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St Margaret’s

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SAFEGUARDING AT ST MARGARET’S

A safer church.
For everyone.

Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and heard. If something is worrying you, we’re here to listen and help.

Report a concern Talk to our team

How can we support you?

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Find someone to talk to, including independent organisations who can help.

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I’m a young person

Worried about something? You can tell us. We’ll help you find support.

Help for young people ≡

Policies & procedures

Our approach to safer church life, with guidance and documents in one place.

Browse our policies

REAL PEOPLE. READY TO LISTEN.

Let’s talk.

Our safeguarding team is here to help.

Lianne Falkingham

Lianne Falkingham

Parish Safeguarding Officer

01634 362023 Extension 4

safeguarding@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Vicar

01634 362023 Extension 2, Then 1

vicar@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Care is everyone’s responsibility.

We’re committed to a safer culture for every child, young person and adult.

Our commitments

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

Report a concern

  If someone is in immediate danger CALL 999

Diocesan safeguarding team

If you prefer to speak outside the parish, you can contact the Diocese of Rochester safeguarding team. DIOCESAN REPORTING & SUPPORT
If you are concerned about abuse, neglect or someone’s safety, you can raise it with our safeguarding team. You do not need to be certain before asking for help. Prefer to speak to someone?

Church safeguarding team

Lianne Falkingham

Lianne Falkingham

Parish Safeguarding Officer

01634 362023 Extension 4

safeguarding@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Vicar

01634 362023 Extension 2, Then 1

vicar@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Tell us about a concern

Use the church’s existing reporting service for concerns that are not an emergency.
Open the reporting form

The form opens on The Safeguarding Company’s website.

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

Find support

  If someone is in immediate danger CALL 999

Diocesan safeguarding team

If you prefer to speak outside the parish, you can contact the Diocese of Rochester safeguarding team. DIOCESAN REPORTING & SUPPORT

Church safeguarding team

Lianne Falkingham

Lianne Falkingham

Parish Safeguarding Officer

01634 362023 Extension 4

safeguarding@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Vicar

01634 362023 Extension 2, Then 1

vicar@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Independent support

Childline

Support for children and young people.

0800 1111

Visit website →

Family Lives

Parenting and family support.

0808 800 2222

Visit website →

Men’s Advice Line

Support for men affected by domestic abuse.

0808 801 0327

Visit website →

NAPAC

Support for adults affected by childhood abuse.

0808 801 0331

Visit website →

National Careline

Information for older people, their carers and families.

0800 0699 784

Visit website →

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

Support for people experiencing domestic abuse.

0808 2000 247

Visit website →

NSPCC

Advice for adults concerned about a child.

0808 800 5000

Visit website →

Safe Spaces

Independent support for people affected by church-related abuse.

0300 303 1056

Visit website →

Samaritans

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here to listen.

116 123

Visit website →

Stop It Now

Advice for people concerned about child sexual abuse.

0808 1000 900

Visit website →

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

You can ask for help

  If someone is in immediate danger CALL 999
If something has happened that makes you feel worried or unsafe, speak to an adult you trust or contact our safeguarding team.

Share a concern online

You can also use our existing reporting form to explain what is happening. OPEN THE REPORTING FORM

Church safeguarding team

Lianne Falkingham

Lianne Falkingham

Parish Safeguarding Officer

01634 362023 Extension 4

safeguarding@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Rev’d Nathan Ward

Vicar

01634 362023 Extension 2, Then 1

vicar@rainhamchurch.co.uk

Talk to Childline

You can talk about anything that is worrying you.
CALL 0800 1111VISIT CHILDLINE →

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

Policies & procedures

At St Margaret’s Church, we are committed to ensuring a safe, healthy, and well-governed community for everyone. This page holds all of our key policies and procedures, including safeguarding, health & safety, HR, governance, and more. You can download individual documents below.

Safeguarding
E-Manual

This e-manual contains the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Guidance and Safeguarding Code of Practice. Each specific piece of Guidance / Code comprises a Chapter of the e-manual.

