Tag: Ecclesiastical

Scottish residents urged to be vigilant as schools face summer crime spate

Schools in Scotland are being warned to take precautions amid fears of a spike in crime over the summer holidays. 

As many schools across the country close their doors for the summer holidays, specialist insurer Ecclesiastical says schools will be an attractive target for criminals over the coming months.  

Ecclesiastical is encouraging Scotland residents who live near local schools to be vigilant this summer and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.

Ecclesiastical reports schools have been targeted over the summer months including vandalism, arson, break-ins, smashed windows, theft of lead from roofs and stolen laptops.

Amid the high cost of living and more facing economic hardship, there are worries there will be a rise in criminal activity.

Laura Carter, customer segment director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Schools are more vulnerable during the summer holidays when school buildings are closed and largely unoccupied, tempting opportunists.

“With the high cost of living and more facing economic hardship, it is more important than ever that schools take steps to protect their premises from offenders. There are a number of measures schools can take to better secure school property and assets, which would ideally be a combination of both physical and electronic protection.

“Fencing around the perimeter can often offer a good first line of defence against unwanted visitors, while CCTV can act as a visual deterrent for those not wanting to be caught on camera. Vigilance from the local community can be a huge help. We urge those who live near schools to be vigilant this summer and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.” 

How to protect schools in Scotland this summer 

  • Ensure CCTV systems have remote 24/7 monitoring services. Monitoring and alerting the police is far more effective than tracing criminals after a crime has taken place.
  • Install remotely monitored intruder alarms and change alarm security codes and passwords on a regular basis.
  • Install security lighting systems that have motion sensors to detect body movements.
  • Restrict access to school premises. Well-designed perimeter security such as walls, fences and electric security gates, and anti-climb paint help to prevent people from getting onto school sites.
  • Restrict vehicular access to the school site. Locate any designated parking as far from the school building as possible. The further thieves have to travel on foot the greater the risk of detection.
  • Use security marking systems such as SmartWater which can help with successful prosecution of thieves.
  • Ask the local community near your school to be vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.
  • Inform neighbourhood watch schemes / police liaison officers of planned work over the holidays as thieves might pose as contractors.
  • Seek advice. Specialist insurers can offer advice and expertise to help schools manage security risks. Insurers can offer a combination of onsite and remote risk management services including security assessments and advice, alongside broader property protection and building valuation services.

Ecclesiastical Insurance offers a range of risk management support and guidance to help schools manage the risks they face.

For more information, visit the Ecclesiastical website for education risk guidance here.

Schools face summer crime spike

Schools in Scotland are being warned to take precautions amid fears of a rise in crime over the summer holidays.

As many schools across the country prepare to close their doors for the summer holidays, specialist insurer Ecclesiastical says schools will be an attractive target for criminals over the coming months.  

Ecclesiastical is encouraging residents in Scotland who live near local schools to be vigilant this summer and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.

Ecclesiastical reports schools have been targeted over the summer months including vandalism, arson, break-ins, smashed windows, theft of lead from roofs and stolen laptops.

Amid high inflation, soaring prices and more facing economic hardship, there are worries there will be a large spike in criminal activity.

Faith Kitchen, customer segment director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Schools are far more vulnerable during the summer holidays when school buildings are closed and largely unoccupied, tempting opportunists.

“With high inflation and the cost of living crisis, it is more important than ever that schools take steps to protect their premises from offenders. There are a number of measures schools can take to better secure school property and assets, which would ideally be a combination of both physical and electronic protection.

“Fencing around the perimeter can often offer a good first line of defence against unwanted visitors, while CCTV can act as a visual deterrent for those not wanting to be caught on camera.

“Vigilance from the local community can be a huge help. We urge those who live near schools to be vigilant this summer and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.” 

