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News Archive

A volunteer service in Hull, which provides a free service to help people returning home from hospital, has been awarded the prestigious Faithworks Community Excellence Award at a ceremony held at Olympia, London this week. Sponsored by Congregational & General Insurance, the national award recognises best practice in community-based projects that demonstrate excellence in delivering services to tackle a local need.

More than 200 applications were made to this year’s awards – 51 specifically for the Community Excellence Award – from projects the length and breadth of Great Britain, each demonstrating how they had created a positive impact on local communities.

However, it was Hull Churches’ Home From Hospital Service which carried off the award, plus a cheque for £5,000, presented by Congregational’s Chairman David Collett, for its outstanding holistic community development.

The free service, provided by a group of 92 volunteer workers, is given to those returning home from hospital and has been running for ten years. 

The judging panel commented that it was an extremely well-run project providing much needed practical community support, enthusiastically and professionally managed by Chief Officer Jean Templeton.

David Collett said: “Through our association with Faithworks we acknowledge the efforts of many voluntary groups actively working to improve the life of people in their local community.

“Reading the submissions for this award, and visiting the shortlisted projects, gives us a greater insight to the day-to-day issues that these groups address.

“Hull Churches’ Home From Hospital Service stood out in the judges’ eyes as a very impressive project which last year alone helped a total of 1,469 older people with assistance to independence through convalescence. 

“The project is recognised and trusted by local agencies who refer patients on discharge from hospital and is well-respected for providing a caring approach tailored to individual needs.

“It is fully deserving of this £5,000 award and the national title of the Community Excellence Award winner for 2007.”

Jean Templeton, Chief Officer of Hull Churches’ Home From Hospital Service, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the Faithworks Community Excellence Award 2007.  It is a real testament to our work and the efforts of our committed volunteers and staff team.

“Hull Churches’ Home From Hospital work extends the ‘Pastoral Care’ theme: protects it with policies, systems, insurance; develops it to include offering new technology to assist independence and safety; honours its meaning by reaching out to the vulnerable, citywide.

“This most welcome award will help us to continue our core service providing help to those who need it at a time of distress and anxiety.”

Malcolm Duncan, Leader of Faithworks, said: “The awards recipients and shortlisted projects are true heroes of faith. Every day, often with little or no support, the people involved in these projects give themselves away for others.

“Literally, from the most deprived local government ward in England, to other areas of deprivation and poverty, the volunteers and workers tirelessly put the needs of others first. Their work is sacrificial, sustained and committed and the Faithworks awards celebrate the courage, commitment and conviction of the winners.

Hull Churches’ Home From Hospital Service offers six to eight weeks of support, consisting of two to three home visits per week to undertake a range of services required to support a healthy recovery and return to independence. 

The volunteers, initiated from a range of churches across Hull, are all trained to NVQ level and are accompanied for six weeks initial mentoring and fieldwork experience before being given their own clients.  The charity has service level agreements with Hull City Council Social Services and Hull Teaching PCT. 

The Community Excellence Award was one of four community projects recognised by Faithworks, the organisation which works towards empowering and inspiring individual Christians and local churches, to develop their role within their community.

To find out more about Congregational visit www.congregational.co.uk; for the awards, visit www.faithworks.info/awards; and for the winner of the Community Excellence Award www.hchfh.org.uk  

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has received over £6 million for disbursement through grant applications to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.
4. Faithworks is a movement of individuals, churches and organisations motivated by their Christian faith to serve the needs of their local communities and positively influence society as a whole.  Faithworks has developed books, manuals, a DVD for small groups, and a training programme to support churches as they serve their local communities professionally, in a way that is consistent with their Christian ethos.  For more information please visit www.faithworks.info.

Photography
The image shows Congregational Chairman David Collett presenting the Community Excellence Award 2007 to Brian Smelt of Hull Churches’ Home From Hospital Service.

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com


13th December 2007 Insurer Launches ‘Church Alert’ to Combat Rise in Lead Theft

Congregational spurred into action as church theft grows 86% in 2007

The church buildings we so often take for granted throughout the UK could be under threat of lead theft unless drastic action is taken, a national church insurer warned today, as it launched ‘Church Alert’.

Congregational & General Insurance, who has seen claims related to church lead theft rise 86 per cent in the past year alone, has launched the dedicated campaign in consultation with Crimestoppers, to ensure churches across the UK are doing all they can to protect against this growing threat.

With lead prices rising sharply due to fierce demand from emerging economies such as China, the insurer has witnessed some claims approaching £100,000, as churches often find themselves the victims of consequential damage and loss following theft of raw materials from roofs, guttering and other structural areas.

Repeat theft is also an additional problem, with thieves deliberately targeting a church building and returning once repairs have been made.

Following close consultation with Crimestoppers, Congregational’s Church Alert website – www.churchalert.co.uk offers top tips and best practice on how to minimise the risk of lead theft.

The insurer has also teamed up with top anti-theft paint manufacturer, Coo-Var who will be offering Congregational policyholders the chance to purchase their specialist ‘Vandolene’ anti-climb paint at a discounted rate.

