Volunteer with us
An opportunity has arisen to become an adviser to the Derby Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), our expert committee on church buildings.
- Do you love church buildings and want to see their communities flourish?
- Do you share the goal for churches to become carbon net zero by 2030?
- Have you got the insight and enthusiasm to help drive this mission forward?
The Diocese of Derby (Church of England) would like to hear from specialists in building services – specifically heating, lighting and electrics – with the skills and time to offer advice, in a voluntary capacity, to the DAC.
About us
The Diocese of Derby consists of most of Derbyshire and a couple of parishes on the fringes of Staffordshire.
The diocese serves a population of around one million people and has more than 300 churches.
It works in communities, schools, prisons and hospitals as well being represented in various other aspects of city and county life. Under three archdeacons, the Archdeaconries of Derby City and South Derbyshire, Derbyshire Peak and Dales, and East Derbyshire consist of deaneries and parishes all of which work alongside Christians of other denominations.
Our heritage
There are 318 open church buildings in the diocese, approximately 80% of which are listed as buildings of national significance, including 65 Grade I and 80 Grade II* churches. These church buildings are part of the nation's heritage. It is our duty and privilege to work with local communities to care for them and make sure that they are fit for purpose.
Changes to church buildings, their settings and their contents are managed by a statutory planning system – the Faculty Jurisdiction – of which our committee is an integral part.
Net zero carbon
In 2020 the national Church of England recognised the climate emergency and set a target to reach net zero carbon by 2030.
This commitment requires churches to take action to reduce their carbon footprint. This will involve making material changes to buildings and adopting new behaviours that both reduce energy use and switch usage to renewable sources.
The Derby DAC supports the goal for all church buildings in the diocese to achieve net zero by 2030.
Adviser role
All DAC Advisers are expert volunteers for the Diocese.
The function of the DAC is to advise the diocesan chancellor (decision-maker) on proposals relating to the conservation, alteration and appropriate development of churches.
The primary role of DAC advisers is to give advice to the DAC on matters requiring particular specialist knowledge, including works to churches that specifically relate to net zero carbon.
Applications are invited from individuals in the following separate areas:
- Heating
- Lighting
- Electrics
We are seeking competent and experienced professionals or experts (in practice or retired) who can commit to giving written advice on casework on a rolling programme, as well as undertaking site visits.
The role will involve close working with the DAC secretary, who allocates casework to DAC advisers and coordinates site visits when necessary.
Applications are submitted by parishes through the Church of England's Online Faculty System (OFS), to which DAC Advisers have access (training will be provided).
There is no requirement to attend DAC meetings (held six times a year), either in person in Derby or at one of the churches or online via Teams, though advisers are welcome to do so.
DAC advisers are insured for errors and omissions under the provisions of the Derby Diocesan Board of Finance (DDBF).
For more background information about the role, please see:
- A Brief Guide to the Role of DAC Advisers
- A Note for DAC Members and Advisers Regarding Conflicts of Interest
Benefits
Being a DAC Adviser offers a unique opportunity to help to ensure the long-term protection and sustainability of our churches. The role provides prospects for professional development and personal networking (non-commercial) and will allow engagement with unique situations in special buildings.
You will be part of a wider team of expert DAC Members and Advisers, who have extensive knowledge in a variety of specialist fields, including archaeology, bells, clocks, organs, AV systems, sustainability, stained glass, monuments and liturgical furnishings.
Travel expenses will be paid when undertaking the role.
About you
We are looking for applicants who will bring knowledge and practical expertise but also imagination, insight, and new and diverse perspectives. An important criterion for an Adviser is a familiarity with and understanding of heritage buildings.
Whilst there is no requirement to be a Christian, DAC advisers must act in sympathy with the mission of the Church of England.
All advisers work from the understanding that churches are primarily centres of Christian worship and mission.
As an advisory body, the DAC is keen for its advisers to reflect the diversity of the diocese, particularly in relation to gender, ethnic and geographic location, and to broaden the experience and perspective of the committee.
