Each parish within the Diocese of Truro is being asked to nominate two representatives to attend the Bishop’s Conferences on Safeguarding during July.

Strategy development

The aim of the conferences is to contribute to the ongoing development and promotion of the diocesan safeguarding strategy, following the audit undertaken last year by SCIE and the earlier one by Jane Sloan.

Each parish priest/incumbent is asked to attend, but parishes are being asked to consider who should go with them. It may well be the parish safeguarding co-ordinator, although local circumstances may mean somebody else attending.

The two people attending are asked to attend as a ‘parish delegation’ and will work together on the day, however the delegations are being asked to choose the date that best suits them and not feel constrained by geography in deciding which conference to attend.

‘Great opportunity’

Nigel Druce, the independent chair of the diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel, said: “I very much hope that parishes will see this as a genuine opportunity to help shape our policy and practice so that it better reflects people’s needs within parishes. It will also give everybody a great opportunity to meet others who will want to hear about how they can best support the parishes in making our churches and communities safer places for all people.”

Members of the safeguarding team will be available to answer individual questions and provide advice throughout the day.

The dates and venues are:

Tuesday, July 3, Tresmeer Village Hall.

Wednesday, July 11, Shire House Suite, Bodmin.

Thursday, July 19, Marazion Community Centre.

Saturday, July 28, All Saints Highertown, Truro.

All conferences will run from 11am to 3pm.

Bookings can be made by contacting safeguarding administrator Rosey Sanders by email on rosey.sanders@truro.anglican.org or by phoning her on 01872 274351 ext 238. Lunch is provided, so please state any dietary requirements.