How to protect schools in Scotland this summer

  • Ensure CCTV systems have remote 24/7 monitoring services. Monitoring and alerting the police is far more effective than tracing criminals after a crime has taken place.
  • Install remotely monitored intruder alarms and change alarm security codes and passwords on a regular basis.
  • Install security lighting systems that have motion sensors to detect body movements.
  • Restrict access to school premises. Well-designed perimeter security such as walls, fences and electric security gates, and anti-climb paint help to prevent people from getting onto school sites.
  • Restrict vehicular access to the school site. Locate any designated parking as far from the school building as possible. The further thieves have to travel on foot the greater the risk of detection.
  • Use security marking systems such as SmartWater which can help with successful prosecution of thieves.
  • Ask the local community near your school to be vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.
  • Inform neighbourhood watch schemes / police liaison officers of planned work over the holidays as thieves might pose as contractors.
  • Seek advice. Specialist insurers can offer advice and expertise to help schools manage security risks. Insurers can offer a combination of onsite and remote risk management services including security assessments and advice, alongside broader property protection and building valuation services.

Ecclesiastical Insurance offers a range of risk management support and guidance to help schools manage the risks they face.

For more information, visit the Hub for Education.

Arson attacks cause millions of pounds worth of damage to churches

Churches are being urged to take steps to prevent arson after a church in Sheffield was seriously damaged in an attack.

Claims data from specialist insurer Ecclesiastical shows over 150 churches across the UK have suffered arson attacks over the past five years, causing millions of pounds worth of damage to historic buildings.

In the latest incident, Pitsmoor Christ Church was the victim of a fire on 4 July, which South Yorkshire Police are investigating as arson.

While the number of attacks dropped during the pandemic, Ecclesiastical is warning churches to take urgent action over the summer months when arson attacks more frequently occur.

Nationwide threat

The data revealed that almost every county in the country has seen churches targeted by arsonists, with London, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Essex and Kent the worst affected.

Unlike theft of metal where organised gangs tend to carry out raids over a large geographical area, arson is often as a result of the actions of an individual and with no clear trends. This makes proactive action to protect church buildings even more important

Communities devastated

Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical was formed over 135 years ago to protect Anglican churches and church buildings against the risk of fire. The Gloucester-based company’s risk management experts produce fire prevention advice, including arson prevention guidance, specifically designed to help protect churches.

While thankfully a rare occurrence, the impact of arson on churches and the wider community can be substantial as recent significant fires have shown.

In 2017 the Grade II listed Church of the Ascension in Lower Broughton, Greater Manchester was devastated by an arson attack leaving the community distraught.. The restoration project, led by Ecclesiastical, is due for completion later this year.

More recently, All Saints Church in Mackworth, Derbyshire was gutted by fire in December 2020. A teenager has since pleaded guilty to setting fire to the church and schools in the area and is awaiting sentencing. A lengthy restoration project is underway to restore the Grade I listed building and return it to the local community.

Churches urged to take steps

Following the latest fire, Ecclesiastical’s risk management team has urged churches to take additional steps to protect themselves.

Jo Whyman, risk management director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Our data shows that arson seems to be on the increase again and the impact of these attacks can be truly devastating.

 “It’s horrible to see churches damaged as a result of a fire – particularly at the hands of criminals. These buildings are part of the fabric of our society, at the heart of our communities, and have been for centuries. Senseless acts by individuals not only destroy bricks and mortar, but often priceless artefacts that have historical significance to our nation.”

Extinguishing the risks

To help manage the risk of an arson attack and help to protect the country’s cherished historic churches, Ecclesiastical’s risk experts have issued advice to churches.

