wfn.org | ACNS3341 Churches safer when unlocked

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3341     |     ENGLAND	|     11 MARCH 2003

Churches safer when unlocked

[National Churches Tourism Group] Welcoming the Archbishop of York's
comments today on the issue of clergy safety, the National Churches Tourism
Group drew attention to the advice from insurers about Church buildings that
churches "if at all possible should be left open during the day."

Secretary of the National Churches Tourism Group, Rosemary Watts, said,
"National figures from Ecclesiastical Insurance, which insures most of our
parish churches show that locked churches suffer twice as much crime as
unlocked churches." The National Churches Tourism Group represents churches
of all sizes and denominations throughout the country.

Mrs Watts drew attention to the official guidance from Ecclesiastical
Insurance which is that "if at all possible your church should be left open
during the day for those who wish to pray or who wish to find a place for
quiet contemplation." She said that although it was more difficult to be
open during the day in some urban areas it was possible for all churches to
follow the experts' advice. In the predominantly rural diocese of Lincoln,
where she is Church Tourism Officer, police figures indicate that unlocked
churches are six times safer.

"I would be very sorry if the Archbishop's statement referring to a specific
problem in a relatively tiny proportion of churches in certain areas should
lead the majority of churches to lock quite unnecessarily. The view of the
Archdeacons in this diocese is that 'A locked church is a dead church,'" she
said.

"Common sense would encourage most churches to stay open," continued Mrs
Watts. "The very few professional church thieves will know there are no
'easy pickings' in an unlocked church, and that they are very likely to be
disturbed. Vandalism has also been shown to reduce dramatically in both
urban and rural areas when churches open their doors during the week."

Speaking at the National Churches Tourism Group annual conference last
November, Nick Tolson of Churchwatch drew attention to the official figures
showing churches are safer when open. The Open Churches Trust (founded by
Andrew Lloyd Webber) also offers advice to churches that wish to welcome
visitors and will visit dioceses to assist in enabling churches to open
their doors.

___________________________________________________________________

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