Preparation and Sale of Food on Church Premises

Providing certain basic precautions are followed there is no reason whatsoever why Churches should not be involved with the preparation and sale of food.This may range from a one-off annual event such as the church fete, a weekly coffee morning or lunch or a full scale catering operation providing a large number of meals on a daily basis. Different considerations apply depending on the scale of the operation, as outlined below:

What the Law Says

The law relating to food safety is covered by the Food Safety Act 1990 and regulations made under it.

The Food Safety Act makes it an offence for anyone to sell or process for sale food which is:

- Harmful to health;- Contaminated to such an extent that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be eaten;- Falsely described, advertised or presented;- Not what the customer can reasonably expect.

The things you must do to comply with the Food Safety Act are contained in the regulations below:

Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995

These cover the basic requirements for safe premises, general food hygiene, personal hygiene and training of food handlers. Everyone involved in food handling must have received training in basic food hygiene. More detailed information is given below:

The Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995

These regulations apply to the requirement for temperature control to all types of food which without it might support the growth of harmful bacteria or the formulation of toxins.

Product Specific Regulations

There are a large number of specific regulations relating to various foodstuffs such as dairy products, eggs, poultry and shellfish.

Premises Which Are Only Used Occasionally For Food Preparation

The Food Safety (general Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 require that premises which are used occasionally for food preparation such as Church halls, and moveable or temporary premises such as marquees, follow the guidance for temporary premises. The Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice published by Chadwick House Group sets out in detail a guide to compliance with the Regulations, and gives advice on good practice. The following is a summary of some of the main requirements:

- Anyone using the premises must have regard for other activities that have previously taken place in the premises. If these present a risk of food contamination, the premises should be thoroughly cleaned and if necessary disinfect before food preparation begins.- Food contact surfaces must be in sound condition, clean and easy to disinfect.- There must be a basin or basins for hand-wash only, provided with hot and cost water, soap or detergent and a means of hand drying.- Protective clothing must be provided, and high standards of personal hygiene maintained. Any wounds must be covered with a brightly covered waterproof dressing.- It is good practice for all visitors to a kitchen to wear protective clothing including hats if they present a risk of contamination.- Hot and cold water must be available for washing tools and equipment together with a supply of detergent. It is good practice to separate sinks for food washing. Where this is not practicable the sink should be cleaned and disinfected between different activities.- Adequate facilities must be available for maintaining and monitoring suitable food temperatures. In most circumstances foods which need temperature control for safety must be held either HOT (at above 63 degrees C) or CHILLED (at or below 8 degrees C).

For hot holding, insulated boxes will only be effective over short periods of time. For chilled storage, mechanical refrigeration equipment will normally be needed to achieve satisfactory temperatures. Ready-to-eat foods must be kept away from raw foods that may contaminate them both in storage and preparation.

Premises Used For The Regular Preparation Of Food

If meals are produced on a regular basis, in addition to the requirements outlined above, other regulations apply.

It may be necessary to provide separate sinks for food preparation and equipment washing if the volume of preparation in the kitchen demands it.

There may be a need for a means of mechanical ventilation.

Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991

If food is provided for 5 or more days in any five consecutive weeks you must advise the local authority about any premises you are using for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food. The majority of premises will have to be registered. However, certain premises which could include Church Halls may be exempt. You should contact your local authority Environmental Health Officer to check whether or not you need to register.

Further Information

More detailed advice can be obtained from your local authority Environmental Health Department. Other texts:

- Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995.....ISBN 0900 103 00 0

The following are FREE from the Food Standards Agency:

- A guide to general Food Hygiene Regulations 1995 (Ref: FSA 0051)- A Guide to the Food Safety (Temperature Control) regulations 1995 (Ref: FSA 0148)- A Guide To Food Hazards and Your Business (Ref: FSA 0095).

This Advice sheet has been prepared by the Diocese of Hereford's Tourism Project. It is for information only.

SOURCE OF THIS INFORMATION: 'Guidance Notes for Churches' Section 3: Health & Safety. Ecclesiastical Insurance.

Encouraging School and Group Visits

The following list provides you with some ideas as to how to encourage school and group visits to your Church.

- Your local authority's education department will distribute a weekly 'post bag' to all schools in your area - ask them if you can send information to schools via this bag.

- Your local library will have a directory of all local groups and societies - including scouts/guides etc.

- Produce a poster and an information sheet about tours for children, and distribute them as widely as possible - use them as flyers to send to schools/groups and display them in local post offices, tourist information centres, libraries, churches etc.

- Invite your local Mayor & other well known people to take part in a charitable event, for example, climbing the tower if you have one (a Resource Pack on how to go about opening your tower is available from the Churches Tourism Officer). Invite the press and tell them that other group tours are available (try this publicity stunt with each successive Mayor as the summer season starts).