VIEW THE SAFEGUARDING
E-MANUAL

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

Our safeguarding commitments

Safeguarding is part of the life and mission of St Margaret’s. Everyone has a part in making church safer for children, young people and adults. CHURCH OF ENGLAND SAFEGUARDING

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

PRIVACY POLICY

LAST UPDATED: 19 OCTOBER 2026

We want you to feel welcome at St Margaret’s and confident about how your personal information is used. This notice explains how we handle information connected with rainhamchurch.co.uk, church communications, enquiries, bookings and giving.

QUESTIONS OR A PRIVACY REQUEST?

Email office@rainhamchurch.co.uk, telephone 01634 362023, or write to the Church Office,
St Margaret’s Church, High Street, Rainham, Kent ME8 7JH.

1. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Margaret’s Church, Rainham is responsible for personal information used for the parish website and parish administration. “We”, “us” and “our” in this notice refer to the parish acting through its PCC. Please send privacy enquiries to the Church Office using the details above.

Clergy, the Diocese of Rochester and external organisations may be separately responsible for some records or services, including statutory registers, safeguarding casework and transactions you make directly with another provider. Where that applies, their own privacy information also explains their responsibilities.

2. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE RECEIVE?

We normally receive information from you. We may also receive relevant details from someone arranging an activity on your behalf, a booking or giving provider, church officers or authorised organisations. If we receive information about you indirectly, we provide privacy information as required by law, unless a lawful exception applies.

3. WHY WE USE IT AND OUR LAWFUL BASES

You do not have to give us optional information. If you do not provide the information needed to answer an enquiry, complete a booking or administer Gift Aid, we may be unable to provide that particular service. We do not use the website to make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you.

4. SENSITIVE INFORMATION, CHILDREN AND SAFEGUARDING

Information about religious beliefs, health or certain other matters has additional protection. Where we need it, we must identify both a lawful basis and an appropriate additional legal condition. Depending on the circumstances, that may include explicit consent, the lawful activities of a religious not-for-profit body, or conditions supporting safeguarding and other legal duties. Membership of a church is not a blanket permission to use or share sensitive information.

Please only include information that is relevant to your request. Avoid sending sensitive information through the newsletter form. Safeguarding concerns should go through the reporting routes on our Safeguarding page, so the appropriate people can respond.

When an activity involves children, we handle their information with particular care and seek appropriate information and permissions from a parent or person with parental responsibility where needed. Information may need to be shared without consent where there is a lawful safeguarding or safety reason.

5. NEWSLETTERS AND YOUR CHOICES

Our website newsletter form sends the name and email address you enter to our existing Mailchimp audience using a confirmation process. You can unsubscribe using the link in an email or by contacting the Church Office. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of earlier processing.

We may retain the minimum information needed to respect an unsubscribe request and avoid adding you again by mistake. Mailchimp may process delivery, engagement and technical information in accordance with the features enabled for our account and its own privacy information. A subscription does not mean that all church correspondence is marketing: we may still need to respond to your enquiry or send essential information about a booking.

6. WHO WE SHARE INFORMATION WITH

Access within the parish is limited to people who need information for their responsibilities, such as authorised clergy, staff, trustees and volunteers. Service providers may process information to host, secure and operate the website, send email or support administration.

Services used or linked from this site include WordPress.com/Automattic and Jetpack, Mailchimp, Humanitix, MyHallWizard, JustGiving, Vimeo, Google Maps and churchyard or heritage services. Some act on our instructions; others are independent organisations responsible for their own processing. Which organisation receives information depends on the service you choose to use.

For example, an event organiser may receive booking information from Humanitix, a donation provider may share donation or Gift Aid details with the benefiting charity, and a hall booking provider may pass relevant booking details to the venue. Payment details should be entered only through the relevant payment provider’s own secure process.

We may share relevant information with HMRC, diocesan or church bodies, safeguarding professionals, regulators, insurers, professional advisers or law-enforcement bodies where we have a lawful reason or are required to do so. We do not sell personal information.

