Andrew Salt

Children awarded with 2025 Bishop's Badge

The Bishop's Badge service for schools took place on Monday 23 June at Derby Cathedral.

Headteachers were invited to nominate pupils who had demonstrated the values of Generous Faith, Courageous Hope and/or Life Giving Love.

Bishop Malcolm joyfully presented 36 badges to pupils from 17 schools across the diocese.

The uplifting singing was led by the children from William Gilbert Endowed Church of England Primary School who have been involved with the Music in Schools programme from Derby Cathedral.

Families, governors, incumbents came to support the children and they heard from the heads the reasons for their nominations.

The event is supported by the DBE staff, Bishop's Office, Dean and the volunteers from the cathedral.

As one headteacher said "Thank you - this was an emotional day and the stand out memory of the year.'

Published in News Stories

Tagged under

Records Retention and Compliance

The Church of England has recently released a new records retention schedule and accompanying guidance which helps you and your parish ensure best practice when it comes to data compliance:

>> Records and Information Management | The Church of England

This schedule (published in 2025) replaces the previous guides on retention, including: Keep or Bin, Cherish or Chuck, Chapter and Verse, and Save and Delete. Your retention policy may need amending considering this new schedule.

It is primarily designed for use by the following: Cathedrals, Minsters, Bishops Offices, Diocesan Offices (Including DBF’s DBE’s), Archdeacons, Deaneries, and Parishes of the Church of England.

Why should you use this schedule?

The schedule sets out how long records should be retained for, and the justification for that retention and what the disposal action should be. It was developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders from across the Church of England. It provides best practice for applying retention and disposition of records held by church bodies.

• It is far more comprehensive than the previous schedules
• It provides defensible reasons for retaining, archiving and destroying records
• It should give you confidence that you can destroy records at the appropriate time
• It supports the requirements of Data Protection Legislation
• It supports good record keeping practices

Please note that this is a living document and so it will be regularly revised and updated as the need arises, for example to include new records, or when legislation or business practice changes. Keep an eye out for further guidance notes being released in the coming months

Published in About Us - Governance

Tagged under

Death of Pope Francis

Bishop Libby writes:

It was my profound privilege to have an audience with Pope Francis soon after I was consecrated Bishop in 2015.

He was generous with his time and gracious and humorous in his conversation (spending as time discussing football with me as expressing celebration and care for my ministry).

As was his practice, Pope Francis asked that I pray for him, and I have done so for the past 10 years.

As Archbishop Stephen has noted in his tribute, ‘Pope Francis whole life was centred on Jesus who comes among us not to be served but to serve … Francis showed us how to follow Jesus and encouraged us to go and do likewise’.

He was a holy and humble man. Although I am saddened by the news of his death and recognise the grief felt by millions of Roman Catholics across the world today, having celebrated Easter yesterday, he died in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection knowing the joy of the risen Christ. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Please join me in in prayer, giving thanks for his life and ministry:

Father in heaven, we praise your name for all who have finished this life loving and trusting you for the example of their lives, the life and grace you gave them and the peace in which they rest.
We praise you today for your servant Francis and for all that you did through him.
Meet us in our sadness and fill our hearts with praise and thanksgiving,
for the sake of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Into your hands, O merciful Saviour, we commend your servant Francis.
Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold,
a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming.
Enfold him in the arms of your mercy,
In the blessed rest of everlasting peace and in the glorious company of the saints in light.
Amen.

Published in News Stories

Tagged under

don't miss

LLM Quiet Day

Recently, many Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers) came together with Bishop Libby at St Barnabas Centre in Danesmoor for a quiet day.

LLM(R)s play an important role in the public ministry of the Church by teaching the faith, enabling mission in the everyday, and leading in church and society.

They are key leaders in our churches, and work collaboratively with clergy colleagues across the diocese.

On Saturday, 3 May 2025, 12 LLM(R) candidates will be admitted to the Office of Reader 2.30pm in Derby Cathedral, after which they will take up their new ministry.

We’ll be sharing details on the LLM(R) candidates in the coming weeks.

Published in News Stories

Tagged under

don't miss

dbet

Published in Who's Who

Tagged under

Common Fund Reports 2025

>> December 2025 [PDF]

>> November 2025 [PDF]

>> October 2025 [PDF]

>> September 2025 [PDF]

>> August 2025 [PDF]

>> July 2025 [PDF]

>> June 2025 [PDF]

>> May 2025 [PDF]

>> April 2025 [PDF]

>> March 2025 [PDF]

>> February 2025 [PDF]

>> January 2025 [PDF]

Published in Common Fund Reports

Tagged under

Belper Town welcome Revd Rachel Burdett as new chaplain

On 1 March 2025, Belper Town Football Club welcomed their new Chaplain Revd Rachel Burdett. Revd Rachel was joined by Bishop Libby who presented the man of the match.

It turns out that Bishop Libby and Revd Rachel were lucky mascots on the day as Belper Town FC won 2-0 v Garforth Town FC.

