St Francis of Assisi Parish Council
The Parish Council consists of elected members, and the Parish Priest, who serves in an ex officio capacity. Others may be co-opted and parish organsiations may also have one representative. The elected members normally serve for three years. Meetings take place every two months on a Tuesday evening and are open meetings. The minutes of each meeting are displayed on the notice board in the Narthex.
The Parish Council is concerned with all matters of parish life, working with and advising the Parish Priest. The Council also ensure that the life of the parish is properly communicated and celebrated, that the social life of the parish is fostered and that our links with the diocese are maintained. The principal responsibility for each of those tasks is given to individual members of the council.
The council has a number of sectors which are responsible for specific groups and activities within the Parish. Below is a list of those sectors and their members.
| Chair | Mike Campbell |
| Secretary | Eva Kaltenthaler |
| Spirituality & Faith Formation | Stephen Parker Lindsay Reynolds Richard McQuinn |
| Youth Ministry | Richard Bushell |
| Justice and Peace | Stephen Spooner |
| Pastoral care and Community (including social activities) |
Anne Shepherd |
| Communications |
The Finance Committee
This comprises the Parish Priest and three lay members. It has its own constitution and is responsible to the Bishop for accounting and the budgeting of parish funds. It reports to the Parish Council. The current lay members are: Derek Hemmingfield (Chair), Alan Wenham (Secretary) and Kevin McHale.
The Diocese of Hallam is registered charity no. 512021. The parish is able to reclaim tax from HMRC on all recorded donations. Parishioners who pay tax are encouraged to complete a Gift Aid Declaration (GAD).
Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults
The Parish of St. Francis of Assisi is committed to the policies of the Catholic Church in England and Wales designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm and to promote a safe environment for them. This commitment flows from the fact that we are all made in the image of God and the Church’s common belief in the dignity and uniqueness of every human being.
The Church in England and Wales has established a rigorous and formal framework, with systematic procedures, in order to ensure that the necessary protection is given to those who are vulnerable. Within this framework, parishes are required to designate specialist Safeguarding Officers whose role is to oversee the introduction and application of the required policies and procedures. The diocesan safeguarding co-ordinator is Marie O’Donnolly and the contact for St. Francis Parish is Bob Levesley.
Read the latest Diocese of Hallam Safeguarding Newsletter for more information on our Safeguarding policies. You can also read the latest newsletter from the Catholic Safeguarding Project.
Risk assessment
When organising an event, think about how children or vulnerable adults may be put at risk and think about how to address those risks. Please complete the risk assessment form before any event and hand it to the Parish Priest.