7. INFORMATION PROCESSED OUTSIDE THE UK

Some hosting, email, booking, payment and embedded-content providers operate internationally. Where we arrange a transfer of personal information outside the UK, it must have an appropriate lawful safeguard, such as an applicable adequacy arrangement or approved contractual safeguards with any further measures required. Providers acting independently describe their own international processing in their privacy notices.

You can ask the Church Office for information about the safeguards relevant to your information. We do not promise that every service stores all information exclusively in the UK.

8. COOKIES, LOCAL STORAGE AND WEBSITE STATISTICS

Cookies and similar technologies can store or read information on your device. Different rules apply depending on their actual purpose; a technology is not essential simply because it is useful to us.

You can clear stored website data or change cookie settings in your browser. Restricting storage may affect preferences or some functions. Use any provider or website privacy choices offered for the service concerned, and contact us if you want to object to our use of information for statistics or need help understanding a particular technology. Browser controls alone do not replace consent where consent is legally required.

9. LINKS, EMBEDS AND SHARING

Our site links to independent websites and includes some embedded services. Their operators have their own privacy notices and settings. Please check these before submitting personal information to them. Opening an embed can make a connection to its provider even if you have not submitted a form.

The Share button uses your device’s sharing facility where available. Its alternatives let you copy a page link or open email, Facebook or WhatsApp. Copying a link does not itself send a message; choosing an external sharing service means that service receives the information you choose to share and relevant technical information. Take care not to share private information in a public post.

10. PHOTOGRAPHS, FILMING AND PUBLIC RECORDS

Church news, event coverage and online services may include photographs, voices or video recordings. How these are used depends on the purpose, the circumstances and the appropriate permissions or other lawful basis. Please contact us if you have questions about an image or recording of you or a child you are responsible for, or want to request a review of published material.

Parish and churchyard material may include historical names, dates and plot references. UK data-protection rights relate to living individuals; historical records can nevertheless include information about living people. We consider correction and privacy requests, while taking account of archival, statutory and other legitimate requirements. A request to remove material does not automatically require deletion of an official register.

11. HOW LONG WE KEEP INFORMATION

We keep information only for as long as needed for its purpose and applicable legal or record-keeping duties. The period depends on the type of record, whether an enquiry or matter is still active, and whether there is a safeguarding, tax, contractual, archival or legal-claims reason to retain it.

Contact us for the retention criteria or period relevant to a particular record. Backups and restricted records may remain until their normal expiry or where retention is legally required.

12. HOW WE PROTECT INFORMATION

We use appropriate organisational and technical measures, including access controls, secure connections and the security facilities provided by our systems. Access should be proportionate to the person’s role. We assess and respond to suspected personal-data breaches, including notifying the regulator or affected people where required by law. No website or email service can guarantee absolute security.

13. YOUR RIGHTS

Depending on the circumstances, you can ask to access your personal information, correct it, have it erased, restrict its use, receive certain information in a portable format, or object to processing. You can withdraw consent where processing relies on it, and you can object to direct marketing at any time.

These rights have conditions and exceptions. For example, we may need to retain statutory, safeguarding or tax records. Contact office@rainhamchurch.co.uk with enough detail to help us find the relevant information. We may need proportionate confirmation of your identity. Requests are normally free and are handled within the applicable legal time limits, usually one calendar month, with permitted extensions or adjustments explained where relevant.

14. QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

Please contact the Church Office if you are concerned about how your information is used. We will consider your complaint and keep you informed. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO); you do not have to complete our complaints process before contacting the regulator.

CONTACT THE ICO

15. CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

We review this notice when our services, practices or legal requirements change. The date at the top shows the latest revision. Where a change materially affects how we use your information, we provide further information or seek fresh consent where required.

Parish Paper comments

If you submit a comment, we store the name and message you provide with the story and submission date. Church administrators review it before publication. Only approved comments are displayed publicly. You do not need to provide an email address. Please do not include private contact details or sensitive information. Contact the Church Office if you would like your comment removed.

ST MARGARET’S · RAINHAM

HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

As a church, we understand that we owe a duty of care to ensure the safety of those who visit or use our church, hall or churchyard.