The key message for Church Alert is prevention and the insurer is keen to underscore the importance of engaging the local community as the threat of lead theft extends further than just those attending church buildings on a Sunday morning. 

With some church buildings open only on select days throughout the week, Congregational aims to encourage churches to enlist local communities to become the eyes and ears of their church buildings and to report any suspicious behaviour without delay.

Other practical, preventative advice includes use of anti-theft paint, improving lighting, as well as defensive planting of thorny bushes.  Posters, leaflets and newsletters have been produced and they can also be downloaded from the dedicated website.

Carlo Cavaliere, Managing Director of Congregational, said: “Launching Church Alert today is further confirmation that the problem of lead theft is becoming an increasing problem across the UK. 

“We firmly believe that prevention is better than cure and our dedicated campaign should help all our church policyholders to minimise their risk of becoming the latest victims of this fast-growing problem, even if they don’t personally feel their church is at risk.

“Whilst we want to galvanise churches into action, we are also acutely aware that the church buildings that cover the UK are often seen as a focal point for the local community and we would encourage everyone, whether they attend a church or not, to keep their eyes open and report any suspicious behaviour immediately.

“It’s an old adage, but prevention is better than cure and we are confident that, with the launch of Church Alert, we are offering all our church policyholders the tools they need to help minimise the risk of lead theft.”

Visit www.churchalert.co.uk for more information and guidance. For a resource pack Please email marketing@cgins.co.uk or call 01274 700 795 and your free pack will be dispatched.

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has received over £6 million for disbursement through grant application to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for nearly 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information

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23rd November 2007 Charity begins at Home for National Ethical Insurer

Congregational & General gives Christmas cheer and charitable donation

The old adage ‘Charity begins at home’ was never truer than today, as national ethical insurer of homes, Congregational & General Insurance, launched a free draw for those requesting home insurance quotes to win a donation of £500 to their charity of choice.

The company, which offers a range of ethical home insurance products under its ‘Shared-Values’ brand, is offering everyone requesting a home insurance quote from today until 31st December 2007 the opportunity to be automatically entered into a free draw where the winner will have a £500 donation made to their charity of choice.*

As the country gears up for the festive season and consumer spending increases, the company was keen to make sure charities across the UK would also benefit from the good cheer and generosity associated with Christmas.

Marketing Manager, Margaret Slater, said: “Through our Charitable Trust, we have a longstanding history of giving to churches and other worthy causes and we are now excited at the prospect of offering everyone who requests a home insurance quote from ‘Shared-Values’ the opportunity to enter our draw to nominate their favourite charity for a £500 donation.

“We always try to match and hopefully beat prospective customers’ current quotes and we’re sure that the promise of benefiting a charity in the run up to Christmas will encourage more people to ask us about our ethical ‘Shared-Values’ insurance products.”

For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk
*Terms and conditions apply – please visit www.shared-values.co.uk/prizedraw

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has received over £6 million for disbursement through grant application to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for nearly 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com

25th October 2007 Church Insurer Increases Public Liability Cover as ‘Claims Culture’ Grows

Congregational now offering up to £10 million

Congregational & General, a national church insurer, has today announced that it will be offering all its church choice policyholders the option to increase their public liability cover to £10million from as little as £50 extra per annum*.

The company, which has been insuring church buildings for over 100 years, was spurred into action following a number of high profile cases where serious personal injury claims exceeded the current £5million threshold offered as standard on the current policy.

Church policies from Congregational automatically include ‘Public Liability Cover’, which provides an indemnity to the church against damages, costs and expenses for which it is legally liable.  However, the insurer wanted to parallel the level of cover offered to reflect the level of claims awarded over recent years.

Mark Holley Head of Insurance at Congregational, said: “ We are committed to offering the best possible cover for our customers, churches are more than places of worship, many encompass wider outreach programmes.

“Our increase in public liability cover reflects a shift in the judicial system with regards to the amount a small minority are receiving in personal injury claims.  Whilst this is in no way representative of the majority of claims, we are keen to make sure our customers have the optimum cover they require at the most competitive prices.

“The increase in cover can cost from as little as £50 a year on top of a normal premium and this will provide the additional peace of mind that some policy holders might desire.”

For more information visit www.congregational.co.uk/pl

*Cover is subject to eligibility.  Prices quoted will vary from a minimum of £50. 

ENDS -

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has received over £6 million for disbursement through grant application to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for nearly 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk

 For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

25th August 2007 Holy Smoke! Brits Save Photos but Discard Sacred Texts in Fire

Survey Commemorating Great Fire/Birth of Insurance Reveals Most Treasured Possessions

Exactly 340 years since modern home insurance was born, following the Great Fire of London, the British public today exposed a sentimental streak as photographs came top (39 per cent of those who would save something) in a poll revealing what one item we would grab if our house was burning down.