- Involve visitors in your advertising - give groups copies of posters for display on their premises/where they meet.

- Make sure you contact all groups at least once a year to remind them of your services - mailings often get misplaced or lost through the year.

Publicising Open days & Events

- Send a press release (see example below) to ALL local press, radio and television stations - you should be able to get a list of fax numbers/addresses from your local authority press office, tourism officer or library. Most libraries keep lists or try Benns Media Directory or Willings Press Guide in the reference library. Alternatively, you may wish to send your press release to the Diocesan Communications Office. Tel: 01432 37334 or Email c.combstock@hereford.anglican.org

- Get to know who's who at the newsdesk or newsroom and keep you list up-to-date. Try to create a good ongoing relationship. To assist with this try and learn media deadlines and plan with these in mind. Invite the press to attend on the day of your event to take photographs - give those who attend a 'press pack' with information on what your visitors are likely to see, experience or take part in. Don't forget to include in the pack anything else you wish to publicise.

- Produce posters about the open day for tourist information centres, libraries, parish magazines and for display in the church. Posters should be A3 or A4 in size so that they can easily fit on noticeboards or in shop windows. If possible make the poster as colourful as you can. Use pictures on the poster and keep writing to a minimum. Ensure that you just include basic information on the event such as the venue, time and broad details of what visitors will be able to see and experience. Include a contact name and telephone number so that those potential visitors who need more information than is provided on the poster can get hold of it. Less is definitely more when it comes to posters!

- Try to plan open days well in advance so they can be included in your local tourist information officer 'What's on Diary' and possibly local authority tourism publicity. Don't forget to tell the Diocesan Church Tourism Officer (Clare Phipps) about your event well in advance so that she can include it in the annual 'Events Booklet' or possibly include it in the monthly tourism newsletter.

- The following is an example press release. The press release refers to a church that is opening its tower for the day. Although your event is likely to be different it will help you think about the type of information that your press release will need to contain. The press release should be written on, and should not exceed a single side of A4 paper in length. Gather your facts and make sure that you know what the story line is. Make sure you ask yourselves who you are aiming the story at and which form of media is most likely to reach them. To draw attention to your press release make sure that you use some key words...'the oldest.....bigget...newest...first time ever...for the last time....' A press release should have five facts...Who? What? Where? When and Why? The press release should be typed and should use standard A4 paper. If you can offer photos or photo opportunities and address your press release to the News Editor unless you are sending it to a particular journalist or reporter. Keep a copy of everything that you send.

- After sending your press release you should be prepared for a call or visit from a reporter. Be prepared by thinking about the main three points that you want to get across. Follow up with a phone call to them if they do not contact you.

NEWS RELEASE see explanation below in green box

Date:........................

Reach the Sky in "........................"

See "..........................." as you have NEVER seen it before!

Are you feeling fit? Then come and climb our 106 steps to the top of our Parish Church tower. You will see breathtaking views of the town centre and surrounding countryside.

Inside the tower marvel at the inside of the hollow stone spire, and the size of the 12 regularly used bells. Bell ringers will be on hand to explain the techniques they use and demonstrate English Change Ringing.

The open day will take place on:Saturday 19th July 2003, 10am - 3pmThere will be a nominal charge of £1 per person.

Please be aware that climbing the tower should not be attempted by people with claustrophobia, vertigo, severe asthma or heart or lung conditions. There are 106 steep steps to the top. Sensible clothing and footwear must be worn, we reserve the right to refuse admission.

For more information, or to arrange pre-opening photographs please contact J. Bloggs on 01XX XXX or email: j.bloggs@jbloggs.co.uk

Producing Thought Provoking Panels

TOP hints for Producing Thought Provoking Panels

- Make your words count. Produce a maximum of between 150 to 200 words. Less is definitely more!

- Use bold titles and sub-titles. Sell your theme.

- Highlight your main points.

- Use language creatively. Use alliteration and 'active' words.

- Use approachable language. Imagine writing as if you are talking to the reader. Use "you" e.g. "You Will See".

- Use short pithy sentences.

- Vary your sentence length.

- Don't use long words.

- Avoid jargon and Latin.

- Involve your audience. Get them doing something, looking for something, listening etc.

- Remember not to just present facts. Stories and metaphors work much better.

- Use pictures but illustrate, don't decorate.

- Make the panels 'active'. Use tactile surfaces and interesting materials. Use your panel to 'stop' people.- Nominate someone to maintain the panels. Decide on how long you will keep it before you produce it.

- Evaluate. Test the panel before you make it. Watch, listen and ask for feedback.

