At St Mary’s we welcome children and families to explore faith together. Our Family Service is specially designed for children and their families. We also have links with all Cottingham’s schools.
Family Service
Our Family Service takes place on the first Sunday of the month at 4pm. It’s an informal service with songs, a story, activities for all to join in and refreshments. Each month we’ll have a different theme.
Christenings
Your child is precious to you and precious to God. You want the very best for them, and so does God. You want them to make right choices in life, for themselves and for others.
A christening is just the beginning of this and so much more. Christenings, or baptisms, take place in our Family Service. Get in touch to ask about having your child baptised.
Family activities
We have events for families throughout the year to help you explore and celebrate the great festivals of the year together. Please get in touch if you would like receive our Family Newsletter.
Schools
We have links with all the schools in Cottingham. The St Mary’s Open the Book team visits the primary schools to do assemblies telling Bible stories. Hallgate School visits the church several times a year for services.
Child Safeguarding
The Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is central to our Christian faith and everything we do at St Mary’s.
St Mary’s is committed to:
• Promoting a safer environment and culture.
• Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
• Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
• Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
• Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
• Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.
If you have concerns
If you have a concern about an individual’s physical, sexual or emotional well-being, please report it to our Safeguarding Officer or to the York Diocese Safeguarding Officer. We will deal with all matters confidentially and we will only inform any relevant external bodies such as the police or social services if required to protect those who are vulnerable from harm.
If you have information about a safeguarding situation where a child or adult is in immediate danger, or requires immediate medical attention, call emergency services on 999.
You can seek further advice or make a disclosure by calling the East Riding Safeguarding Children Partnership or phone 01482 393939.
If you do not think there is a risk of immediate harm, please speak to the Parish or Diocesan Safeguarding Officer as soon as possible. Parish Safeguarding Officer, Sheila Fisher Email: sheila@safisher.karoo.co.uk, or the Diocese of York Safeguarding Team. .
Our Safeguarding Policy is also displayed in the church and this sets out in more detail about what our procedure is.
Safeguarding Officer
Sheila Fisher Email: sheila@safisher.karoo.co.uk