The research was commissioned by Congregational & General Insurance, the national ethical insurer, to highlight which personal possessions the British public holds most dear – it has been released to mark the 340th anniversary of the introduction of domestic fire insurance in 1667 by Nicholas Barbon in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London.

YouGov, who conducted the survey among 2,605 British adults, asked the public which one item, from a comprehensive list of personal possessions, they would save if their house was burning down.

Following photographs, important documents such as passports came second, garnering 23 per cent of the vote; with cash or credit cards third with 16 per cent.  Rounding off the top five were laptops or computers (9 per cent) and then a family heirloom (6 per cent).

However, as a nation we are unlikely to seek religious solace and reach for our Bibles or other holy texts if forced to evacuate our abodes: just 0.4 per cent said they would salvage them – less popular than clothes (1 per cent), MP3 players (1 per cent) or mobile phones (2 per cent).

In contrast, though, a similar survey conducted by Congregational in 2006 revealed that 10 per cent of the Christian respondents stated that they would reach first for the Bible in the event of a domestic fire.

Interestingly, 7 per cent from the most recent survey said they were not bothered enough about anything they own to try and save it from their burning home.

Congregational, which offers a range of ethical home insurance products under its Shared-Values brand, investigated what members of the British public would hold most dear if they were faced with a burning home.

Margaret Slater, Marketing Manager at Congregational, said: “Our research marks the 340th anniversary of the birth of domestic fire insurance and whilst none of us like to think about having a domestic fire, the question of what we’d save does provide for some interesting insights.

“In spite of both gender and age differences, it was interesting for us to note that photographs, those inimitable reminders of happy memories, were still the most treasured possession, perhaps due to their irreplaceable nature.

“However, we were surprised to note that the UK’s sentimentality does not necessarily extend to saving holy texts, with less than half a per cent wanting to save them.”

The research revealed stark gender divides in what men and women most treasure.  For those who would save something, although ‘Photographs’ was still the most common response for both sexes, women (47 per cent) appeared to be more sentimental than men (30 per cent)

In further evidence that the gender divide is alive and well in the UK, more than double the amount of men (13 per cent) confessed to choosing to save their laptop compared with women (6 per cent). 

However, the older we get the less interested we become in photographs: it was the top response for nearly half (50 per cent) of all 25 to 34-year-olds, and all other age categories, yet it was only the second-top choice (32 per cent) for the over 55s who treasured important documents such as passports as their main concern (34 per cent).

Further findings:

• Just 7 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds would rescue cash or credit cards, but this almost trebled to 20 per cent of all the over 55s.
• 8 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds would save their mobile phone, versus only 1 per cent of the over 55s
• 5 per cent of Londoners would save their mobile phone, as opposed to just 1 per cent of Scots
• 1 per cent of Scots would save a personal grooming item against a national average of zero

If your home was burning down, what one item would you save:

1.Photographs – 39 per cent
2. Important documents eg passport – 23 per cent
3. Cash/credit cards, etc – 16 per cent
4. Laptop/computer – 9 per cent
5. Family heirloom – 6 per cent
6. = Jewellery – 2 per cent
    = Mobile phone – 2 per cent
8.  = MP3/iPod, etc – 1 per cent
     = Item of clothing – 1 per cent
10. Bible/Holy text – 0.4 per cent

(Percentages from those who would save something)

For more information, visit www.shared-values.co.uk

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has received over £6 million for disbursement through grant application to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for nearly 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk
4. Research was carried out online between 28th – 30 March 2007 by YouGov plc on behalf of Congregational & General Insurance.  The sample size was 2,605.

 For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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8th August 2007 Yorkshire Company In Top 0.1% of British Businesses.

A Yorkshire company will this month join an elite band of British businesses who have surpassed a major trading milestone – Bradford-based Congregational & General Insurance has received a certificate from Companies House to show it has been operating for 100 years.

Of the 2.4 million businesses registered at Companies House, 3,486 are 100 years or older – just 0.1% of all UK organisations currently trading.  There are 11 other Bradford-registered businesses that have reached their centenary (see below) and 189 across Yorkshire and the East Riding region in total.

The insurance company, which has remained proudly independent throughout its history, will host its 100th AGM in Bradford later this month.  Its managing director, Carlo Cavaliere, said: “There is a real sense of pride within the company to have reached such a major milestone.

“We are among a prestigious group, a tiny fraction of all UK businesses, that have prospered for a century and, quite rightly, today’s employees, plus those who have worked for the business in the past, have a great deal to be proud of.

“We insure churches and homes with combined assets of around £14 billion, our business is expanding and we are fast-establishing ourselves as one of the leading choices for ethical home insurance through our Shared-Values product.

“Meanwhile, our Charitable Trust continues to provide grants to worthy causes and we look forward to helping many thousands more groups across the country.

“Whilst we are delighted to have achieved this landmark figure, we have our sights set on the future and keen to focus our efforts on building on our success and enhancing the business in all departments.”

Congregational’s origins, as a church fire insurance company, can be traced back to the Reverend Samuel Antliff, the Pastor of Rams den Street Congregational Church in Undersized, who founded it with capital of £50,000.

