Ruskington Community Church Leadership

Let us introduce you to our Leadership Team, who currently serve on a voluntary, part time capacity.

ALISON GIBBS

Alison Gibbs

Alison is our ministry leader.

She has 20 years’ experience in church leadership and is a minister with AOG.  She also works part time as a hospital chaplain across Lincolnshire’s hospitals.

Alison has responsibilities for our preaching, teaching and prayer programmes and oversight of our ministries, ladies, men’s, home groups and outreach. She also heads up our vision and strategy.

Alison is married to Andrew and has 3 grown up children.

JANET COURTNEY

Janet Courtney

Janet is our administrative and safeguarding leader.

She has responsibilities for the day to day running of Ruskington Community Church. She is also our connector with other churches and organisations, including the NHS funded Meadow Community Hub based in our building.

She is our Safeguarding Lead and supports our volunteers, as well as overseeing our children’s ministry.

Janet is a retired teacher. She is married to Steve and has 2 step daughters, and 4 grandchildren.

STEVE COURTNEY

Steve Courtney

Steve is our resources and media leader.

He is our treasurer and serves as Chair on our board of Trustees.

Steve also has responsibility for our buildings and maintenance, as well as PA, media and anything technical!Steve is a retired RAF engineer.

He is married to Janet and has 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren.

LEADERSHIP SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

 SAFEGUARDING POLICY STATEMENT FOR RUSKINGTON COMMUNITY CHURCH

 PURPOSE:

The Ruskington Community Church Leadership recognises the importance of its responsibility to protect everyone entrusted to our care

The purpose of the policy statement is:

  • To protect children, young people and adults who engage with events/ministry through Ruskington Community Church
  • To provide staff, volunteers, children, young people, and their families with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding

OUR COMMITMENT:

  • Ruskington Community Church is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults with care and support needs and to ensuring their well-being.
  • We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent harm or abuse to children and adults with care and support needs in all their recognised forms.
  • We recognise the personal dignity and rights of adults and children and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this.
  • We believe all people should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of Ruskington Community Church unless they pose a risk to the safety of those we serve.
  • We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with children and adults with care and support needs.
  • We believe every child and adult should be valued, safe and happy. We want to make sure that all those we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are experiencing significant harm.
  • We will follow statutory denominational and specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and adults and will ensure that as a place of worship/organisation all workers will work within the agreed procedure of our safeguarding policy.
  • We will implement the requirements of all relevant legislation including, but not limited to; Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005, Equality Act 2010 and referring concerns about adults with care and support needs to the local authority under the Care Act 2014.
  • We will support, resource and train those who undertake this work.
  • We will ensure that we are keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding.
  • We will ensure that everyone agrees to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by this place of worship/organisation.
  • We will support all in the place of worship/organisation affected by abuse.

WE RECOGNISE:

  • Children’s Social Services has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a child. Adult Social Care has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about an adult with care and support needs.
  • Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.
  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

We will review this statement and our Safeguarding Policy annually.   A copy of our safeguarding policy can be viewed upon request.

If you have any concerns for a child or adult, then speak to one of the following who have been approved as safeguarding co-ordinators for this place of worship/organisation.

Janet Courtney: Safeguarding Coordinator
Helen Clarke: Deputy Safeguarding Coordinator