Reproduced using ideas from Sue Cross Tell-Tale Interpretation, Margi Bryant Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Nigel McDonald, No Nonsense Interpretation.

Interpreting For Young People

Printed Material

- Keep it simple, don't use long words and be impersonal.

- Use active verbs, be positive.

- Use lots of illustrations, make it attractive.

- Aim to surprise and entertain.

- Ensure the text is large enough.

- Use colour if possible.

- Put displays and panels at a suitable height and think about making them interactive. This means that children have something to do such as lift flaps, open boxes, feel things etc.

Guides and Trails

- Children like to explore and find things out for themselves, they like surprises and humour. This probably applies to adults too!

- Children love interactive trails. They are both fun and educational.

- Think about whether you want to create a trail using permanent boards and clues etc. or whether you want to develop a trail that can be erected or used temporarily.

- Include natural and built trail features.

- You may want to think about just using your trail for special occasions since most visiting children will be relatively local.

- To help with the problem of regular visits from Children, then a trail quiz for each month or season could be created. Caring For God's Acre have examples. These are easy to produce by looking in children's quiz or nature books for ideas on how to set out the quiz or what to include. They can be easily produced on a computer and photocopied.

- As you visit places of interest take note of how those attractions interpret themselves and apply it, if appropriate to your circumstances.

Events

- Both the churchyard and church are suitable places for special events aimed at children and families.

- Think about activities such as 'minibeast safari's' and other nature-based or history based activities.

- Think about offering art activities (brass or headstone/tombstome rubbing; drawing items of specific interest; colouring competitions etc.); storytelling or creative writing.

- When organising events remember Health and Safety by carrying out a Risk Assessment and taking care to observe the law relating to the care of Children away from parents. You may also like to consider a code of conduct for events or school visits eg. Maintaining the peace and quiet of the churchyard and church as well as more practical hints such as not dropping litter and keeping to paths.

Leaflet Design Hints and Tips

Step 1: Message

- It's really important to think about what you want to say and how you want to relay your message- It's worth considering as a first stage WHY you are producing a leaflet and your aims and objectives. In doing this you may realise that your message may be better conveyed using, for example, on site interpretation.

Step 2: Think about the aim of the leaflet

- (A) Is the aim of the leaflet to tell people more about your church whilst they visit it? Do you want visitors to have information in their hand as they walk around your site or only at particular points? If it is only at particular points then it may be more cost effective in the long run to produce interpretation boards. These are also easier to manage at an unmanned site where it may be difficult to keep leaflets well stocked. Will there be a benefit from people taking away your leaflet. Printing your contact details on the leaflet will mean that people may contact you in the future to donate money or volunteer their time.- (B) Is the aim of the leaflet to raise awareness of your Church? If so you must think hard about the image that you want to portray and ensure that your leaflet stands out amongst other leaflets.

Step 3: Methods of Presentation

- There are many ways to get the message across in a leaflet from the use of lots of images and minimal text to lots of text and minimal images.- Think about using diagrams and maps where appropriate and possible.- The subject matter will often dominate the style of the leaflet and if you think about it you will realise that certain types of information are more often than not presented in a similar format to meet the reader's expectations- The method of presentation and design that you choose should depend on your audience and it's important to consider who this is or will be before moving forward in the creation of a leaflet.

Step 4: Think About Your Audience

- Think hard about who the leaflet is aimed at and consider: age; special interest groups; social demographic groups; language (do you need versions in several different languages?); those with special needs (e.g. partially sighted).- More often than not you will want you leaflet to appeal to as wide a group as possible but design elements as well as the text can tailor the leaflet to make it appeal to a more specific target audience.

Step 5: Think About the Content of the Leaflet

- Keep it simple! Most simple leaflets will include text and images. It is most likely that you will want your leaflet to appeal to as many people as possible so try and use simple plain English and sentence structure so that your text flows well.- Depending on your aim, try to use descriptive words that will create images in people's minds or inspire them to want to find out more about your church.- State the obvious! Remember to keep things basic and state the obvious. While working on a project it can be hard to remember to do just this, but just because you understand something don't assume others will. This is important event when a leaflet is aimed at a specific interest group because people will all have different levels of knowledge.- Try not to overcrowd the leaflet with text. Choose a few key points and enlarge on these. Use text design elements such as headings or bullet points to clearly summarise points to avoid long explanations.- If you are planning to use both leaflets and on-site interpretation boards use the boards to give longer explanations and use the leaflet to guide people to the boards and as a 'teaser' to give people a taste of what is to come. You want people to experience your site and not be pre-occupied by reading a complicated leaflet.- Choose appropriate images and ensure that you get them scanned in at a high resolution if you are going to have the leaflet professionally printed. Acceptable resolutions are between 300 and 600 dpi (dots per inch). Often photo discs produced when you get photos developed will scan images at a very large 'size' (approx 60 cm) but at 72dpi which is the resolution used to view images on a screen. It is usually OK to use these images if they are to be reduced in size on the leaflet. A 72dpi images printed at actual size will appear out of focus and 'pixellated'.- Images to be printed by a professional printer will need to be in a CMYK format rather than RGB, which