However, it was in 1907 that the company as we know it today, Congregational & General Insurance, was incorporated when its responsibilities were expanded to include the insurance of churches against liability as a result of the Workmen’s Compensation Act which came into force on 1 July 1907.

Today, Congregational & General is one of the country's most respected insurers of both churches and homes – it insures nearly 7,000 church buildings with almost £5 billion in assets covered, whilst its fast-expanding home insurance division now has more than £9 billion in household assets, with its ‘Shared-Values’ brand growing apace.

The company offers its insurance policyholders a unique, ethical proposition in that it disburses grants to churches and other worthy causes via the Congregational & General Charitable Trust which wholly-owns the company.  To date, it has contributed several million pounds-worth of grants.

Trading Bradford businesses 100+ years old (oldest first)

1. Universe UK Holdings Limited, 1890 
2. Johnson & Akam Limited, 1895 
3. Bradford Chamber Of Commerce & Industry, 1897 
4. Shipley Bowling Green Club Company Limited, 1900 
5. Findel Education (2002) Limited, 1900 
6. Idle Cricket Field Company Limited, 1900 
7. Stephenson Group Ltd, 1900 
8. J. Walker (Investments) Limited, 1900 
9. Hospital Fund of Bradford, 1905 
10. A.H.Marks & Company Limited, 1906 
11. Stylo Barratt Shoes Limited, 1907 
12. Congregational & General Insurance plc, 1907 

According to Companies House, there were 2,379,645 registered UK businesses as at 31 July 2007.

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has received over £6 million for disbursement through grant application to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for nearly 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117
Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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3rd July 2007 Perfect Poster Proclaimed - Hunt for nation's favourite church poster reaches climax - winner is announced.

For three months, the UK’s population has been scouring church buildings up and down the country for the finest examples of parish punning and saintly slogans and today, the nation’s favourite church poster can finally be revealed.

The winner of the UK’s first ever church poster competition, the ‘Congregational Church Poster of the Year 2007’, saw ‘God Sees Us As We Can Be, But Loves Us As We Are’, fight off fierce competition from the likes of ‘Carpenter Needs Joiner – Apply Within’ and ‘Don’t Give Up.  Moses Was Once A Basket Case’ to scoop the hotly contested title.

Congregational & General Insurance, the specialist church and home insurer, launched the competition three months ago to showcase the grassroots copywriting talent that often goes unnoticed in the UK and was overwhelmed with the support shown for the competition.

Following an unexpectedly high number of entries, a gallery showcasing the hidden gems of wordsmiths from across the UK has also been set up and can now be viewed at www.congregational.co.uk/posters Plans are already afoot to repeat the success of this year’s competition in 2008.

The competition, which captured the imagination of people from across the UK, saw entries pour in via post, SMS and email from the highlands of Scotland to the tip of Cornwall.

A panel of judges, made up of top ad industry copywriters, representatives of nationwide Christian Organisations and senior Congregational figures, met in London to pore over the hundreds of entries and decide which was worthy to win the much-coveted crown.

Winning the top prize of a £500 donation to his chosen church or charity, Donald Belham from Coventry submitted ‘God Sees Us As We Can Be, But Loves Us As We Are’, which wowed the judges with its simplicity, understated humour and thought-provoking content. 

By the words ‘God See Us As We Can Be’, a collection of heads with halos can be seen, but the same heads without halos next to the words ‘But Loves Us As We Are’.

Among other highly commended entries were ‘Good Friday; a bad day to bury good news’ and ‘Give your troubles to God, He’ll be up all night anyway’.

Margaret Slater, Marketing Manager, Congregational and member of the judging panel, said: “We have been overwhelmed by support for this competition and also by the quality of the entries themselves.

“The competition has truly captured people’s interest, testified by the sheer number of entries we received.

“In selecting the winner, we really wanted to choose a poster that was not offensive to Non-Christians and did not require any kind of theological knowledge; so often church posters can isolate through assumed knowledge and we wanted to choose one that was accessible to all.

“We also wanted to select one that displayed that inimitable ‘je ne sais quoi’, something that could be read quickly, but might take a while to understand fully. 

“In ‘God Sees Us As We Can Be, But Loves Us As We Are’, we had unanimous approval from the panel that this was the worthy recipient of the title ‘Congregational Church Poster of the Year 2007’.”

Donald Belham, who submitted the winning entry, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have won this title with our poster and it gives us great encouragement that our home-grown posters are hitting the mark.

“We try not to take ourselves too seriously when we design and write our posters at Rugby Methodist Church and for this poster to win such approval from industry experts is praise indeed.

“We’re also very pleased to have won the £500 donation to our chosen church or charity and we will be giving this to a charitable organisation over the next couple of months.”

