Kirkby Lonsdale Methodist Church (KLMC)

Policy and guidelines for Church website www.klmethodist.church and KLMC Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kirkbylonsdalemethodistchurch/

March 2022

1. Safeguarding

We will comply fully with the Methodist Church policies on Social Media here

In particular, we commit to the following for both the KLMC website and KLMC Facebook page:

• The parent/guardian of any U18 featured in a photo where a face is shown or where the child can obviously be identified must have given their written permission for the photo to be used before it is placed on the website or Facebook page. 

• No U18 in a photo will be named in a caption and no email addresses, postal addresses or telephone numbers will be used.

• No locations will be given in a caption which could help someone find a child.

• Email addresses, postal addresses and telephone numbers for over 18s will be only be used where the individual has provided written approval for this. 

• Photos or content of adult congregation members may be posted without consent, as the church is a public venue. However, if a church member, or anyone else, asks for their photograph to be removed from the Church’s website or Facebook page this will be done immediately. Such a request should be made to Peter Gregson, either in person, or by email gregsonpeter@hotmail.com. He will act upon this request without question as soon as practically possible. 

KLMC has adopted the Data Protection Policy for the Methodist Church here 

2. Maintenance of the KLMC website

The person in charge of the site is currently Peter Gregson and he is responsible for the technical aspects and for monitoring the content of the site. His deputy is [tbc]

All requests for the inclusion of material or photographs should be directed to Peter. Before uploading any such material and photographs onto the website Peter will satisfy himself that written permission has been given as above. If there is no permission, there will be no publication. There will be no exceptions.

Peter will use his reasonable common sense when considering requests for inclusion for publication of an article, photograph, news of future events, links to external websites etc. 

His general principle when considering requests is, that if there is any doubt at all in his mind on grounds of safeguarding, taste, confidentiality, appropriateness, or for any reason, he will not publish anything onto the site without having taken further advice from the Minister/Superintendent Minister and/or the Church Stewards.

Any questions, concerns or queries about the content of the KLMC website should be directed in the first instance to Peter by email gregsonpeter@hotmail.com

This policy will be reviewed and agreed in September each year by the KLMC Church Council, or will be reviewed immediately if an issue arises which requires amendment of the policy.

This policy will be available for general download on the KLMC website.

      3. KLMC Social Media policy

• KLMC encourages the appropriate use of social media as a method of communicating KLMC activities and information to the public and for receiving responses and feedback from the public. Currently the Church operates only a Facebook page but this policy will apply to any other social media platforms e.g. Twitter if KLMC decides to open an account before the next review date of this policy.

• We will post on the KLMC Facebook page items which we believe will be of interest to both our congregation and the community, for example notices of forthcoming events and services, and also items of wider Christian interest.

• The only people currently authorised to post on the KLMC Facebook page are Rev Wendy Thornton and Peter Gregson 

• Congregation members are encouraged to ‘like’ and visit the Church’s Facebook page.