To apply
If you would like to apply, please send your CV (or equivalent) and a covering note to Kat Alldread, DAC Secretary kat.alldread@derby.anglican.org.
Your covering note should briefly say which position/s you are interested in and why, what skills you would bring, and indicate something about your approach to proposals for works in heritage buildings. Responses will only be used internally by the Diocese.
For further information, please see:
Kat Alldread, DAC Secretary
kat.alldread@derby.anglican.org
A team of volunteers has been packing and delivering special Christmas food packages to families and individuals in need in and around Derby.
The volunteers, including a team from Rolls-Royce, gathered at St Peter’s in the City, Derby, to help pack hampers for Christmas Lunch on Jesus – a project that provides low-income families and individuals with a Christmas meal.
The volunteers packed 300 hampers which will feed around 1,200 people.
The hampers contained everything needed for an enjoyable Christmas lunch, along with a candle and card from the team.
-
See pictures from the event here [Flickr]
Volunteers started preparing early in the day, setting out tables containing the various elements of the meal and packing portions of fresh vegetables to go in the hampers.
Then volunteers went around the tables with bags, filling them with the ingredients for tailor-made Christmas dinners for each recipient.
Once the bags were packed, yet another stream of volunteers distributed the hampers to people in Derby and surrounding areas who were nominated by Social Services, GPs, housing associations, women’s refuges, charities and other organisations.
The project costs in the region of £15,000 each year and is financed through donations from businesses, churches, local trusts and individual giving.
New Electoral Roll required for every parish in 2025
In 2025, an entirely new church electoral roll must be prepared in advance of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in every parish in the Church of England, under the Church Representation Rules (CRR).
So, even if someone has had their name entered on the existing electoral roll, they must complete a fresh application form to be included on the new one.
The PCC must take reasonable steps to inform all those whose names are entered on the existing roll that a new roll is being prepared, and that they must make a fresh application if they wish their name to appear on the new roll.
In brief:
- Preparation of a new roll must be done every six years (last completed 2019)
- Notice displayed near the main door of every church in every parish, at least two months before the APCM
- Notice must stay up for at least 14 days
- Announcements made in church during the 14 days that the notice is up to say that the roll is being prepared
- PCC must ensure that reasonable efforts are made to let everyone on the old roll know that a new Roll is being prepared
- Exception is anyone no longer qualified to be on the roll (e.g. someone who no longer worships regularly in the parish and lives outside the parish)
- Members of the previous roll need to fill in applications (no one is automatically included)
- New people may also apply by filling in an application for enrolment
- New roll must be complete on a fixed date between 15 and 28 days before the APCM
- Completed new roll is posted near the main church door at least 14 days before the APCM. During this time corrections may be made (e.g. correcting a misspelling) but no new names added or removed.
The full guidance on preparing the new Electoral Roll can be downloaded here: PDF | Word
Downloads
Forms, notices and guidance notes
- Preparation of Electoral Roll Notice PDF | Word
- Application to be added to the Electoral Roll PDF | Word
- Electoral Roll GDPR: Parish Guidance PDF | Word
- Electoral Roll Privacy Notice PDF | Word
- Notice of APCM PDF | Word
- Nomination form for PCC PDF | Word
- APCM results (To return to Derby Church House) PDF | Word
- Electoral Roll Certificate (To return to Derby Church House) PDF | Word
We love all the creative and different ways churches are engaging with their parishes and beyond.
Our vision is The Kingdom of God, Good News for All and it's great to see how so many churches in the Diocese of Derby are sharing stories of their success in achieving transformed lives through growing church and building community.
Here are some of the Christmas social media posts that have caught our eye - and don't forget you can find your local church services and events here.
- All
The relevant documents for your parish Common Fund request for 2025 are available to download using the links below.
Standing order forms are included for your convenience, along with guidance.
If you have any queries, please contact finance@derby.anglican.org.
Standing Order guidance
Please complete your standing order mandate, filling in the highlighted boxes, including adding your unique 6‐digit parish reference number in the box at the bottom of the form.