The top ten entries, including the winner, were:

• ‘In a Jam?  God preserves us’ – at a busy road junction
• ‘It was 1 in 20 million and you won.  Make the most of your life’ – image depicting sperm and egg
• ‘Good Friday; a bad day to bury Good News’
• ‘How is it we have just enough religion to hate one another and not enough to love one another?’
• ‘God sees us as we can be, but loves us as we are’
• ‘Give your troubles to God – He’ll be up all night anyway'
• ‘We welcome the Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ – next to image of Clint Eastwood from the eponymous film
• ‘Some piercings cost more than others’ – next to images of body piercings and then a nail being driven into Christ’s wrist
• ‘Open your heart to God’s love’ – Image shows folded paper heart being opened up
• 'Allsorts welcome' - Picture displaying liquorice allsort sweets

For more information, visit www.congregational.co.uk/churchposters

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants in excess of five million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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5th June 2007 British Shift to Ethical Products - Cynicism + Confusion Remains

Research reveals 79 per cent mistakenly think ethical is expensive

In spite of the plethora of ethical financial products available, the British public is cynical about their credentials and confused about their cost, research revealed today.

Congregational & General Insurance, the national church and home insurer, commissioned YouGov to undertake the research and found that 72 per cent of all respondents were suspicious as to the credentials of financial companies that claimed to be ethically-focused.

When asked whether financial services companies claiming ethical, green or eco-friendly credentials, merely paid lip service to these issues and did so to gain more custom, almost three quarters agreed and only five per cent disagreed.

Congregational, which offers a range of ethical home insurance products under its ‘Shared-Values’ brand, polled more than 2,600 people across the UK to establish whether the recent groundswell of support with regards to ethical purchasing had resulted in a greater understanding of these products.

To the contrary, 79 per cent of all those questioned believed that, when comparing two insurance policies offering the same cover but with one company having an ethical stance, the ethical one would be more expensive.

Margaret Slater, Congregational’s Marketing Manager, said: “As consumers we are becoming increasingly concerned about ethical issues and this is informing our purchasing choices.

“However, we are aware that there is still a belief among consumers that an ethical financial product may be either inferior or more expensive than a mainstream one.

“Our research show this – though we were surprised that the figures were so high – the truth is that many ethical financial products offer the same, if not better quality, with no difference in price.  In fact, in the case of our ‘Shared-Values’ home insurance product, some may be even cheaper.

“We are an ethical financial organisation that passes a proportion of our profit to the Charitable Trust which provides grants and donations to churches and other worthy causes on application. 

“This, however, does not make us an uneconomical choice for consumers.  In fact, you can make ethical consumer choices that don’t break the bank.”

Lee Coates, Director of Ethical Investors Group, said: “Congregational’s research results support our experience of advising people with regards to choosing ethical financial companies. 

“Many people still believe that an ethical insurance policy will carry a higher premium than a non-ethical one, but in reality, they don’t necessarily do. 

“Congregational’s ‘Shared-Values’ home insurance is a great case in point, offering value for money and the opportunity to support grassroots initiatives across the UK through the giving of its Charitable Trust.

“The company is also proof that, whilst cynicism still exists as to many companies’ real ethical stance, there are those that really stand up to scrutiny.”

For more information on Congregational’s range of ethical home insurance products, visit www.shared-values.co.uk

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants in excess of five million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk
4. Research was carried out online between 28th – 30 March 2007 by YouGov plc on behalf of Congregational & General Insurance.  The sample size was 2,602

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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1st June 2007 Money Does Grow on Trees - National Ethical Insurer Urges Homemakers to Count the Cost of Gardening

With the hottest year on record predicted by meteorologists and the country subsequently gearing up to spending more time outside, Congregational & General Insurance has today highlighted the potential insurance issues of the garden.

The national ethical insurer is urging people across the UK to ‘Tot up and lock up’, due to the increased investment in expensive furniture, plants and tools that now form an integral part of many gardens. 

Gary Gilmore, Customer Relationship Manager, Congregational & General Insurance, said: “We all enjoy spending time relaxing in the garden and with the El Nino effect and predictions of the hottest year on record, 2007 looks set to be no exception.  However, we were concerned that the garden is probably the most overlooked ‘room’ of the house in terms of security and cover.

“Our message to the green-fingered masses is simple; tot up and lock up.  We are urging everyone who has household contents insurance that covers the garden to tot up the value of goods contained within; the high value might well surprise many.

“Over the past ten years, there has been a strong resurgence in all things garden-related, due in part to the success of shows such as Gardener’s World and as a result, we’ve really splashed out on expensive furniture, tools and plants.

“Congregational’s Shared Values product offers cover for garden furniture, equipment and fittings valued up to £1500*, but we also want to raise awareness that some people may need to seek additional cover if the value exceeds this amount.

“Secondly, lock up; Garden security is often overlooked, but with sheds across Britain filled with expensive tools and equipment, including lawnmowers and hedge-cutters, they represent a very enticing opportunity for any would-be thieves. 

“Sheds, greenhouses and garages must be locked to ensure that their contents are covered under the terms of the home insurance policy.

“We want everyone to enjoy their gardens this year, regardless of whether it’s the promised heatwave or not.  Keeping this simple rule should give peace of mind, regardless of what happens.”

