All entertainment events are subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act. These are the key points to consider when planning and hosting church events and activities.
There are three ways your Methodist church might be involved with an event:
If a member of your church holds a coffee morning in their home for the benefit of the church, in this scenario, the church is the beneficiary.
If the church arranges an event, for example a large fireworks display, it is likely they will use the services of a specialist independent provider to manage all or part of the event. In this scenario, the church is taking on the role of a facilitator.
As an organiser, the church has total responsibility for the event including all activities. This is likely to be the case where the activities are of a non-hazardous nature and normally in a church setting. It may be a fête or coffee morning, and it is likely that no specialist skills are required.
If you are unsure about the cover that applies to your event, you can call the team to discuss your concerns.
We expect many churches to run fêtes and coffee mornings. As we expect churches to hold these kind of events on a regular basis, our policy will provide cover as standard.
When your church holds more hazardous activities such as fireworks displays or abseiling, please let us know during the planning stages.
Where church events are held away from your church premises, public liability and employers’ liability cover will apply across the UK.
The first step in planning any event is completing a risk assessment, even if you are planning a small event like a coffee morning. It does not have to be complex and is often common sense. This will help your church to manage health and safety risks which have the potential to ruin an event.