If you are unsure of this code, please refer to the Common Fund Request 2025 document where all parishes are listed by Deanery. This is important so that we can easily identify who the payment has come from.
You will also find listed the Common Fund request for your parish.
Once completed, please send one section to your bank and the other to:
Finance Department
Derby Church House
Full Street
Derby
DE1 3DR
Or email it to: finance@derby.anglican.org
Ben says he had a sense of God calling him for a long time and that he was called because of his love of being around people.
All of us are invited to follow Jesus and to serve God faithfully in our everyday lives, and some people are called to serve God in a specific ministry or role.
If you feel a sense of calling, a nagging voice inside your head, see our Vocations page for information about how to explore what God is calling you to do.
More to watch:
- 1
A statement from the Right Reverend Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, following the resignation of Archbishop Justin Welby:
The victims and survivors of abuse will have suffered unimaginable distress at the findings of the Makin Report, and I want to convey my thanks for their bravery in telling their stories.
I also commend Archbishop Justin for his honourable decision to take both personal and institutional responsibility for the failings described in the report.
The Church of England has made a commitment to safeguarding, to creating a safer Church, and to learning from the Makin Report - and the Diocese of Derby and I echo those commitments wholeheartedly.
We will continue to put victims and survivors of abuse first and to prioritise their care.
We will continue to work together with survivors to build a safer Church in which they, and anyone who has suffered as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, receive the support they need and deserve.
It must also be a church where, collectively, we promote a culture in which victims are heard and responded to well, and children and other vulnerable people can know that they are protected and safe. That is the responsibility of us all.
Please pray for all those who have been harmed, for Archbishop Justin and for the wider Church that it may truly become a place of welcome, compassion and safety.
>> Read Justin Welby's resignation statement in full
>> A sermon for Safeguarding Sunday (Archdeacon Matthew Trick)
>> A sermon for Safeguarding Sunday (Archdeaon Nicky Fenton)
The Diocese of Derby has a new gold Eco Church, and new silver and bronze awards were awarded to a number of parishes over the summer months.
St Peter's Church in Belper is the second recipient of the gold award in the diocese.
Achieving gold means that creation care is embedded in the life of a church for the long term.
To achieve this, churches must reach a gold level across all five categories of the Eco Church survey (worship and teaching, buildings, land, community and global engagement, and lifestyle) and showcase their activities by presenting supporting evidence.
A spokesperson from A Rocha, the Eco Church scheme organisers, said: "Well done to everyone who has worked so hard to reach this milestone.
"Thank you for becoming a beacon for saving nature, for joining A Rocha UK’s Eco Church movement and for answering the missional call for creation.
"And thank you on behalf of the insects that are now buzzing, the birds that are singing, and the plants that are springing into life."
Silver Eco Church awards have been made to:
And bronze has been awarded to:
- Newbold St John the Evangelist
- North Wingfield St Lawrence
- Chesterfield Ss Augustine
- Etwall St Helen
- Old Brampton St Peter and St Paul
- Dinting Vale Holy Trinity
- Sutton on the Hill St Michael
- Derby St Peter (St Peter's in the City)
The Diocese of Derby has also been awarded bronze Eco Diocese status and provides a framework to support parishes in taking practical action to care for God’s earth.
On hearing of the awards, Bishop Libby said: "It is heartwarming and incredibly encouraging that more and more churches in the Diocese of Derby are demonstrating their commitment to caring for God's creation and inspiring others to follow their lead.
"All these individual actions, be they small or large, collectively make a positive difference to the local environment and, ultimately, to the planet."
Churches in the Diocese of Derby that have tried contactless giving have hailed the devices a success.
Contactless giving has become an important tool for encouraging generosity within parishes and, to help parishes understand the advantages, the Church of England’s National Giving Team distributed 50 free contactless devices to parishes in the Diocese of Derby, thereby facilitating easier giving in an increasingly cashless society.