For more information about Shared Values, visit www.shared-values.co.uk or www.congregational.co.uk for general information about Congregational & General Insurance.

*Value of goods covered is £1000 in locked out buildings and £500 in the garden itself.

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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30th March 2007 ‘The Venue’ wins Community Project Award 2007


from left to right: David Cornick, Margaret Slater, Steve Cowell, Jo Macpherson, John Cole, Tony Burnham

Congregational & General Insurance, the national ethical insurer, has today announced that ‘The Venue’, held at the Plume Avenue United Reformed Church in Colchester, has won the prestigious national Community Project Award 2007.

Jo Macpherson, Jan Cole and Steve Cowell of ‘The Venue’ collected their award and prize money of £2,000 from Rev Dr David Cornick, General Secretary, United Reformed Church at an awards ceremony held at Church House, in Tavistock Square, London, March 26th.

The annual awards, sponsored by Congregational in collaboration with the United Reform Church, are now in their eighth year and received a record number of applicants in 2007. 

This year applications were specifically invited from projects that were aimed at meeting the needs of children and young people within the local community.

‘The Venue’, which is run and organised by volunteers from the Plume Avenue Church in Colchester, won the award and a grant of £2,000 to help maintain this valuable resource for the local community and its young people.

Through a monthly meeting, which regularly attracts about 100 attendees, young people and their families are invited to participate in a wide range of activities, including sports sessions, art and craft, as well as contributing to topical discussions.

Jo Macpherson, Elder with responsibility for outreach at the Plume Avenue Church, said; “We are delighted to receive this award and the grant as well, which will help us to improve our facilities and continue to offer a much needed resource to the local community. 

“We will be spending the money on percussion instruments for the children to enjoy during worship, puppets and light and sound equipment.  We also want to invest in some new sports equipment as we currently borrow everything we use.”

Margaret Slater, Marketing Manager at Congregational, said: “Their application immediately stood out as one that provides a vital resource for the local community and engages with young people and their families. 

“It offers an excellent opportunity for young people to interact with a local church in a non-threatening way and enjoy meeting other young people whilst engaging in fun activities, such as music workshops and dance lessons.

“At Congregational, we are committed to encouraging and nurturing these grassroots initiatives and through the regular giving of our Charitable Trust, and this particular award, we aim to support more projects like this across the UK.”

For more information visit www.congregational.co.uk

ENDS –

Photography – the image shows representatives of ‘The Venue’ being presented with their award, Church House, 26th March, 2007

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information about these products visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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30th March 2007 ‘Taste’ wins Community Project Award 2007


from left to right: Margaret Slater, Tony Burnham, Val Wallbank, Katherine Allwright, Geoff Allwright, David Cornick.

Congregational & General Insurance, the national ethical insurer, has today announced that ‘Taste’, the weekly teenage youth church event, held at the Tadley Town Community Centre has won the prestigious national Community Project Award 2007.

Geoff Allwright, Val Wallbank and Katherine Allwright of ‘Taste’ collected their award and prize money of £2,000 from Rev Dr David Cormick, General Secretary, United Reformed Church, at an awards ceremony held at Church House in Tavistock Square, London, March 26th.

The annual awards, sponsored by Congregational in collaboration with the United Reformed Church, are now in their eighth year and received a record number of applicants in 2007. 

This year applications were specifically invited from projects that were aimed at meeting the needs of children and young people within the local community.

‘Taste’ has been running for three years as a weekly teenage and youth event, that includes dance, worship, games and outdoor activities and it is led by volunteers and is supported by local churches in the area.  Winning the award and a grant of £2,000 will help maintain this valuable resource for the local community and its young people.

In addition to the weekly meeting, members also regularly undertake voluntary work in the community, including litter-picking, free barbeques for residents and house painting for the local elderly community.

Geoff Allwright, leader of ‘Taste’, said: “We are delighted to win this award today and also receive the generous grant to help us maintain our event.  We will be using the money to fund art and photo equipment, plus dance workshop and help fund our weekend away. We will also be making a donation to Heather House – the local residence for severely handicapped children.

“Some of the residents come to ‘Taste’ and we are looking forward to using this grant to support their excellent work as well.”

Margaret Slater, Marketing Manager at Congregational, said: “Taste’s application immediately stood out as one that provides a vital resource for the local community and engages young people.

“‘Taste’ gives young people the chance to explore musical and dancing gifts, organises outdoor activities such as canoeing on the Thames and regularly spearheads local initiatives to benefit the local community as well; something that we feel passionately about at Congregational.

“At Congregational, we are committed to encouraging and nurturing these grassroots initiatives and through the regular giving of our Charitable Trust, and this particular award, we aim to support more projects like this across the UK.”