Photo L-R: Revd Rachel, Bishop Libby, Ian Woodward (BTFC Chairman) and Lee Attenborough (BTFC Manager)

Revd Rachel said: It was exciting to watch my first Nailers’ game, especially as they won! I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and adding my support to the team. It is an important part of life in Belper and it is an honour to be the new chaplain.

Ian said we welcome Revd Rachel as our new Chaplain. We look forward to working with her as she continues to build on the existing relationship with Christ Church Belper and we look forward to welcoming her to support “The Nailers!”.

Photo Credit to Tim Harrison (BTFC)

Published in News Stories

Tagged under

don't miss

Training Events

Churchwardens network gathering

Saturday, 21 March 2026
9.45 am – 1 pm
St Alkmund’s Church, Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE21 1GU

Churchwardens from across the whole Diocese of Derby are warmly invited to a morning of worship, inspiration, and shared learning.

This first network gathering of 2026 will focus on discipleship and spirituality, both for you personally as Christians, in your role as Churchwardens, and to offer some inspiration and shared wisdom about how you might encourage everyday faith, working alongside lay and ordained licensed ministers.

There will also be an opportunity to give some input into the development of a Diocesan Handbook for Churchwardens.

>> Click here to book your place

Booking closes Thursday 12 March.

Future Events – Dates for Your Diary

Saturday, 16 May 2026
St Helen’s Church, Church Road, Darley Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 2GG

Saturday, 26 September 2026
St Barnabas Centre, Danesmoor, Pilsley Rd, Danesmoor, Clay Cross, Chesterfield S45 9BU

The care and maintenance of church buildings

Video recording of meeting on 7 May 2025 for Churchwardens in the Diocese of Derby.

https://youtu.be/NNY5PW1JrjY

Published in Resources for Churchwardens

Tagged under

Church warden Training

Whether you are new to the role or have been serving for some time, the church warden training events aim to provide you with important tools, strategies, and support for you in your role.

It will also be a wonderful chance to connect with other church wardens, discuss challenges, and learn from one another.

Training dates
Saturday, 8 March 2025, 9.30am - 1.00pm, St Alkmunds Church, 40 Kedleston Road, Darley Abbey, Derby DE22 1GU
Saturday, 5 July 2025, 9:30am – 1:00pm, St Thomas, Chesterfield
Saturday, 27 September 2025, 9:30am – 1:00pm, St Barnabas Centre, Danesmoor
Saturday, 8 November 2025, 9:00am – 10:00am on Zoom, Question and Answer session with the Archdeacons.

Please click on the link below to book your place on the next event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/churchwardens-morning-tickets-1152516851929?aff=oddtdtcreator
Date: Saturday, 8 March 2025
Time: 9.30 – 1pm
Location: St Alkmunds Church, 40 Kedleston Road, Darley Abbey, Derby DE22 1GU

The plan for the day will be as follows:
0930: Arrival and refreshments
1000: Event starts (Opening worship)
1020: Keynote
1045: Workshop 1
1130: Coffee / Tea break
1145: Workshop 2
1230: Plenary/Q&A
1300: Finish

There will be a choice of workshops and this time they will cover these topics:

Leading worship & intercessions in an emergency
Buildings for Mission & Environment
Wellbeing
‘Help! I’m the only one!’

Two weeks before the event a sign-up form for the workshops will be sent out, so you can choose which workshops you would like to attend.

Please ensure you have booked in good time to make sure you receive this email.

If you have any queries, please contact:

Derby City and South Derbyshire Archdeaconry - sue.hidderley-burton@derby.anglican.org

Derbyshire Peak and Dales Archdeaconry - emily.redmond@derby.anglican.org

South Derbyshire Archdeaconry - claire.collishaw@derby.anglican.org

Published in Training

Tagged under

Conservation Grants Programme

The Cathedral & Church Buildings Department’s expanded £5million conservation grants programme is now open for applications at Conservation Grants.

If you have a conservation project in mind relating to bells and bell frames, books and manuscripts, church plate, churchyard structures, clocks, monumental brasses and decorative metalwork, monuments, organs, paintings and wall paintings. stained glass, textiles or wooden objects, you can now include related fabric repairs up to a maximum of £25k.

An example might be a PCC looking to conserve an alabaster sculpture in a niche where there is existing water ingress due to a building defect adversely affecting the area. As part of the application for money to conserve the sculpture, a request for additional monies to rectify that defect can now be considered.

You will be familiar with our conservation grants programme (long funded by The Pilgrim Trust, the Radcliffe Trust and other funders) to support the conservation of special features in church, including bells, clocks, organs, stained glass, wall paintings and monuments. All this remains, with additional funding to help more churches. The expanded programme allows us to make grants towards building repairs of up to £25,000 that are linked to the conservation of an object.

Bids for specialist surveys and help for existing recipients’ conservation projects to reach completion will be considered for funding as well.

For further information, please contact colleagues in CCB via conservationgrants@churchofengland.org

Published in Funding and Funding Advice

Tagged under