is the colour method used for screen display. If in doubt get your printer of a local designer to arrange all of the design work for you.- The use of maps within leaflets requires careful consideration and extra time to research as all mapping that is drawn by the Ordnance Survey or based on Ordnance Survey mapping (traced or redrawn to scale by you) needs to be licensed by the Ordnance Survey. It is advisable to contact the OS before proceeding too far with a project, as they will then be able to advise you as to whether a fee will be charged. Please be aware that the OS do monitor printed literature and will prosecute if a licence has not been applied for. OS contact details as follows:

Customer Service CentreOrdnance SurveyRomsey RoadSouthamptonSO16 4GUTel: 08456 050505 (local rate)Email: customerservices@ordancesurvey.co.ukWebsite: www.ordsvy.gov.uk

Step 6: Deciding on the Design & Layout

- The best way to get an idea of how you want your leaflet to look is to go to a Tourist Information Centre and Collect the leaflets that you like. Don't be afraid to 'borrow' design elements from various leaflets to get the right image for you. Often it is the most simple of designs that work the best. There is a lot of value in 'white spaces' within a design which can make the leaflet a lot clearer and give a fresh appearance.- Think about sizes and layout. 1/3 A4 leaflets fit into many standard leaflet racks and the other regular size for a leaflet is A5.- Think about how people will use the leaflet. Often people look at the front and then start reading the right inside page first so they are likely to miss information that is positioned on the inside of the front cover. Often with design elements you can subliminally encourage people to read the information in the order that you have planned.- Typefaces. When designing a leaflet try to choose and stick to a maximum of two typefaces or fonts. Often a pleasing effect can be achieved by choosing a serifed font and a non serifed (sans serif) font, but it is down to the individual designer. Make use of symbol typefaces such as 'wingdings' to give more interesting bullet points.- Think about how the text is aligned on the page. Often justification can give a tidier appearance to a column of text. Think about whether you wish to centre headings.- Think about whether you want to use full colour in your leaflet or just one or two 'spot' colours. Remember you do not need to use 'black and white' you can choose any colours that work well together and print on coloured paper. Images can be tinted in one of the colours you wish to use. When getting a leaflet professionally printed the use of one or two spot colours will be cheaper than a full colour print run.

Step 7: Budgeting and Printing Your Leaflet

- A professionally printed run of leaflets will be quite costly so it is worth getting quotes from a few printers before you start your project.- Think how many leaflets you will need. This will probably be dominated by where you will be distribution your leaflet and/or how many people will be likely to visit your Church.- Large print runs will seem daunting and it is important to consider whether you have room to store boxes of leaflets. However, the set up costs will be high for the first print run so it's worth getting a large number printed if you will be able to distribute them. This also lowers the unit cost of each leaflet.- Decide on the specification of your leaflet and either work up the design yourself (if you feel confident), or approach a printer who will be able to put you in touch with a designer (alternatively contact a designer who will work with a printer).- If you are meeting a designer take a few examples of leaflets that you like to help them visualise what you require. Also prepare the final text and take along any images you want to use in your leaflet (finalising the text beforehand will save you money as many designers will charge extra for changes to the text once the design has been laid out).- Check what the designer will do for the fee and make sure that you will be the 'owner' of the work for copyright reasons in case you want to make changes to the design in the future and decide to use a different designer.- Your designer and printer will take you through the rest of the process. There is nothing more nerve wracking yet exciting as getting your first leaflet back from the printers. Good Luck!- Cheaper alternatives - if you only require a short print run then why not design the leaflet yourself using a desktop publishing package. 'Microsoft Publisher' which is relatively easy to use and comes with 'Wizard' to help run you through the basics and a selection of clipart to help you illustrate your leaflet.

Digital cameras now make it easy to get images on your screen without the need for a scanner. These can then be printed off as required on a home printer or could be colour copied.

This leaflet has been produced from one created by Abby Marshall, Interpretation and Promotion Officer with Herefordshire Council.