We also know that, where we are an employer or control premises in certain circumstances, we have to meet the requirements of health and safety law.

In particular, we know that if we are an employer having five or more employees, we are required to have a written health and safety policy. As such, we have drafted this policy to meet our duty under Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

General statement of policy

Our policy is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that our activities are carried out safely and do not pose a risk to the health of our employees, volunteers, congregation, visitors and others who may use the church, churchyard or any other building we are responsible for. This will be in accordance with good practice and any relevant statutory provisions where they apply.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) accepts its overall responsibility for this. We will ensure that adequate resources are made available to achieve this objective. Any decisions we make will have due regard for it.

We will appoint a member of the PCC to have specific responsibility for this policy and its implementation. To keep matters under review, we will include ‘health and safety’ as a standing item on the agenda for all meetings of the PCC. We will monitor the effectiveness of the policy, amending it where we believe it is no longer valid.

It is the duty of each employee and volunteer to exercise personal responsibility for their own safety and that of others. This policy will be brought to their attention. We will try to ensure that everyone involved with the church plays their part in its implementation.

Further detail about our organisation and arrangements for managing health and safety is set out in this document. A copy of it will be kept in the church and made available to others on request.

Signed

Signature from the original PCC policy

On behalf of the Parochial Church Council as agreed at a meeting on: Date: 22 January 2026

Organisation and responsibilities

The person with overall responsibility for implementing our policy is the Vicar. They will ensure that the arrangements set out in this policy satisfy any health and safety law, seeking specialist health and safety advice if necessary.

The following persons have day-to-day responsibility for implementing our policy. They are the Churchwardens. They will ensure that the arrangements set out in this policy are carried out.

All employees and volunteers have a responsibility to cooperate in the implementation of this policy and to take reasonable care of themselves and others while on church business or premises.

Arrangements

This section sets out our general arrangements for managing health and safety and dealing with specific risks. We have removed any points that do not apply to our activities.

General Arrangements

Competent Assistance

Where necessary, we will appoint someone who is competent to assist us in meeting our health and safety obligations. We have appointed Bright Safe to be our competent advisors.

Risk Assessment

Where necessary, we will complete risk assessments to identify what we need to do to comply with health and safety law. We will record our findings, implementing any necessary precautions. We will review and revise these where we suspect that they are no longer valid.

Information and Training

We will provide any necessary information and training for our employees and volunteers in a timely manner. We will keep a record of what is provided. We will also give relevant information to contractors and self-employed people who may need this to complete their work safely.

First Aid

We will provide adequate first aid facilities including – as a minimum – a suitably stocked first aid box and a person who will take charge of the first aid arrangements. We will also provide relevant information for employees and volunteers.

Our first aid box is located in the toilet lobby area. Our person in charge of first aid arrangements is the Parish Administrator.

Accident Reporting

We will record details of any accidents that occur, (in an accident book if required). We will report to the enforcing authority and keep records of certain accidents to employees, volunteers and members of the public in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.

Records of any accidents are kept in the church office.

Monitoring

We will make periodic checks to ensure that our precautions remain effective and adequate. We will also ensure that any lifting, work or electrical equipment and church utilities are inspected as necessary to ensure that they remain safe. We will keep records of the checks we make.

Contractors

If we employ contractors, we make sure that they have their own health & safety policy and Public and Employers Liability insurance by asking to see copies of the relevant documents.

Record Keeping

Our Health and Safety Risk Assessments, records and other documents are kept on the church website (www.rainhamchurch.co.uk) and in the Church Office.

Specific Arrangements

Asbestos

We will take steps to identify the presence of asbestos in our buildings and, if so, assess any risk from it. We will then implement any plan to manage that risk. We will also provide relevant information to others who might need it (e.g. building contractors). We will keep records of the checks, assessments and plans we have made.

Bell Ringing

We will ensure that adequate precautions are in place to protect bellringers and others who may enter the ringing room and bell chamber. This may include any emergency evacuation procedure; a safe means of heating; the provision of fire extinguishers, the provision of emergency lighting and the notification of safety procedures to visiting bellringers.

