The Bishop of Derby has announced the new diocesan secretary will be Will Hagger, who is currently the diocese of London's director of housing and investment property.
Will brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked for the London Diocesan Fund for eight years.
He is a chartered surveyor and has previously worked for property fund management business, Newcore Capital.
Will said: “I am really excited by the opportunities and challenges that my new role in Derby will present, both professionally and personally.
"Whilst I will be sad to leave the Diocese of London, I am looking forward to getting acquainted with the Diocese of Derby and the whole of Derbyshire.”
On announcing the appointment, Bishop Libby said: “I know you will join me in warmly welcoming Will to the Diocese of Derby.
"He will be a great asset to the diocese and in leading DBF colleagues from Church House.
"Please keep him and his family in your prayers as they prepare to move and through all their transitions."
Will’s first day with us will be 1st May.
Introducing the Diocese of Derby’s Disability Inclusion Action Group (DIAG)
Disability inclusion and access is taken very seriously by the Diocese of Derby.
Volunteers, with a range of disabilities and challenges, who all share the passion of making positive change across the diocese launched the DIAG to support the diocese and parishes to become as inclusive to disabled people as they possibly can be.
Our work is focused around three key themes - Attitude, Access, and Agency.
These themes arise from the paper ‘Disabling Church’ researched and written by Cptn Tim Rourke, which was received and endorsed by Diocesan Synod in October 2021.
The report focused on changing attitudes towards disabled people, improving access to all the church’s activities, and ensuring disabled people are enabled to exercise agency by participating at all levels in church life and governance.
The group meet regularly and is chaired by Carl Veal. The group always welcomes interest and/or enquiries from congregation and churches across the diocese.
What can we do for you?
We view our purpose as serving the needs of the disabled within the Diocese of Derby.
All of our activities and tools are designed by the group towards making the lives of those with challenges easier within the churches across our diocese.
Our information is intended for all the people of the diocese; clergy, church leaders and parishoners alike and currently includes:
- The provision of accessibility advice and you may contact us directly at diag@derby.anglican.org. We would love to hear from you.
- As we progress, we will be offering seminars both online and in groups – keep a look out for announcements.
- We can offer advice based on the very personal experiences of living with a range of disabilities. The members of the diag group are comprised of volunteers mostly with disability or multiple disabilities of some form.
We are currently working on making available a Braille print toolkit; and a BSL toolkit which willl include how to engage British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. We are also liiking into access to completing a successful accessibility audit through an audit toolkit.
NB: All contact is treated in confidence and information will only be shared with express consent.
Getting Involved
We’d love to hear from you as your thoughts and experiences of church life and disability are important in developing best practice.
So whether you’re an individual with ‘lived’ or ‘caring' experience of disability, or a church, or community organisation, do get in contact with us.
We love to hear of new projects and events, and if you want to get more involved then we're always welcoming to new members joining our steering group.
DIAG related stories on the Diocese of Derby website
>> Bishop Malcolm experiences church from a wheelchair user’s perspective
>> Special service raises awareness of disability inclusion in churches
Events
Please note - unless otherwise stated, events listed here are external and not endorsed by the Diocese of Derby but we are happy to share the information on them.
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Resources
Ramps - improving wheelchair access
Disability Awareness Sunday [webpage]
Supporting Autistic individuals in our churches [YouTube]
DIAG Chairman's report 2021-2022 [PDF]
All Stand brochure [PDF]
Disabling Church - report by Cptn Tim Rourke C.A. [PDF]
'Support Reimagined' - CofE and Livability [webpage]
Christian BSL
Songs, hymns, and carols in British Sign Language (BSL) signed by Deaf Christians.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day
2025 date to be announced. Purpose of the day is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than One Billion people with disabilities/impairments.
Through the Roof
A registered charity that exists to transform lives through Jesus with disabled people.
Advent is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and homes for Christ's birth in the world as it is today.
It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, music, and good deeds, the true meaning of Jesus' birth.
Our reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent comes from the Right Reverend Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton.
St Francis Church, Mackworth, hosted a fun-filled night of carols and beer at the Woodpecker Pub on the Derby estate.
The evening was led by a choir and band that was specially formed for the event by church members and friends and helped reinforced the message that everyone is welcome to go to church at Christmas and beyond.
Many of the traditional favourites were sung and some really good discussions followed with people intending to go along and join a service soon.
The vicar, Revd Andy Bond, said: “We had around 25 singing in the choir and about the same amount from the pub who got stuck in and sang along.
“It’s the first time we've done this since I've been at St Francis.
“The event was a complete success; a lot of fun was had and there were some really positive comments about how much people enjoyed it.”