A Case Study of Successful Event Organisation

Letwell is a small village on the Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire Border, just a little to the south-east of Rotherham.The village is centred on St Peter's Church. It is a highly rural community, surrounded by farmland. The village has very little in the way of services and amenities. It does not have a shop or a pub or a post office. It has no major tourist attractions. The village itself comprises many listed buildings including cottages, 2 farms, a village hall and 20 houses built in the 1960's/70's. In-fact it is very similar in a good deal of respects to the majority of parishes and communities in Herefordshire and South Shropshire.

 Letwell Fayre

For the last 150 years the village of Letwell has been holding a street fayre comprising traditional attractions such as dancing and village stalls. The fayre proves very popular with locals and visitors alike, so it was decided to make the event larger and more successful.

Letwell's Approach:

Having made a decision to improve the Fayre, a project team got together with their Church Tourism Officer and applied for a £5,000 grant from 'Awards for All'. The application was successful and the team spent the grant on advertising, field rental, the hire of a ferris wheel and other attractions and the hire of portable toilets.

The approach the team took helped them achieve their aims and realise a successful Fayre. The first success factor related to the fact that Letwell decided to move the date of the Fayre so that it co-incided with the Rotherham Walking Festival, a time when there would be an increased number of people visiting the village. They began organising the event well in advance. Twelve months before the chosen date the organisation committee began meeting. The committee comprised 12 members and it met every 6 weeks during those 12 months. As the date of the Fayre approached the committee met more regularly.

The 'new improved' event comprised rides, exhibits and stalls, local craftspeople, demonstrations, folk dance groups, the local Welfare band, Maypole dancing using local school children and refreshments.

Benefits:

The benefits that accrued to the Church and village as a result of the Fayre were immense. By joining forces the committee were able to 'tap into' available funding that may not otherwise have been available to them. The committee raised double their target (£6,000) and attracted over 4,000 visitors. The Fayre is now such a successful event that it is held annually. It still receives in-part funding from 'Awards for All'.

A case study of Cotheridge Church - Taking The Role of a Tourist Information Centre

A Introduction to Cotheridge Church

Cotheridge is a small village located in the Teme Valley in Worcestershire. The Church has been at the centre of the GO WEST initiative which aims to use Churches in the Valley as visitor gateways to the

wider area, providing tourists with a good welcome. The Church decided, together with the Honorary Development Director of GO WEST, to extend the Church's community role by acting as an information point for visitors to the area.

Steps to Their New Role

Using an Archdeacon's temporary license Cotheridge reordered the back of the Church and took out pews to make space for visitors to sit and browse literature. They also changed the entrance route and doorway into the Church, achieving a more direct and level approach.

The Church then created their own exhibition and made space for a 'What's On' notice board and literature area. They also contacted the many attractions, food producers, garden centres etc. and obtained promotional leaflets.

The Church progressed to creating a new 'Visitors Guide' to the area, comprising in part 5 local walks to help tourists explore the local area, and submitted a grant application to a scheme which was unfortunately withdrawn just as the forms were received. Whilst this has been a set-back to the Church there are other funding avenues open which are being explored, namely 'Awards For All'. A grant is needed for new print, displays and furniture.

Benefits

The creation of an information point within the Church has had several benefits, as follows:- It helped the GO WEST initiative to gain a 'Highly Commended' in a Community Pride competition. - The Church has raised its profile within its group and has been given a stronger sense of purpose. - The economic benefit to the Church, although small, has been beneficial.- The comments in the visitors book show that the efforts that have been made have been appreciated, especially in terms of the sense of care, interest and the general feel of the building.- The Church has extended its mission to visitors.

How to welcome Less Able Visitors

There are numerous publications and organisations which can help Churches provide an effective welcome for visitors who have a disability. This Advice Sheet signposts those publications and organisations and provides high level guidelines for those people wishing to ensure that they provide the best possible welcome for all visitors.

The attached sheet provides a set of guidelines for Church stewards. It is taken from the 'Through The Roof' Roofbreaker Guides, details of which are provided at the end of this advice sheet.

In addition, the following 10 questions should be asked of all churches with regard to their provision for the visually impaired:

1. Does this place of worship have large print hymnbooks (recommended 18-20 point type Arial)?2. Does this place of worship have large print service books?3. Does this building have large print tourist guides?4. Are indoor and outside steps edged with white paint?5. Does this place of worship have a hymnbook in Braille?6. Does this place of worship have a service book in Braille?7. Do the Clergy provide all Special Service Sheets in large print? E.g. Carol, Family, Harvest, Ordination, Compline & Enthronement?8. Are Pew sheets/weekly notices/menus produced in large print?9. Are there Church Magazines/Diocesan Newspapers recorded on audio?10. Are the first lines of hymns announced for those who rely on memory?