For more information visit www.congregational.co.uk

ENDS –

Photography – the image shows representatives of ‘Taste’ being presented with their award, Church House, 26th March, 2007

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.  For more information visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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30th March 2007 ‘The Hangout’ wins Community Project Award 2007


from left to right: Margaret Slater, David Cornick, Kath Gibbs, Jane Forshaw, Tony Burnham

Congregational & General Insurance, the national ethical insurer, has today announced that ‘The Hangout’, the after school drop-in facility for 11-16-year-olds in New Mills, Derbyshire, has won the prestigious national Community Project Award 2007.

Jane Forshaw and Kath Gibbs from ‘The Hangout’, which is held at the Providence United Reformed Church, collected their award and prize money of £2,000 from Rev Dr David Cornick, General Secretary, United Reformed Church at an awards ceremony held at Church House in Tavistock Square, London, March 26th.

The annual awards, which are sponsored by Congregational in collaboration with the United Reformed Church, are now in their eighth year and received a record number of applicants in 2007. 

This year applications were specifically invited from projects that were aimed at meeting the needs of children and young people within the local community.

‘The Hangout’, which is led by a team of local volunteers, won the award and a grant of £2,000 to help maintain this valuable resource for the local community and its young people.

The after school drop-in facility serves young people aged between 11 and 16 and has a membership of over 100. 

Open two evenings a week, from 4pm to 7 pm, young people can make use of the sports facilities, with badminton, dance lessons and hockey offered, in addition to a computer room, quiet room with an extensive library and arts and craft sessions too.

The centre’s kitchen also provides cookery lessons and teaching on nutrition for the children, along with free food for those hungry after a hard day at school.

Jane Forshaw, volunteer coordinator, said: “We are delighted to have won this award and very thankful indeed for the grant.  It will be put to good use, re-wiring a part of our premises which we aim to see shortly converted into a music studio for use by our young people.”

Margaret Slater, Marketing Manager from Congregational, said: “The application from ‘The Hangout’ immediately stood out.  Not only does it provides a vital resource for the local community and engages young people, the scheme makes use of the estate and property owned by the church and there are plans to develop this further for use by the local community.

“At Congregational, we are committed to encouraging and nurturing these grassroots initiatives and through the regular giving of our Charitable Trust, and this particular award, we aim to support more projects like this across the UK.”  

For more information visit www.congregational.co.uk

ENDS –

Photography – the image shows representatives of ‘The Hangout’ being presented with their award, Church House, 26th March, 2007

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner – for more information about these products visit www.shared-values.co.uk

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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13th March 2007 How Great Thou ‘Art’: Nationwide Hunt For UK’s Best Church Slogan

‘Come in for a free faith lift’ is one of the UK’s better known church posters, but now a company is launching a competition to find the nation’s best slogan and at the same time hopes to revive an often-overlooked form of church art and creativity.

Having enlisted the support of an award-winning copywriter, Congregational & General Insurance has launched the first ever nationwide competition to find the best piece of church poster advertising.

The company believes that there is a nation of hidden headline writers who provide the prose for church notice board posters, so it has launched the ‘Church Poster of the Year’ competition.

The winning entry, as judged by a panel including a leading UK copywriter, and the General Secretary of Churches Together in England will receive a £500 donation to their church or chosen charity, plus the coveted title.

Margaret Slater, Congregational’s marketing manager, said: “We see so many churches a year throughout the UK and it never fails to amaze us how many interesting posters there are – some of the puns really make you smile and we’ve seen some great examples of creative copywriting too.

“There’s definitely a lot of hidden talent out there and some unsung heroes, so we’d like to reward their creativity through this new award.  We hope this will become an annual event to showcase creativity within the church and demonstrate the impact their work often has on the local community, without people realising it.

Owned by the Congregational & General Charitable Trust, Congregational regularly gives a proportion of the company’s profits to the Trust for disbursement to church and community causes.

The company has enlisted the help of award-winning copywriter, Trevor Webb of Leo Burnett to sit on the panel of judges for the competition.  He said: “I’ve seen many quirky and inventive church posters over the years and as a copywriter, I’ll also be using my experience to help the panel decide on the winner.

“As a Christian, when I heard about the competition I welcomed the chance to sit on the judging panel and see what grassroots creativity is being fostered across the UK.” 

Trevor, whose work on behalf of Maltesers and Fiat has won industry awards, will be joined on the panel of judges by Rev. Bill Snelson, General Secretary, Churches Together in England.

Rev. Snelson said: “At Churches Together in England, we provide both advice and resources for local ‘Churches Together’ bodies, so I’m really keen to see what creative resources we can nurture with this poster competition. 

“Hopefully we’ll have some great slogans that will help churches across the UK stimulate interest and showcase the talent within.”

The public can send in examples of church posters or churches can nominate their own.  Mobile phone images of posters can be sent by text to 07794 997359; attachments can be emailed to posters@congregational.co.uk or by following the link to the competition page at www.congregational.co.uk/posters    

The closing date for entries is 31 May, 2007 with the winning slogan and recipient of the £500 donation being named on Monday, 25th June 2007.  There is no limit to the number of entries submitted.  In the case of duplicate winning entries, the prize money will be split equally between entrants. 