The devices - essentially simple card readers - allow visitors and congregation members to make donations effortlessly during services, weddings, christenings, and even quiet moments of reflection in the church.
This is particularly relevant as fewer people these days are carrying cash.
One church to try contactless giving is Horsley St Clements, which installed a card reader in August 2024.
The church reported that income soon increased considerably and that more than £300.00 was donated in September - money that the church says would not have been received without the device.
Many churches in the UK are adopting cashless methods to encourage spontaneous donations, especially from visitors or infrequent attendees who are inclined to give but want to pay digitally.
This has led to the launch of a Try-Before-You-Buy scheme, whereby a church can use a contactless donation device to assess how it may work in its own church context without the risk of capital outlay.
Making it easy for people to give
Steve Johnson, the Diocese of Derby's Living Generously Adviser, has been a key figure in this initiative.
He said: "What we have to do is lower barriers to participation and engagement in church life, making the church more accessible and appealing to the broader community.
"The Diocese of Derby has embraced this as part of efforts to make giving easier, more convenient, and aligned with today's digital habits."
St Bartholomew’s Church, Hognaston, used the Try-Before-You-Buy option.
Treasurer Kay Wright said: "Our village church installed a contactless giving station in June this year.
"Within the first three months we collected £280.
"Whilst a portion of this may have been cash in the collection plate, it has made it so much easier for our congregation and visitors too!"
And Revd Sarah Watson, Derby City's area dean and priest-in-charge in Allestree, Quarndon and Darley Abbey, said: "Steve has been a tremendous support to our parishes giving his time & expertise which has really helped.
"The CollecTin trial led to us purchasing one. Increasingly people give and spend by phone or contactless card which can be (but not exclusively) generational and younger visitors have especially commented favourably."
The benefits of contactless giving are that congregations and visitors can give easily, without needing to carry cash, and that they can give quickly via card or mobile.
This in turn makes it easier for both the church and donors to keep track of the funds and churches are reporting higher donation amounts.
And St Werb's in Derby has reported that the advantages have gone beyond occasional giving.
Alex Dann, the Operations Manager there, said: "We now have a contactless donation point by way of a grant, QR codes linking with Give A Little and the majority of our regular givers using the Parish Giving Scheme, which has resulted in regular automatic gift aid payments boosting our cash flow."
Many contactless systems allow donors to add Gift Aid to their donations, meaning churches can reclaim an additional 25% on eligible donations. This provides a significant boost to the funds raised, especially during a period like Christmas when giving increases.
Steve Johnson said: "Churches that have adopted these devices have praised their ease of use and the financial benefits they bring, helping ensure their sustainability in the future.
"Contactless donations continue to increase month by month, with September 2024 being the highest month so far and they will surely rise further at the end of the year."
And so as we approach Advent and Christmas 2024, a season of generosity and reflection, our churches find themselves at the intersection of tradition and modernity. While the heart of Christmas remains unchanged, the way people give has evolved, with contactless giving becoming a vital tool for churches.
In 2024, contactless giving is more than a modern convenience—it’s a critical tool for Diocese of Derby churches during Advent and Christmas.
It ensures that the spirit of generosity is met with accessibility, helps churches adapt to changing financial habits, and supports their ongoing missions.
By embracing these technologies, churches can focus on what truly matters: spreading the message of hope, love, and compassion during this sacred season.
The Diocese of Derby is pleased to announce that Lisa Marriott has been appointed as Head of Safeguarding.
Lisa joins the Parish Support Team from Derbyshire County Council, where she was the team manager in the Children's Services, Early Help and Safeguarding team.
On starting her role, Lisa said: "I am thrilled to be here at Derby Church House to support parishes and churches with their safeguarding responsibilities.
"I am extremely passionate about safeguarding and making people feel safe and being able to live their life how they want to live it.
"I want us to be transparent about the way we work and for people to have full confidence in our churches as safe places where we welcome everyone."
Lisa also holds the designation Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and will advise the bishop on matters relating to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
She will lead the Safeguarding team and sit within the operational Senior Leadership Team.