Helpful organisations in Christian Disability Ministry:

Through The RoofPO Box 353EpsomSurreyKT18 5WSTel: 01372 749955 Fax: 01372 737040 Minicom: 01372 737041

This group provides training and raises disability awareness amongst Churches and Christians and equips disabled people for leadership.

Causeway ProspectsPO Box 351ReadingRG1 7AL

Tel: 0118 957 2722 Fax: 0118 939 1683

This group works with adults with learning disabilities.

Shaftsbury Society16 Kingston RoadLondonSW19 1JZ

Tel: 020 8239 5555 Fax: 020 8239 5580

Residential and day care of adults with physical and learning disabilities.

Torch Trust for the BlindTorch HouseHallatonMarket HarboroughLeicestershireLE16 8UJ

Tel: 01858 555301 Fax: 01858 555371

Providing resources for blind and visually impaired people.

CHAD (Church Action on Disability)50 Scrutton StreetLondonEC2A 4XQ

Tel: 020 7452 2085 Fax: 020 7452 2001

Education and awareness raising of disability in churches.

John Grooms Association for Disabled People50 Scrutton StreetLondonEC2A 4XQ

Tel: 020 7452 2000 Fax: 020 7452 2001

Diverse housing and care services and accessible holiday accommodation in the UK for adults with physical disabilities.

Evangelical Alliance Disability Forum186 Kennington Park RoadLondonSE11 4BT

Tel: 020 7207 2100 Fax: 020 7207 2150

Umbrella organisation for Christian disability organisations.

Deaf Christian Network - Hands TogetherPO Box 212DoncasterSouth YorkshireDN2 5XA

Tel: 01302 369684 (Voice/Minicom) Fax: 01302 739660

This organisation works with profoundly deaf people.

Hard of Hearing Christian FellowshipPO Box 91ReadingRG1 5YR

Fellowship for hard of hearing Christians.

Disearning19 Mill LaneOversley GreenAlcesterWarwickshireB49 6LF

Tel/Fax: 01789 765439

Disability awareness training. 

Highway Signage for Churches Tourist Signs

This Advice Sheet outlines the current rules, regulations and criteria regarding the erection of 'tourist' or 'brown' signs in the Diocese. Space is limited but the major points of note are included. Rules, regulations, criteria and process are different for Herefordshire and South Shropshire and are therefore dealt with separately in this sheet.

The main points of note for those contemplating for those in Herefordshire are as follows:

- Applicants need to be able to answer 'yes' to the following:

'Do you advertise widely to tourists?';  Are you open at least 150 days a year?';  'Are you a permanent establishment?';  'Are you open to the casual passing visitor?';  'Do you have adequate parking facilities?';  'Are you outside a main town centre?';  'Are you prepared to pay the full costs of any signage scheme?'; 'Do you consider that you are eligible and wish to be considered for tourist signage?'

- If you can answer 'yes' to the above questions then an application pack can be obtained from Herefordshire Council's Engineering and Transportation Dept. Write to: Tourist Signing Request, Highways & Transportation Dept, Herefordshire Council, Unit 3 Thorn Business Park, Rotherwas Industrial Estate, Hereford, HR2 6JT.

- Application comprises completion of a questionnaire & a non-refundable fee of £75. Applications are also judged on consideration of traffic management needs, road safety etc. & there are no grounds for appeal against a signing decision, (which will be made within 6 weeks of application).

- Successful applicants will have to pay a set fee to cover visit costs, sign design etc. This is £50 for up to 5 signs; £75 for up to 10 signs & £100 for 11+ signs. Applicants must pay to cover any costs relating to sign damage.

- Decisions relating to signs on motorways & trunk roads rests with the Highways Agency.

- Tourist destinations adjacent to an 'A' road should not need signing if the entrance is visible & identifiable from a distance. Where the entrance is not visible & on roads with a 50mph restriction or above, an advance direction sign from each direction & a flag sign may be needed. Destinations not located adjacent to an 'A' road can be signed from the nearest 'A' or 'B' road if appropriate, with a flag sign at the appropriate junction leading to the site. On leaving the 'A' or 'B' road, finger posts (possibly showing just a symbol) will be required as appropriate, at junctions.

Shropshire has its own policies and procedures regarding tourism signing. Eligibility for signing in Shropshire depends upon a decision by the local traffic authority. The main points of note are as follows:

- Special circumstances apply to requests for signs on motorways & trunk roads, & to any attractions that lie on trunk roads. These are subject to consideration by the Department of Transport, Local Government & the Regions (DTLR).

- Those applying for signs will be required to complete a comprehensive questionnaire, supply supporting information as requested, & pay a non returnable £75 for the application to be considered. This fee is retained regardless of the application outcome.

