Safeguarding

Promoting a Safer Church

The parish of St Paul's, Hooton is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer, PSOs. The Diocese of Chester’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs.

If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the Vicar; the Parish Safeguarding Officer, Mrs Gwen Wale; or the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

The following policy was agreed at the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held on 16th January 2023

In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:

Promoting a safer environment and culture.
Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.

The Parish will:

Create a safe and caring place for all.
Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures.
Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish.
Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately.
Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually.

Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.

This church appoints Gwen Wale as the Parish Safeguarding Officer

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 8:30 and 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Sidesperson Team, they will give you all you need for the service. If you need anything to make your stay more comfortable please do ask one of the team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 11.30am, after the service in the Parish Hall. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free, if you want to offer a donation please feel free but no pressure!

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Sides Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the Parish Hall.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from the Vicar. Each wee we have different styles of services.
Currently, our services at 1030am are as follows:
First Sunday - Holy Communion
Second Sunday - Family Service
Third Sunday - Holy Communion
Forth Sunday - Service of the Word
Fifth Sunday - Holy Communion

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Sunday Club (3-11 years)

This take place at 10.20am each Sunday in the Parish Hall. Its a great way to explore God with Auntie Gwen and her team. Each member of the team has completed all of the Church of England Safeguarding training and follow the parish safeguarding policy. The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes. The Sunday Club finishes by 1130am. You are more than welcome to drop off your children at 1020am, pop over to the main service in St Paul's, have an hour of reflection time before collecting them again.

sunday school2

Getting Connected

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.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Breakfast group
Women's Fellowship
Walking group
Various Bible Study groups throughout the year

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Father Mark Turner - Vicar		Alex Duffey and Mark Holmes - Church Wardens
I am the new vicar of Hooton, arriving here in January 2023 with my wife and son. Prior to my induction I was Chaplain, Religious Studies teacher, Charities coordinator at Birkenhead School. Until recently I was also the Self Supporting Minister serving Eastham Parish Church. I have been a priest since 2016. I am also a chaplain to the Sea Cadet Corps		Alex and Mark have been members of St Paul's Church Community for many years. They bring with them a wealth of experience from their own careers. They take equal responsibility for the church people and building, along with the Vicar. Please do ask them any questions, as they will always be glad to help.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Fr Mark, Alex & Mark