This is one of many festive events taking place across the diocese that it’s hoped will lead to transformed lives through growing church and building community.
Why not share your own Christmas successes with us at communications@derby.anglican.org.
The Advent Season is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and homes for Christ's birth in the world as it is today.
It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, music, and good deeds, the true meaning of Jesus' birth.
Our reflection for the Third Sunday of Advent comes from the Venerable Carol Coslett, Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak and Dales.
A member of the Diocese of Derby's Safeguarding Team has had her poetry selected to help highlight the national 16 Days of Activism campaign to end gender-based violence.
Sue Griffin, the diocese's safeguarding co-ordinator, wrote two poems about the horror and turmoil of abuse, which she knows all too much about after years of working in the social work and safeguarding industry.
She said: "I was in a meeting where there was a lot of talk about black eyes and bruises.
"I shouted up 'It's not just black eyes and bruises' at which point someone suggested it would be a good catchline for the campaign - and I decided to write a poem about it."
It’s not just black eyes and bruises
by Sue Griffin
The handsome man, the beautiful wife
A love affair, a family life,
Pressure grows, pleasure and woes,
Life’s events and sagas grow.
No peace, No love
No trust, no voice,
No money, No hope,
No time to be yourself.
The sideward glance,
The push, the punch,
The shout, the scream,
The No, you’re not!
You’re lucky – you should be grateful.
The fear, the isolation,
The pain, the desperation,
The control, the demands.
‘You’re mad’, ‘you’re fat’
‘You’re boring’, ‘you’re stupid’,
Who will listen, who cares?
It’s not just black eyes and bruises.
"The second poem, If You Told Me, was inspired by a campaign being run by our colleagues in the Diocese of Blackburn.
"For me, the messaging is the important thing - abuse doesn't only happen to women and writing about the underdog is important."
Sue said she has written poetry before but needs to feel inspired: "I like writing about people but I also find that having rhymes helps me to remember things.
"So generally a poem comes into my head and I put it down on paper.
"I try to come up with rhyming phrases and sometimes that can be frustrating; other times, though, the words just fall into place."
The 16 Days of Activism campaign runs until 10 December.
If you told me
by Sue Griffin
If you told me, I’d listen,
I’d try to understand,
If you told me,
I’d help you, with a future plan.
If you told me, I’d empower you,
I would stand by your side.
I’d respect your wishes.
Help restore your pride.
If you told me, I’d believe in you,
I’d show you that I cared.
If you told me, I’d be supportive,
Let you know someone was there.
If you told me, you’re ready,
You are growing strong,
You’re seeing things with clearer eyes
And know that things are wrong.
If you told me, you took a step,
A leap, to set you free
If you told me
I’d be there for you on your new journey.
Melbourne Parish Church is the star attraction in this year's Church of England TV advert.
St Michael and St Mary's features as the church attended by one woman through many Christmases throughout her life – from her first starring role as the baby Jesus in the village nativity play, to childhood and teenage years, joining church youth groups, getting married, parenthood and facing bereavement.
Despite life's ups and downs, she finds joy and support in the church, faith and friendship, not only during Christmas but throughout the year.
The church's rector, the Revd Steve Short, said: "Melbourne features right at the start and midway when my daughter, Sophie, goes to put a star on the Christmas Tree.
"It was a great experience and such a privilege to host colleagues from the Church of England and support their making of this film.
"They had such passion, drive and joy for what they were doing, and it’s such an exciting initiative."
The Church of England's campaign this Christmas is Follow the Star: The Great Invitation and it encourages people to try church for the first time or, if they have visited churches before or been supported by a church through difficult times, to gather again as we reflect on the year and pray for those finding it hard.
Watch the advert
In the week leading up to Advent Sunday, Chesterfield's Crooked Spire opens its doors to visitors far and wide to celebrate the start of the Advent season with its annual Christmas Tree Festival.
This year’s festival - the ninth - ran for ten days from 17 November and the festival continues to grow in numbers of both trees and visitors!
This year, more than 120 trees, set up by businesses and organisations from across Chesterfield, were on display.
>> See pictures from the Crooked Spire Christmas Tree Festival
Warm and welcoming volunteers were there to greet visitors before they were hit with a visually stunning sight – the array of varied Christmas trees shining beautifully in the church itself nd set against its altars and stained glass windows.
The Revd Canon Patrick Coleman, Vicar of Saint Mary and All Saints in Chesterfield, is often asked why they have a Christmas tree festival at the end of November.
His response is that the church prepares for Christmas with the season of advent: “We want to bring God’s blessings to Chesterfield by sending out the trees all over the town after they have been blessed by being in the church.
