Time running out for Devon churches to share their ‘Good News’ 

Churches in Devon are being encouraged to submit their entries to Ecclesiastical Insurance’s ‘Good News’ competition before the deadline in September.

The specialist insurer is looking for churches to share their good news stories from the past 18 months, showcasing how they’ve supported their local communities during a challenging time. The winning church will scoop a total prize of £7,500.

St Michael’s Church in Pinhoe is one of the local churches who have entered this year’s competition.

Situated on the outskirts of Exeter, members of the church bought a converted Horsebox to provide the local community with a COVID compliant outdoor area to enjoy coffee and homemade baked goods while maintaining contact with friends and neighbours.

The Horsebox has become a meeting place for parents and other locals while offering a ‘pay as you feel’ option for those who may be struggling financially.

Entries should be submitted through Ecclesiastical’s website and written in the style of a news article with an attention-grabbing headline and no more than 250 words in length and with photographs or videos to go along with the article to help show the impact of their initiative.

Each entry is automatically entered into the regional competition where a panel of judges will select five regional winners who will each receive a £1,500 prize for their church.

The grand final of the competition will see one of the regional winners be crowned the national winner and receive an additional £6,000 – bringing their total winnings to £7,500.

Michael Angell from Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought with it, churches have remained a beacon of hope to the communities they are based in. They have shown resilience and a willingness to adapt, diversifying to offer local residents more than ever before – from food banks, to home deliveries and vaccination centres

“That’s why this year’s theme for our church competition is ‘Good News’! We want to help shine a light on those unsung heroes in our communities and the new initiatives that churches have come up with to help those most in need - spreading the ‘Good News’ far and wide.”

Entries can be submitted through the online form at Ecclesiastical’s website: www.ecclesiastical.com/churchcomp.

The closing date for entries is at 5pm on Friday 17 September.