- Council officers assess eligibility. This can involve interviewing applicants. Applicants will be required to demonstrate that a significant proportion of their visitors/patrons originate from outside the local area. Visitor's books may be viewed if available.

- If signing is deemed appropriate, a survey of various locations at which signs have been requested will be undertaken.

- Survey info will be passed to the JDM Accord sign shop for an estimate which will then be considered by the Council and the applicant. If the applicant approves the estimate it is their responsibility to place the order direct with the sign shop. Alternative manufacturers can be provided by the Council on request.

- Erected signs remain in the ownership of the Council. In the event of loss or damage to signs where costs cannot be reclaimed by insurance, the applicant will be expected to pay repair or replacement costs. Where signs require replacement through age, the applicant will be responsible for such costs.

These points are necessarily summarised. Particular Churches will have particular needs & circumstances. It is recommended that Churches with specific queries contact the relevant Council Officials.

How to Approach Church Tourism

Stage 1: Develop a Working Group of Church volunteers

This group should comprise interested members of the church, PCC and congregation and should aim to address the basics of providing a good welcome for visitors. Advice Sheet 13 'Providing a Basic Welcome For Visitors' will assist with this, alternatively the Churches Tourism Officer can provide a 'Self Assessment Tool-Kit' which will enable the group to assess the Church's strengths and weaknesses with regard to tourism.

Stage 2: Understand the local tourism market

It is important that at an early stage the group understands the dynamics of the local tourism market, ie, who the church's target visitor will be, what they like to experience, why they come etc. This information is again available through the Diocesan Church Tourism Project (see Advice Sheets 14 & 15: Background to Tourism in Shropshire and Herefordshire respectively).

It is also recommended that at this stage the group speaks to the local Tourism Officer (Council based: Lisette Davis in Herefordshire or Alison Caffyn in South Shropshire). This will enable the group to:

- understand any support that these individuals can provide; and- understand the Council's tourism strategies and priorities.

Stage 3: Agree the Group's Aims and Objectives

Again it is important that the Group agrees why it is progressing tourism at a very early stage.Stage 4: Set some Tourism Goals

Use Advice Sheet 16: How To Set Tourism Goals and decide on some goals that the group feel able and willing to achieve in the short-term. These goals should be measurable, achievable and realistic. Use Advice Sheet 17: 'How To Produce An Action Plan For Tourism Goals' to enable the group to develop a plan which will enable agreed goals to be realised.

Stage 5: Look to the Wider Community

After starting with a small group which addresses the Church's welcome for visitors (interpretation, welcome, general feel etc.) the group can then look wider and:

- Involve community representatives on your working group;- Find out whether there is local tourism association you can become involved with;- Discover whether the Church and wider tourism sector collaborate on goals & initiatives?

Providing a Basic Welcome for Visitors

All Churches, regardless of size or location, should make every attempt to provide at least a basic welcome for visitors. The following list suggests some of the simple basics...

- A 'Welcome to our Church' sign adjacent to the doorway. A suitable sign can be downloaded from the Diocese of Hereford's website at www.hereford.anglican.org.

- 'Help yourself' cold refreshments (jug of water and cordial).

- Dog bowl for four legged visitors.

- An area signposted and set aside for personal prayer (often with candles and a sand bowl).

- A visitor's book which allows for comment. The book should ask visitors to provide their postcodes as a minimum (this allows the Church to understand where visitors originate from and can help with targeting marketing for special events).

- Ensure notice boards are attractive and up-to-date.

- First impressions last. Light the porch when appropriate with a permanent low wattage lamp or install a simple timer that is activated when the door is opened. It may be possible to install a coin meter system which visitors can 'feed' for lighting.

- Offer visitors a simple leaflet that points out interesting features in the Church. - Dedicate a corner or table at the back of the Church for visitor information. This table should display information on what else there is to see and do in the area, where people can enjoy a meal, the location of the nearest toilet, where visitors can walk their dog etc.

- If your Church is located in Herefordshire, make sure that you have a stock of 'Signposting Herefordshire Churches' leaflets available.

- Offer simple items for sale such as postcards, bookmarks, second-hand books, pots of mixed seeds and surplus vegetables (from Parishioners gardens), bird-boxes, mugs etc.

- Think about the needs of less-able visitors. For partially sighted visitors ensure that white lines are painted on the edge of the steps, that there are ramps available where necessary and that there is a large-print visitor's sheet available.

How to set Tourism Goals

Goal SettingWhen deciding on our 4 or 5 tourism goals you will need to:

Think about our Church's particular strengths which relate to its built heritage, history, internal points of interest etc.