These include:

  • Keep your church secure: At night lock your church doors, windows, and any external gates. Installing security lights and keeping the exterior well lit will deter intruders. Also, consider installing fire alarms, intruder alarms and CCTV that provides continual monitoring to an alarm-receiving centre.
  • Report suspicious activity and make your church look busy: Use the building as much as possible for church and community activities.
  • Practice good housekeeping: Keep internal doors shut and locked when not in use, this can slow the spread of fire through a building and prevents access to obscure areas. Safely store items that could start fires inside the church, for example portable heaters and matches, and move bins away from the outside of the building. Take particular care when building or maintenance projects are being undertaken, ensuring building materials and waste are stored safely, securely and well away from the building.
  • Carry out regular external inspections of your church buildings and grounds: Make regular checks to the building and report damage to the police and your insurers as soon as possible. Cut back vegetation on a regular basis.
  • Repair damage to the church immediately: A damaged building is at risk of further attacks, including arson. Ensure any damage is repaired and graffiti removed quickly.
  • Check your fire extinguishers: Check you have enough fire extinguishers including some that are water (hydro-spray) or carbon dioxide types.
  • Be prepared for fire: Keep up-to-date fire risk assessments for your premises. Consider ways in which deliberate fires could be started and how you can prevent or reduce the risk.

Mr Whyman continued: “Churches are legally required to carry out a fire risk assessment and in doing so they’ll be able to understand the risk of fire – including the risk of an arson attack.

“It is really important that steps are taken to prevent fires and by following our guidance you can help to reduce the risk of arson at your property. The good news is, many of the recommended safeguards don’t require capital investment but simple precautionary steps which could make all the difference.

“Our Risk Management team are on hand to assist our customers and bespoke guidance and support is available through our Risk Advice Line as well as general guidance available on our website.”

A full list of Ecclesiastical’s arson prevention advice can be found at the company’s website, www.ecclesiastical.com.

Charities scoop share of £120,000 festive financial boost

Eight charities based in Scotland have received a £1,000 Christmas gift thanks to Ecclesiastical Insurance. The charities were nominated to win a share of £120,000 by members of the public as part of the specialist insurer’s annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

The charities were nominated to win a share of £120,000 by members of the public as part of the specialist insurer’s annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

Scottish Autism, which helps those diagnosed with autism to lead full and enriched lives and become valuable members of the community, and Health in Mind, an organisation promoting positive mental health and wellbeing through a wide range of services to support people and enable them to make a positive difference in their lives, are among the local charities set to benefit from the money following overwhelming public support in the area.

21,324 Scotland residents nominated a cause close to their hearts, with 1034 charitable causes in the area receiving votes. The 120 winning charities across the UK were picked at random from those nominated.

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group CEO at Ecclesiastical, said: “At Ecclesiastical, charitable giving is at the heart of our business. In fact, we are the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK. 

“We are able to give away so much because uniquely, as a financial services group, we are owned by a charity. In these challenging times, we are delighted to be giving back to good courses once more with our annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

“Having supported thousands of charities over the past four years of the campaign, we know that £1,000 can make a real difference to the incredible work that charities do. We’re looking forward to seeing how this festive financial boost will change lives for the better and we hope these donations can bring a positive start to 2022.”

A representative for Health in Mind said: “At Health in Mind, we’ve been promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in Scotland since 1982. The donation will enable us to support people taking part in local groups and activities, provide peer support for people experiencing drug or alcohol problems, pay for counselling for survivors of childhood abuse and much more to help those in need.

Thank you for helping us end the stigma surrounding mental health and telling people about our services. Talking about mental health is invaluable and makes a huge difference!”

The full list of the 120 charity winners is available to view online at:

www.movementforgood.com/12days

Fife church hopes for ‘Good News’ as voting opens for £6,000 prize

St Luke the Evangelist Church in St Andrews flies the flag for Scotland

  • Voting is now open to select the national winner in Ecclesiastical’s Good News church competition
  • Five regional winners received £1,500 each after submitting their Good News stories
  • A final overall winner will be selected following a public vote with the winner receiving £6,000 for their church

Voting has opened to decide the national winner of Ecclesiastical Insurance’s ‘Good News’ competition and give one church £6,000.

Good News launched last year to shine a light on the vital work Anglican Churches do by sharing their good news stories and showcasing all the ways that people in their local area have pulled together to make a difference.

Almost 200 entries were submitted from across the UK, covering stories about home delivery services for people self-isolating, community cafés and virtual events.

