Items filtered by date: August 2025
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 this First Sunday of Advent comes from the Archdeacon of East Derbyshire.
Technology can help to keep people safe. But abusers can also use technology to cause harm.
This day marks the start of 16 Days of Action for Violence Against Women and Girls. So to support this campaign, The ann craft trust is raising awareness of the role technology has in exacerbating instances of domestic abuse.
A poster is avaialble to download highlighting that technology could be used to empower domestic abusers and can be had to spot and difficult to escape. You may download it here.
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Todays theme for Safeguarding Adults Week is Elder Abuse.
Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.
The World Health Organisation has found that rates of elder abuse have increased since the pandemic. Around one in six people aged 60 years and older experience some form of abuse in a community setting. Also, rates of elder abuse are high in institutions such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Two thirds of staff report that they have committed abuse in the past year.
A poster to promote awareness can be downloaded here
Continuing the week of contemporary safeguarding issues today we look at safeguarding in everyday life. One of the main ways we can achieve this is to promote safer cultures. This is all about how our Churches and individuals can take steps to minimise harm occurring in the first instance. It’s also about embedding appropriate policies and procedures. In this way, people will know what to do if they have a concern to report. In addition, the churches will have a plan in place for acting on concerns. All PCC's must have a Safeguarding Policy in place.
You can download a poster to promote Safer Cultures here
Conitinuing the theme of Safeguarding Adults week 2022 of contemporary issues of Safeguarding, todays isue is Self Neglect. The ann craft trust writes
"The term “self-neglect” covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings.
We’ve seen a rise in self-neglect cases over the last two years, particularly for older people.
On this day you can explore how you can spot the signs someone is at risk of self-neglect. We’ll also provide practical guidance about how to start difficult conversations and respond to those at risk, while maintaining autonomy."
You can download a poster here to encourage people to explore this area themsleves.
Criminals Are Forcing Adults at Risk to Traffic Drugs. Please see the downloadable fact sheet from the ann craft trust here.
National Safeguarding Adults Week 2022 will take place from 21 to 27 November and will focus on the theme of responding to contemporary safeguarding challenges.
Useful documents
>> Communion by Extension Bishop's Guidlines [PDF]
>> Presentation slides - Communion by Extension update 2022 [PDF]
>> Public Worship with Communion by extension version 2 [PDF]
>> Public Worship with Communion by Extension [PDF]
>> Diocese of Derby Communion by Extension Request Form v2 [MS Word]
Safeguarding Adults Week 2022 takes place Monday 21- Sunday 27 November.
It’s an opportunity for organisations to come together to raise awareness of important safeguarding issues. The aim is to start vital conversations and share best practice, so we can all be better together.
The Ann Craft Trust have useful links and resources on their website
With winter creeping closer, a piping-hot bowl of homemade soup goes down particularly well.
It's interesting to recount that Egginton’s Church of St Wilfrid has been making a name for itself with it successful and highly regarded ‘Meet, Greet and Eat’ community lunches.
Starting in 2018, with a break for Covid, monthly lunches have become a popular and eagerly awaited social event, providing an opportunity for people to meet and make new friendships.
Gatherings of 45 to 50 persons are usual, eager to sample the 10 or more soups on offer and where second helpings are very much the norm!
Together with a roll and butter, glass of wine, and cake or fruit to finish, its hardly surprising that the word has spread to neighbouring villages too!
There is no entry fee and donations are invited on departure, raising around £4,000 a year.
Huge thanks rightfully go to the faithful team of helpers, who prepare the food, set up the church and wash up and clear away.
Such is their success that they have been awarded the Bishop of Derby’s “Certificate of Excellence”.
This initiative was the brain child of Chris and Kay Marples, resulting from a holiday at Porlock, in Somerset, where they witnessed a tragic suicide.
Having summoned help, they observed the emergency services handling the situation and were then required to make a police statement.
Understandably this experience was traumatic and, still somewhat in shock, they narrated their experience to a local shop assistant.
News got around and, when they attended Porlock’s soup lunch the following day, there was a whole lot of support and care shown for their wellbeing.
It was then that Kay hatched the plan with the churchwarden Pat Riley for monthly soup lunches in Egginton.
Not without its learning points, its now become a major success!
Important issues have been the availably of storage space in the church; creating space in the church for the setting up of tables; assembly of a committed team of helpers, and progressively accommodating a growing demand for places.
A very welcome breakthrough was a CVS grant of £750 for the purchase of soup bowls, water boiler, slow cookers, food thermometer and other things to replace some very tired equipment.
It also paid for certain helpers to obtain their Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate.
The St Wilfrid’s team would like to thank most warmly all those who have given their support to this venture, most particularly those who cook and serve each month.
