Very recently Bodmin Way advertised for a volunteer to become the new Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) for the Bodmin Team Ministry.
The PSO is a vital role in building a strong safeguarding culture within our parishes, and we are grateful to Tracy Fothergill for agreeing to become our new PSO.
Tracy will take over from Paula Martin during April, following on all the work Paula has done in her interim role, including getting to know many of you and supporting you through your recruitment and training as volunteers.
Some of you will have met Tracy before, as she has been a regular volunteer at Time Together on Wednesday mornings. She is taking a short break from that while she is getting to grips with becoming the PSO, but hopes to return next month.
During April you can expect that either Tracy or Paula will be in contact with volunteers or responding to any safeguarding concerns which are raised. For those of you who have completed safeguarding training recently, you will remember that the PSO is the link between anyone in the community raising a safeguarding concern, and the Diocesan safeguarding team.
PSO’s are often volunteers, and that is certainly the case all over Cornwall. It can be a demanding role, and therefore the Diocesan safeguarding team based in Truro is there to support, together with a networking forum for PSO’s across Cornwall. The forum is a great opportunity to catch up on current guidance and share good practice, to support and be supported.
As she takes on role, Tracy will also become our DBS recruiter, working with the Church of England’s preferred agency thirtyone:eight. She will assist volunteers who need to have a new or renewed DBS because of their volunteering role with children or vulnerable adults.
Tracy is also the first point of contact for anyone interested in joining as a volunteer, to help at the many church groups, events and activities organised by the churches and by the Bodmin Way social enterprise.
Both Tracy and Paula would like to take this opportunity to thank every volunteer who donates their time and skills to the important community activities which take place each week, and especially to everyone who has given up their time to learn more about safeguarding and raise their own awareness. We are building really good safeguarding practice within our churches and wider community activities, and you have all helped towards this.
You can reach Tracy and Paula by e mailing them on safeguarding@bodminway.org.