Five regional winners were chosen in November, receiving £1,500 towards their work. They now stand a chance of winning the grand prize of £6,000 – bringing their total winnings to £7,500.

Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk

Scotland’s Regional Winner was St Luke the Evangelist, St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane Diocese

The public now has the chance to vote for their favourite before a panel of Ecclesiastical Insurance and church representatives select an overall winner.

Helen Richards, church operations director at Ecclesiastical, said: “Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought with it, churches have remained a beacon of hope to the communities they are based in.

“The response to the competition was fantastic and we received lots of incredible entries showing how churches pulled together with their local communities during what has been an incredibly difficult time for so many of us.

“The five regional winners really stood out to the judges and we’re now urging the public to show their support for their local church to be crowned as national winner.”

Picture by Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk

Voting for the national winner opened on Wednesday 5 January and closes on Monday 28 February.

To vote for your favourite church, simply go to:

www.ecclesiastical.com/churchcomp and cast your vote.

Nominate a charity to receive a festive financial boost

Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical is giving £120,000 to good causes as part of its annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

Now into its fifth year, Ecclesiastical is once again inviting Scotland residents to nominate a registered charity close to their hearts to benefit from this festive financial boost.

Ten lucky winners will be announced each weekday from 6 to 21 December.

Dundee Museum of Transport, REACH Lanarkshire Autism based in Glasgow, West Regional Scout Council in Paisley and Kirkcaldy Foodbank were some of the local beneficiaries in 2020, following overwhelming public support in the country.

It’s quick and easy to nominate a charity online. Nominations are open until 20 December and you can vote for your favourite charity at:

 www.movementforgood.com/12days.

Winners will be drawn at random – and while it’s not a popularity contest, the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected.

Ecclesiastical is encouraging everyone to use their social media channels to ask people to vote for their favourite cause to give them the best possible chance of winning.

Last year saw an amazing 285,000 people around the UK support the 12 days of giving Christmas campaign in total, with a staggering 17,800 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes.

Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “As a commercial company with a charitable purpose, giving back is at the heart of our business. In fact, Ecclesiastical is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK*.

“Our annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign has supported hundreds of charities over the past four years and I’m delighted that we will once again help charities change lives for the better.

“We know that for many charities, £1,000 can make a real difference. We’re encouraging everyone to nominate a cause close to their hearts this Christmas to be in for a chance to win a festive financial boost.”

Scottish winners of Good News competition announced

A Fife church that provided school children with tablets to help with online learning has received £1,500 prize money in a national competition.

The Good News church competition was launched by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical to shine a light on churches’ bright ideas and success stories, community heroes and ingenuity in the face of adversity.

St Luke the Evangelist Church in Auchmuty, Glenrothes was chosen as the regional winner for Scotland – earning themselves £1,500 to support the church’s work in the community.

The church, led by former teacher Father Gerry Dillon, provided computers and tablets to local pupils to take part in online learning during the UK-wide lockdown.

Father Gerry Dillon, Priest of St Luke the Evangelist, Glenrothes and St Finnian’s, Lochgelly, said: “We are delighted to win and very grateful to Ecclesiastical for the award which we’ll be putting towards our AV equipment.

“The AV system will widen access to our community space(s), and to the community groups and services working with people and within our community. It will also make it possible for us to partner with global projects and initiatives who can broaden individual and community horizons.

“This scheme not only helped us partner with the local school to support the learning of children through digital devices, but also to develop parents’ literacy, numeracy and digital skills – which has been an unexpected benefit of this initiative.

“Going forward St Luke’s will continue to be an additional space in the community that will be of use for the ongoing well-being of the whole community, as well as developing nurturing opportunities, especially with local schools and youth groups.”

St Luke’s will now join four other churches in the national final where they can win a further £6,000 as overall winner – bringing the total winnings to £7,500.

Helen Richards, church director at Ecclesiastical, said: “Congratulations to St Luke the Evangelist Church, our regional winner for Scotland. Their efforts to support local pupils who were without access to computers or devices needed for online learning during the pandemic really impressed our judging panel.

“Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought with it, churches have remained a beacon of hope to the communities they are based in.

“That’s why this year’s theme for our church competition is ‘Good News’! We wanted to help shine a light on those unsung heroes in our communities and the new initiatives that churches have come up with to help those most in need – spreading the ‘Good News’ far and wide.”

Members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite shortlisted church to help decide the overall national winner, who will receive a further £6,000.

Voting will open on Wednesday 3 January and closes on Tuesday 22 February and can be made at www.ecclesiastical.com/churchcomp.

Shared Lives Plus wins £50,000 Movement for Good award

Shared Lives Plus, which is launching its Homeshare scheme in Scotland, is one of ten charities to receive £50,000 as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance’s Movement for Good awards.

The awards, set up by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, have seen a total of £1million given to charities across the UK this summer. 500 charities have already been awarded donations of £1,000 and now 10 charitable organisations will benefit from £50,000 grants.

Shared Lives Plus, which aims to build communities where everyone lives a full life by sharing lives and homes, was one of 10 charities1 selected from over 1,000 entries.

The fund will allow the charity to develop its Homeshare scheme in Scotland, a project that carefully matches someone in need of support to live independently with someone who has a housing need and can provide care. The project fosters mutually beneficial and enriching relationships across communities.

Each of the £50,000 awards are designed to support the advancement of education, skills, arts, culture and heritage, as well as citizenship or community development. Applications were assessed against four key areas; impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “Our Movement for Good awards have been met with an overwhelming response. A huge number of charities have submitted projects for the £50,000 grant and it’s clear that charitable organisations are in need of support now more than ever.

“We believe this financial boost will create long-lasting improvements for communities and support charity workers during what is an incredibly testing time for many.

“Ecclesiastical is a unique financial services group. Owned by a charity, our core purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society. Charitable giving is at the heart of our business and we are proud to be able to give all available profits to the good causes which are important to our customers.

“We know that £50,000 can make a huge difference to the life-changing work that charities do and we are looking forward to seeing how these awards will help make people’s lives better.”

Ben Hall, Development Manager at Shared Lives Plus, added: “I didn’t expect to win at all and when we were told, I was delighted! For us, this project would not be taking place in the coming year without the award from Ecclesiastical’s Movement for Good. It really is as simple as that.

“Homeshare will be a new idea in Scotland and it is vital that we raise its profile. Our goal is that we want to bring shared living to more people and create a kinder and stronger society. This grant allows us to create those plans.”

An amazing 253,879 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards during its first phase earlier this year, with over 13,695 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 500 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated.

Phase two saw 1,059 project submissions for the £50,000 awards. Following a review of all the applications, a panel of judges made their final selection of the winning projects2.

For further information on the Movement for Good Awards and for a full list of the winning charities phase visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good

1.     Full list of 10 winning charities:

Breast Cancer UK Limited – Digital Learning to Prevent Breast Cancer

Shared Lives Plus Limited – Developing Homeshare in Scotland

Tastelife UK – Youth Track Development

Power2 – Teens and Toddlers

The Challenger Trust – My Journey: Challenger Trust in Birmingham Schools

The Lily Mae Foundation – Baby Loss Support Service Enhancement

The Linskill and North Tyneside Community Development Trust – Project Langley

Thomas’s Fund – Kettering General Hospital, Pen Green Children’s Centre and Community & Family Connections scheme

Parents Plus Company Limited by Guarantee – Transforming Intellectual Disability Services across the U.K. and Ireland with The Parents Plus Special Needs programme

Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues – Resilient Active Youth

Winning charity videos:

Breast Cancer UK Limited

Shared Lives Plus Limited

Tastelife UK

Power2

The Challenger Trust

The Lily Mae Foundation

The Linskill and North Tyneside Community Development Trust

Thomas’s Fund

Parents Plus Company Limited by Guarantee

Tackling Awareness of Mental Health Issues