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Safeguarding 

 

Promoting a safer church

The care and protection of children, young people and adults involved in Church activities is the responsibility of everyone who participates in the life of the Church. St Andrew's Parochial Church Council (PCC) takes seriously its collective responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable. The PCC has agreed and adopted the House of Bishops Safeguarding Policy for children, young people and vulnerable adults:
 

House of Bishops Safeguarding Policy for children, young people & adults

OUR COMMITMENTS

  • Promoting a safer environment and culture.
  • Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children and vulnerable adults.
  • Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
  • Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse or other affected persons.
  • Responding to those that may pose a present risk.
     

If you are concerned...

that someone you know is at risk of, or is being abused, or presents a risk to others, please seek advice from a Safeguarding Adviser or, if necessary, report the matter to the Local Authority Social Care Services or the Police without delay.

 

Diocesan Safeguarding Advisers

Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser: Jeremy Hirst (01727 818107 / 07867 350886)
Email: safeguarding@stalbans.anglican.org 

Assistant Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser: Martyn Hedley (01727 818106 / 07391 010033)
Email: safeguarding@stalbans.anglican.org 

 

St Andrew's Safeguarding contact and policies

Safeguarding Officer: Catherine Sleath (Tel: 01992 537867)
 

General
 

St Andrew's Safeguarding Policy
St Andrew's Code of Practice

St Andrew's Safer Recruitment Policy
St Andrew's Lone Worker Policy
St Andrew's Safe Use of Images Guidelines
St Andrew's CCTV Policy
St Andrew's & St Mary's Guidelines for the safe use of video conferencing
St Andrew's Social Media Policy

Diocese of St Albans Safer Working Practice with children
Diocese of St Albans Practice Guidance for working with vulnerable adults
St Andrew's Statement on Domestic Abuse

Churchofengland/safeguarding
Church of England Parish Safeguarding Handbook
St Andrew's Health & Safety Policy
Promoting a Safer Church Poster



Helplines

NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
Childline: 0800 1111
Stop It Now: 0808 1000 900
NAPAC: 0808 801 0331
Samaritans: 116 123
Family Lives: 0808 800 2222
National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Action on Elder Abuse: 0808 808 8141

Local Authority Social Services 
Concern for a child: call 0300 123 4043
Concern for an adult: call 0300 123 4042

If there is immediate risk or danger please contact the police on 999

Glenys
Hello and welcome to St Andrew's. If you are new, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

Banner group 1140x320A Warm Hello 

No one belongs here more than you.

We look forward to meeting you! Here's some information so that if you're planning a visit you know beforehand what to expect on a Sunday morning.  We have other pages telling you more About Us, our approach to Faith and our Online services.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details below) for our main Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you find a parking space and can settle in before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Plan your journey:
While, unfortunately, St Andrew's does not have its own carpark, there is a council-run pay and display carpark a short distance along St Andrew Street, to the east of the church; there is a £1.50 flat-rate charge for parking in this carpark on Sundays (though half an hour or less is free).

This is a useful East Herts Council website page for full details of parking in Hertford.

There are single yellow lines outside the church with parking restrictions, but some 30-minute parking bays are situated on the opposite side of the road for short stays (longer on Sundays).

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is a disabled toilet towards the back of the church, behind the kitchen.

Our Service

The service will usually begin promptly at 10.30am and will last between 60 and 75 minutes. We enjoy the presence of an excellent choir who help us sing hymns (modern and traditional) as well as provide anthems and special songs through the period of communion. We have a traditional organ but also benefit from music played on the piano and by our band (eg on the Second Sunday of each month when we have an All-Age Service in which our children and young people are fully involved).

Each 10.30am service includes a sermon, prayers and eucharist.

After the service, everyone is invited for coffee and conversation - some like to stay for a quick chat while others remain in the church for a longer time.

Communion

Children and Young People

Children are never too young to come to church. You and your children are very welcome at St Andrew’s. 

We really value worshipping God together as a family, so children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service before being invited to leave for the young people's activities after the first hymn. Junior Church meets in the St Andrew's Centre (our adjoining hall), accessed through the church on Sunday mornings. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The children and young people then return to the main service in time to join the eucharist and, if confirmed, take Holy Communion or, if not, receive a blessing. We offer a little box of raisins to children being blessed at the altar.

There is a Children's Corner in church where you can go at any time. You will find books, toys and drawing materials there.

Toilet and baby-change facilities are located at the back of church, behind the kitchen.

There's more information here: Children and Young People at St Andrew's

Junior Church celebration

Getting Connected


Home Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week. Check out Home Groups on our website and see if there’s one that you could join. Alternatively, speak to a member of the Welcome Team who will give you the information that you need.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. Please contact Phil in the Church Office.

Get in touch with us
If you have any questions, please do get in touch. You'll find our contact details here.

We hope that you will feel at home at our church.

Group photo at the top of the page taken by Tim Pike