Keeping your church open and welcoming

Where appropriate, we recommend that churches be kept open because of the positive effect that they can have on security. We support the Church of England Cathedral and Church Buildings Council’s drive to help churches be “Always Welcome” - and we suggest you take a look at their top ten tips for encouraging church visitors as a starting point.

Of course, security can still be a concern; one solution can be found in these articles by Joanna Booth, Consultant on Open Churches, about Preston ChurchWatch.

Churches wanting to be open must find the right balance between accessibility and security. This means taking a few key steps:

• Ensure residents know that the church is operating an open-door policy so that they can observe activity
• Encourage local people to pop into the church while passing by
• Draw up a rota of volunteer stewards to be present in church, but don’t forget to consider their personal safety if, for example, they might be alone in a church at any time
• Create a secure storage area where all valuables can be locked.

There is no impact on the church insurance premiums if a church is open during daylight hours and proper risk assessments have been completed.

If you have any concerns, speak with our customer services team on 0345 777 3322.