SAFEGUARDING POLICY

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THE TEMPLAR PILGRIMAGE TRUST (Registered Charity No: 326561) 

SAFEGUARDING POLICY 

This policy is based on the ‘Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees’ guidance given by the Charity Commission https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-duties- for-charity-trustees. 

Background 

TPT’s safeguarding responsibilities and the need to protect people is a priority for the Trustees. The Trustees have, therefore, produced this Policy to help protect from harm people who benefit from the Trust’s work. Because the Trust has no staff and no volunteers, this Policy concentrates on those who benefit from the Trust’s work, that is the people to whom the Trust makes grants that help to fund the costs of going on pilgrimage. For simplicity’s sake, this Policy refers to those people as ‘Pilgrims’. 

The Trustees recognise the need to be alert to risks to which Pilgrims may be exposed while on pilgrimage, including (but not limited to): 

• sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation
   
• negligent treatment
   
• physical or emotional abuse
   
• bullying or harassment
   
• extremism and radicalisation
   
• discrimination on the grounds of protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act
  2010
  This Policy aims to ensure action is taken to manage, and so reduce, risks to Pilgrims.
  It is important to set this Policy in a practical context. The Trust provides Pilgrims with financial support. The Pilgrim (not the Trust) selects the pilgrimage and / or the travel company. The Trust is not involved in the planning, management or operation of the pilgrimage. Trustees do not accompany Pilgrims on pilgrimage. The Trust’s contact with Pilgrims is, therefore, extremely limited and in most cases, it is by written correspondence only.
  The Trustees realise that factors placing some Pilgrims’ at risk will be easily identifiable (e.g. due to age or disability) but for other Pilgrims those factors may not be immediately obvious (e.g. due to mental health issues, or previous experiences). While some Pilgrims may be more at risk than others, all Pilgrims may, to some extent, be exposed to the risks identified above. The following procedures will, therefore, be applied to all Pilgrims.

Protecting Pilgrims 

In most cases Pilgrims travel together, for example in a diocesan, parish or school group, in a specialist pilgrimage (e.g. HCPT or ACROSS to Lourdes), or with a travel company. If making a grant to Pilgrims travelling together, after agreeing but before paying a grant, the Trustees will obtain written confirmation that the diocese, parish, school, pilgrimage organisation or travel company has a Safeguarding Policy. The Trustees will request a copy of the applicable Safeguarding Policy. The Trustees may also request further documents or information if they consider it necessary. 

The Trustees make grants to Pilgrims travelling alone. The Trustees consider that Pilgrims travelling alone are solely responsible for taking steps to guard against risks to which they may be exposed while on pilgrimage. 

The Trustees will not make grants to Pilgrims under the age of 18 planning to travel alone except in extraordinary circumstances. The Trustees will not consider making such grants without first obtaining written confirmation from a parent or guardian stating that (s)he knows and approves of the pilgrimage. 

Communication 

As noted above, contact with Pilgrims is generally by written correspondence, in practice by e-mail. Any contact by phone will be recorded in writing. The Chair of Trustees will retain copies of all correspondence and notes of phone calls. 

Raising safeguarding concerns 

All safeguarding concerns will be referred to the Chair of Trustees or to a designated alternate. The Trustees will be made aware of any concerns so referred, but without details that would identify the individual(s) involved. 

Handling allegations or incidents 

In handling any allegations or incidents, the Chair of Trustees or alternate will refer them to the responsible person designated in the relevant Safeguarding Policy. If there is a serious allegation or an incident involving actual or alleged criminal activity, the Chair of Trustees or alternate will ensure it is reported to the police and/or the local authority, as well as to the Charity Commission. 

Record keeping 

The Chair of Trustees will retain copies of applications, of correspondence with Pilgrims, notes of phone conversations and any related documents. If the Trust closes or ceases operation, the Chair of Trustees will give all such copies to a firm of solicitors for safe keeping. 

Other policies 

As the Trust does not have any staff or volunteers, the Trustees have concluded a Code of Conduct is not required, nor are policies on bullying, harassment or whistleblowing. 

As the Trust does not own or lease any property, the Trustees have concluded policies on health and safety, first aid and fire safety are not required. 

As the Trust’s work does not involve contact with children or adults who are at risk, the Trustees have concluded it is not necessary for Trustees to have DBS checks. 

This Policy will take effect from 1 January 2020. It was approved by the Trustees in November 2019. It will be kept under review and amended when necessary. The Trustees will conduct a general review of this Policy no later than January 2022.