Church Buildings

We will ensure that the fabric of our buildings is regularly inspected to make sure it is safe. Defects will be repaired as soon as is practicable bearing in mind that a faculty may be required. Where necessary, temporary measures will be taken to prevent danger until permanent repairs can be made. This will include glazing.

Churchyard

We will ensure that boundary walls and gates are kept in good repair. Where appropriate, we will have trees inspected by a competent person and have any necessary work carried out to make them safe. Headstones tombs and monuments will be checked regularly to ensure they are properly maintained. Where our churchyard is formally closed, we will report any concern to the Local Authority or Parish Council.

Construction Work

Where maintenance, refurbishment and restoration work is planned for our church, we will identify what we need to do to ensure the safety of all those concerned before work starts. We will also determine if we have any responsibilities under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and comply with these if necessary.

Display Screen Equipment

Where our employees and volunteers regularly use computers daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more we will analyse workstations to identify precautions, implementing these as necessary. We will also provide information, training, eye/eyesight tests (on request) and special spectacles if needed.

Electricity

We will ensure that any electrical system, fixed machine and portable appliances is inspected, tested and maintained by someone who is competent to prevent danger. Any defective equipment will not be used until it is repaired or replaced. We will keep records of the checks made.

Events

Where we intend to hold large or unusual concerts, services or other fund-raising events, we will identify any additional precautions that are necessary and implement these.

Fire

We will complete a specific risk assessment to identify what steps are necessary to prevent, detect and take in the event of a fire. We will record our findings, implementing any necessary precautions. We will review and revise these where we suspect that they are no longer valid.

Heating Systems

We will ensure that any oil or gas heating system is suitably maintained and checked annually by a competent person. Any defects found will be corrected immediately and we will keep records of the checks made.

Hazardous Substances

We only use domestic cleaning or horticultural products and petrol. We will ensure that these are stored, used and disposed of in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions taking any necessary precautions that are specified.

Lifting Equipment

We will ensure that any lifting equipment is properly maintained and thoroughly examined periodically by a competent person.

Manual Handling

We will avoid the need for lifting or carrying heavy objects as far as is possible. Where this is not practical, we will make use of lifting aids (such as, trolleys) or other precautions including team lifting.

Oil Storage

Where we store large quantities of oil, we will take adequate precautions to ensure that oil cannot leak into the ground or any water course. This may include the provision of a double skinned plastic tank, an adequate bund, regular checks and proper maintenance etc.

Preparation of Food

We will ensure that on those occasions when we prepare food we use a clean and disinfected work surface, utensils and equipment. We will store food in such a way as to avoid contamination, provide hand-washing facilities and suitable arrangements for the disposal of waste.

Slips and Trips

We will implement suitable precautions to prevent slips or trips, taking account of any difficulty the frail, elderly or disabled may have in negotiating access. We will make periodic checks to ensure that floors, coverings, steps and pathways remain in good condition, free from obstruction and that any precautions (such as, hand rails, lighting) remain adequate. We will correct any defects identified, keeping records of the checks we make. We will have arrangements in place to manage pathways in winter weather.

Tower Tours

Where we plan to run tower tours, we will identify any specific precautions that are necessary. This will take account of the size of the tower; the control of movement within the tower; the number of stewards available; and the ease with which persons can safely evacuate the tower in case of emergency. We will then implement these.

Working at Height

Where possible we will try and avoid the need for work at height. Where this is not practicable, we will ensure that any work is properly planned to identify suitable precautions. We will make sure that these are implemented, including the provision of any training and checks to ensure the safety of any equipment used.

Work Equipment

Any work equipment (including any hand tools) we provide will be suitable, in good condition and properly maintained. Where necessary, some equipment (such as, ladders) will be regularly checked to make sure they are safe. We will keep records of any checks we make.

Working Alone

We will identify circumstances where our employees and volunteers work alone, and implement suitable precautions to ensure their safety.

VIEW ORIGINAL SIGNED POLICY (PDF) ↗