Consider what you are good at doing and what you could develop further. Are the things that you offer visitors currently right for the job...e.g is your Church Guide or

leaflet appropriate for the visitor, could it be improved through connections with other attractions etc.

The skills of people you have within the congregation or community and which goals they apply to.

Whether you would need additional funds to progress the chosen initiative

Take note of the major events planned for the area to link into...eg

Local Festivals Heritage Open Days British Food Fortnight

Perhaps most importantly...

Think about initiatives which will promote partnerships & get the wider community & tourism providers involved in delivery;

What else is being done in the Village or nearby that we can 'tap into'...other events, other groups

Make sure your ideas are REALISTIC, APPROPRIATE, ACHEIVABLE & SUSTAINABLE.....

Think about providing/ ensuring that you have some of the basics to welcome visitors

- A regular pattern of stewarded opening if appropriate - A leaflet which comprises a self guided tour of the Church & Churchyard - A whiteboard where visitors can list wildlife they have seen in the Churchyard - A leaflet table where visitors can see what else there is to do/see in the area - A set of small souvenirs for sale - A dog bowl & water jug for thirsty visitors

Then look wider:

- Generate a good quality guidebook or leaflet to promote the sights of the Church and locality - Develop a 'Welcome Board' for visitors which signposts events in the Church but also the wider

community (other attractions, tea-shops etc.) - Train a set of volunteers to provide guided tours of the Church & locality at set times or at

special times - Create or further develop your website (in conjunction with the local community where

possible) and any pages you have access to on other sites eg Diocesan Site Tourism Group sit etc

- Hold an event or widen a current event to include & support local business & other local attractions eg, Craft Fair, Art Exhibition or Farmers Market

- Partner with other Churches to develop a self-guided tour leaflet which includes information on where visitors can stay overnight, eat and see other attractions

 

Effective Church NoticeboardsThe church noticeboard is often the first point of contact that visitors or passers-by will have with a church. The impact it has may be far greater than you think and it is therefore essential that you take advantage of what, in modern times, may be one of the 'prime advertising sites' available to your church.

The noticeboard is important at the best of times. However, if the church has to be kept locked the board gives the opportunity to provide information on the church and its activities and, thus, the Christian message: it will be doing this twenty-four hours, seven days a week. It is worthwhile, then, spending some time on the serious consideration of the design so that you can ensure that the board will give the message it is intended to impart.

The following points may be useful to consider:

- The board and the lettering on it should be sympathetic to its surroundings, particularly in terms of colour and materials but the most important aspect of this is readability. A noticeboard is not a poster but is there to convey information with clarity and the contrast between the background colour and the lettering upon it is vital.

- The passer-by must be able to understand the message it is conveying, and the size of the lettering is important. Many people are not now familiar with 'churchy' language. For example, 'Morning Service' may be more easily understood than 'Mattins', 'Solemnisation of Matrimony' is less clear than 'Marriages'. - The character of the board should aim to express the character of the church and its worship. Strict formality on the board may suggest to the passer-by formality in worship.

- Logos and symbols can be helpful and may add to the decorative quality but the meaning must be clearly understood. A shell may be more readily associated with a brand of petrol rather than St James or a pilgrimage.

- Avoid information that will date. Personnel may change and names need altering but offices are permanent. The use of the words 'Parish Priest' or 'Vicar', instead of the incumbent's name is often sufficient. If a name is considered essential, a Christian name may be more appropriate than including a long list of qualifications.

- The activities of a church are as important as are the times of the services, but do not confuse regular activities with those of a temporary nature such as a jumble sale. Information about these should be kept separate.

- Do not forget the effects of exposure to all weathers and to vandals. Careful choice of materials is important. Peeling paint, fading colours and fluttering paper notices always give the impression of neglect. Choose lettering for its legibility rather than for its decorative effect or its association with some 'religious' or historical concept. Arrange the lettering with some suggestion of relative importance and do not forget that the board will probably be prominent in its setting and should be of artistic value to the scene.

- Consult your inspecting architect about the design of the notice board and do not be afraid to call upon the skills of professional designers. An original design produced specifically for your church is more likely to have an impact and the qualities you desire. It can also express to the world outside a great deal of atmosphere and character to your church and its membership.

- Do not forget to inform the public where further information can be found and how access to the church can be obtained. - Remember that a notice can offer welcome as well as information. There is no harm of making the point on the board.

- A cheap job will always look cheap and rarely pays in the long run. Make sure that the board is worthy of your church.

Some local authorities will want to be consulted on the matter of planning permission for noticeboards as they are classified as advertisements, to which other regulations refer. The exemption only applies to the inside of churches and you should consult the district council's planning department.

Information for this advice sheet has been adapted from www.churchcare.co.uk