through this breach? For instance if someone uses the data to create a new payment from my bank account or creates a credit agreement that negatively affects my credit file?

We are encouraging people who are potentially affected by this to sign up to the Experian service. This service, provided for 12 months, will help you to keep an eye out for any changes that suggest someone is using your data improperly – for instance, you will get an alert if someone sets up a new credit agreement. If you become the victim of fraud, you will be offered help through Experian’s caseworker service to get back on track and sort out your credit file.

In addition, you should look out for any unwanted calls, emails or contact to you directly, including monitoring your bank account. You might find it helpful to talk to your bank now to let them know of the situation. Some are able to put in place additional identification verification checks for making/setting up payments, to help keep your money safe.

What can I do to protect myself from fraud?

• Stay alert to unexpected emails, calls, or letters that mention personal details about you
• Never give personal information to unsolicited callers, even if they seem to know details about you
• Verify any unexpected contact by calling the organisation directly using their official number
• Monitor for new applications made in your name:
  • Check your credit report – see below for information about the service that will be available to you from Experian shortly.
  • Look for any new accounts, credit searches, or applications you did not make.
• Inform your bank, building society and credit card company of any unusual transactions on your statement.

Links and contact numbers

Action Fraud 
The government has put together this checklist to help on the steps to take to repair your identity and prevent re-victimisation.

The National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre has a wealth of advice and resources on the Action Fraud website. 

• www.actionfraud.police.uk
• Call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040

GOV.UK

• Advice from GOV.UK on the actions you should take if you have shared personal information

Financial Ombudsman Service
If you have lost money because of fraud or a scam – and you are unhappy with how your bank or payment service provider handled things – The Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to help.

• www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/fraud-scams

General advice

• www.citizensadvice.org.uk
• Call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133

To report the theft or loss of post

• Royal Mail website: www.royalmail.com/report-a-crime
• Or call Royal Mail on 08457 740 740

Experian Identity Plus

Who can I speak to about getting an access code for the credit check and web monitoring service from Experian?

We have sent access codes to PCC secretaries, incumbents (or churchwardens if your church is in vacancy) and DBS coordinators in each parish. Please contact them in the first instance. If you would like to contact someone at the dicoese about this please email databreachsupport@anglican.org

What does the Experian Identity Plus account provide?
Features of the Experian Identity Plus account includes:

• Daily Experian Fraud Report
  If you log in, you can get your daily Experian Fraud Report. This details key information from your Experian Credit Report that may help you identify fraudulent activity on your credit report.

• Alerts provided as part of the service
  Alerts will be provided by email and/or SMS, depending on your settings and features availability.

• Experian fraud alerts
  Get alerts by email and/or text message about certain changes to your Experian Fraud Report. Alerts relate to when accounts are opened or closed, or when your credit report is searched. Some of our credit alerts may be sent in real-time to notify of certain changes when they happen, others are sent weekly.

• Experian CreditLock alerts
  Experian will let you know when your Experian credit file is searched and if your credit file was locked. For any applications that are blocked you will be sent a message by email and/or text to make you aware.

• CreditLock
  Experian CreditLock is designed to reduce fraudulent credit applications. Locking your Experian Credit Report will help to block new fraudulent credit applications made in your name, using your information from the Experian Credit Bureau.

• Web monitoring
  Experian will help you better protect your identity by scanning certain internet sites and locations for selected personal and financial details and alerting you by email or text message if anything looks wrong or fraudulent. Alerts are sent every day that we find suspicious information. Web monitoring is designed to work alongside taking a cautious approach to your sharing of data and use of the internet and other digital services.

Read this guide to Identity Plus for more details

How do I read my credit report? I have never had one before
If you are not sure where to start, take a look at this guide from Experian: www.experian.co.uk/consumer/experian-credit-report.html

Your credit report has different sections. For instance, it will show information about you, any credit agreements you have (e.g. your mortgage or with a phone company), your financial connections (e.g. spouses/partners), and details of any missed/overdue payments on credit agreements.

What happens beyond 12 months with the Experian service?
At the end of the 12-month period the individuals will get an email to say their subscription is coming to an end and the options available to them.

How up to date is Experian? For instance, if someone set up a credit agreement today, would they tell me today?
Through your Experian Identity Plus subscription, you will be offered daily alerts as to whether something has changed within your credit report. The subscription also allows you to lock your Experian credit report to help stop fraudsters taking out agreements in your name.

I have been advised to use CIFAS as well. Is this necessary?
Experian is a member of CIFAS (Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System) and can access data related to confirmed fraud cases. CIFAS focuses on fraud prevention; Experian offers identity verification and fraud prevention.

I already have an Experian account, or I have used Experian in the past. What should I do?
If when you log into Experian using the code we have given you, and you are using your personal email address, you may be told that you already have an account under that username. In this case either continue to use your existing account if you are still paying for it and let us know that you do not need the code or create a new account using a different email address.

If you need further assistance, please call the Experian support line on 03444 818182.