Sunday 15 January is Safeguarding Sunday at St Edmundsbury Cathedral.

We’ll be highlighting safeguarding and healthy culture across all our services, but we’ll be focused on this in particular at the 10.30 am service.

There will be liturgical expression relating to safeguarding and healthy culture, with members of the cathedral community (staff and volunteers) affirming our commitment to safeguarding and asking for God’s blessing on our work.

We’ll be highlighting the importance of protecting vulnerable people as part of Safeguarding Sunday. This is an awareness-raising national campaign organised by Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight.

Thirtyone:eight is the leading independent Christian safeguarding charity in the UK. They work with a network of faith and non-faith based charities and organisation across the country, to help support, train and equip their workers and volunteers to effectively safeguard children and adults at risk.

They also work in partnership with government and statutory agencies, as well as leaders from across church denominations to embed best practice. Thirtyone:eight does this by providing professional advice, support, training and resources in all areas of safeguarding and child protection for children, adults and for those affected by abuse.

Justin Humphreys, Joint Chief Executive at Thirtyone:eight, said:

“Safeguarding Sunday is a chance to shine a light on what so many churches are doing to make places of worship safer. We mustn’t forget that protecting vulnerable people is at the heart of the Christian message of justice and hope.”