"We hope and pray that all in Chesterfield will be blessed this season.”
In the weeks leading to Christmas Day, every inch of the church is needed to fit in the hundreds of people who go to services and concerts.
If we needed an example that the church is truly alive, then this is a fine one!
The Advent Season is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and homes for Christ's birth in the world as it is today.
It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, music, and good deeds, the true meaning of Jesus' birth.
Our reflection for the Second Sunday of Advent comes from the Venerable Matthew Trick, Archdeacon of Derby City and South Derbyshire.
Press releases are used to communicate news, grab attention, and generate publicity.
They are generally sent to local newspapers and other publications, local radio stations (BBC and independents) and regional TV centres.
There may be a number of reasons to send a press release, including:
- a specific event or regular activity – something new to share
- the appointment of a new member of the team – good news to share
- winning an award or recognition – share and celebrate success!
- crisis management – when things go wrong
Whatever the reason you think you have, work through the basics:
- Is my story newsworthy and interesting to anyone else but me / our church?
Make no mistake, when a journalist reads a news release, they are only interested in whether or not it is a good story and an interesting story for their readers/listeners/viewers. It doesn’t matter how interesting or important YOU think it is, if the journalist doesn’t see it as interesting and good for their audience, it won’t make the cut. And if they don't find it interesting in the first couple of paragraphs, it's in the bin! - What makes a good story?
People stories are always the best, but not all stories are about people. Something new or updated; something different or out of the ordinary; something local and/or relevant to your community; something personal or about a person; something visual. A great story will stick in a person’s memory if it resonates with them. - Write down the facts
Before you start writing a press release you need to think through what content you have. Write down the detail of what you know - as this helps you gather your thoughts. Who is involved? What is happening? Where is it happening? Why is it happening? How do people feel about this? How will it impact people? What will be the outcome? What do you want your reader to know, feel or do? - Make it stand out
Journalists receive a lot of news releases each day so they will most likely feature the most interesting stories and the easiest ones to cover. Your subject matter is crucial here and you need to grab their attention in the headline and first paragraph, or you’ll simply be wasting your time! Also, remember that just because you send a press release, it doesn’t guarantee any coverage at all. - Write a good headline
A good headline will grab the journalist’s attention, but the most important thing is that it leaves them in no doubt what the story is about. Don’t try to be clever with your headline. It needs to convince the journalist that they should read the rest of your release and feature your story (think: it does what it says on the tin). - Write a good first paragraph
No more than three of four lines, your first paragraph should summarise the story and address the who, what, where, when and why questions.
- Keep it simple
Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like you have to tell every little detail and list and thank everyone involved – this will make your press release long and boring! Keep it simple! Details that are important to you may not be important to a journalist or to a reader. Remember, you are writing for the reader, not for yourself. - Keep it short
A news release should be less than a side of A4 long (300-400 words). If your news release is longer, you risk it not being read or parts of it being ignored. Sometimes, four or five short paragraphs and a quote is often sufficient. - Quotes
You should almost always include a quote in a press release, but a quote should be used to add value to the story – aim to make your third paragraph a quote. They should provide a personal view and move the story forward – not information about the church. And don’t let a quote be used as an excuse to include all the boring stuff! Equally, don’t include extra quotes from someone just to satisfy them and make them feel included. If it doesn’t add to the story, don’t use it! - Photos
A photo is often essential in modern journalism, and you can attach an image to your press release. However, do ensure that it isn’t a large file size that will clog up the journalist’s inbox (you could instead attach a smaller image size and say in the ‘Notes for Editors’ section that a higher resolution image is available on request). Also, make sure it is a well-taken, relevant and interesting image! - Notes for editors and contacts
Notes for editors can be used to add contextual information that doesn’t form part of the main story. Adding a contact – someone the journalist can call or email for more information or to discuss anything they’re unsure about – is vital. - Writing style
The purpose of a press release is to communicate news, so don’t be flowery and casual. You need to strike a formal tone, At the same time, don’t try to be too clever in your use of language and words – write in a natural, flowing way.
Don’t include links to things on your Facebook feed – if you can’t be bothered to put the information in the press release, why should the journalist be bothered to look at it?! - Get support
Before sending your press release, why not ask the diocesan Communications Team to take a look? Or feel free to talk to us before you start writing so we can give you some pointers and suggestions. Contact us: communications@derby.anglican.org or 01332 388671. - Press ‘send’!
But before you do, make sure you’re sending it to the most appropriate places. Not sure where to send it? Check with the diocesan Communications Team.
For printed publications, remember they often plan and write their copy days or even weeks in advance, so make sure you’ve checked the copy deadline.
