The Berkeley Benefice takes its duty and obligation to protect all extremely seriously. We have adopted the national Church of England's robust procedures and guidelines. You can find out more about the national policies and proceedures at www.churchofengland.org/safeguarding

​The churches of our Berkeley Benefice will strive to create and maintain environments that are safe for all,
that prevent abuse, and that create nurturing, caring conditions within our churches for children, young people and vulnerable adults. Our Parish Church Councils shall support our church safeguarding officers in adhering to safer good practice and to challenge the abuse of power.

If you are concerned that someone you know is at risk of, or is being abused, or presents a risk to others, please seek advice from a Safeguarding Adviser or if necessary report the matter to the Local Authority Social Care Service or the Police without delay..

You can contact the Priest in Charge, Rev'd Steve Godsell 
01453 810294

or one of our Parish Safeguarding Officers, whose details can be found on the safeguarding posters displayed in each of our churches.
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Further information can be found on the Gloucester Diocese's website:
​https://www.gloucester.anglican.org/about-us/safeguarding/

Useful websites:

• www.childline.org.uk  Contact Childline anytime.  Calls are free and confidential: 0800 1111
• www.nspcc.org.uk  NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000
• www.wearehourglass.org (Action Against Elder Abuse).  Call for confidential help and advice: 080 8808 8141
• www.samaritans.org  Calls to The Samaritans are free and available 24 hours a day, every day: 116 123​​

​Data protection (GDPR)
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The PCC's of the Berkeley Benefice take the responsibility of how we manage the data and information we hold seriously.

We recognise that churches can be complex places where information is held in a number of areas and by a number of people who work or volunteer with us in so many ways.

We will ensure that information we hold is:

• Processed lawfully, fairly, and in a transparent manner
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes.
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are used.
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the  purposes for which the personal data are processed.
• Kept securely.

We will ensure that our policies and practices are regularly reviewed.