Recent examples of UK Church Slogans:

“God, you’re great”
“Chxxch – Have you guessed what’s missing?  U R!”
“No God, no peace.  Know God, know peace”
“Seven days without prayer makes one weak”
“Fight truth decay”
‘Rooney shoots but Jesus saves’

For full details of the terms and conditions, please visit www.congregational.co.uk/t&c

ENDS –
Photography
The image shows the inspiration for the award title.

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.
4. Churches Together in England is a national body set up in 1990 to encourage and facilitate the Churches working together, and to help them develop their common witness and service. Churches Together in England supports and provides resources and advice for ecumenical “Churches Together” bodies locally and regionally.  

For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com
Or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117
Email jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

19th January 2007 National Ethical Insurer Appoints Head of Underwriting and Claims

Congregational & General Insurance, the Bradford-based national ethical insurer, has today announced the appointment of Mark Holley as Head of Underwriting and Claims.

Mark, who assumes the role from January 2007, was previously Head of Underwriting at the Yorkshire-based Motors Insurance Company.

Prior to that he worked for Royal & Sun Alliance where he was Household Product & Compliance Manager and he joins Congregational with a wealth of experience in insurance.

Working for over 25 years in the industry, Mark is a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and has also been a Chartered Insurer for over 10 years.

Mark will have responsibility for all claims and underwriting activities of the business.

Speaking about the appointment, Mark Holley said: “I am delighted to be working at Congregational and relish the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing success of the company.

“My key aims will be to ensure that our customer service consistently exceeds expectations, that we provide good value products which future policy holders will want to buy and that we continue deliver profit to the shareholders.

“The latter aim has an additional importance, as the insurance arm of the company is wholly owned by the Congregational & General Charitable Trust, which relies on a percentage of profits from the business to disburse to a variety of good causes every year.”

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.

For further information

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14th December 2006 National Ethical Insurer Welcomes New Chairman to it's Board

Congregational & General Insurance, the national ethical insurer, has today announced the appointment of a new Chairman to its Board of Directors.  David Collett, who previously served as Managing Director of the company for 13 years, will assume the role on January 1st, 2007 on an initial three-year tenure.

The Bradford-based company, which is wholly-owned by a charitable trust, prides itself on its commitment to protecting traditional values and supporting worthy causes through the giving of the trust. 

With assets under insurance now totalling over 14 billion pounds, David Collett will take on the role following a period of unprecedented growth and profitability for Congregational under Carlo Cavaliere, the incumbent Managing Director.

David’s role as Chairman will involve him leading the Board and working closely with the company’s shareholder, the Congregational & General Charitable Trust. He will also support Carlo Cavaliere in expanding the company and building on its recent success.

Speaking about his appointment, David Collett said: “I am thrilled to have been asked to serve as Chairman of the Board at such a pivotal time in the history of Congregational and General. 

“Since our launch 115 years ago, we have grown to become one of the most respected insurers in the marketplace and I will strive to make sure we are recognised as the top ethical insurer across the UK during my time as Chairman.

“Whilst Managing Director, I initiated and oversaw the transfer of assets from the company to the charitable trust and I am still convinced that our charitable giving and protection of traditional values enables us to stand out in the marketplace.

“I look forward to taking on the challenges that this role brings and seeing Congregational & General Insurance continue to grow.”

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.

For further information

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7th December 2006 Do You Have The Santa ‘Clause’? National Insurer Urges Britons to Consider the Cost of Christmas

With households stocking up with Christmas gifts, UK-wide insurer Congregational & General Insurance, is urging consumers to check they are adequately covered – its home contents policy has a ‘December Clause’ automatically covering customers free for an additional 10% increase in their home’s contents.

The insurance company, which is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which disburses grants to worthy causes, is bringing to light the fact that many people may not have adequate contents cover over the festive period, as expensive gifts fill houses across the UK.

Recent research* has shown that the average British household will spend £975 on Christmas Day alone this year and this could significantly affect the value of goods in a home for insurance purposes, causing potential shortfalls in the event of theft or damage.

Gary Gilmore, Customer Relationship Manager at Congregational, said: “Whilst Christmas should be a time to celebrate and enjoy being with family and friends, statistics show it is also a time of increased theft from break-ins.

“Consumers whose home contents are adequately covered most of the year, may find that some of those expensive presents and the cumulative value take their belongings’ value above the policy limit.

“Our approach of increasing the value of goods insured by 10% throughout December means that seasonal increases are accounted for and policyholders can relax and enjoy Christmas knowing that they are covered for eventualities should the worst occur.”

Meanwhile, Congregational has, for the first time, revealed the most unusual historical festive claims including a case where a chimney breast had to be partly removed to free a father of two pretending to be Santa Clause.

Mr Gilmore added: “Whilst there is a serious message about consumers being adequately insured across the festive season, we have been privy to some incredible claims stories, including a Santa stuck in a chimney and one involving five gold rings.

“The former involved a father of two in the Midlands who became trapped whilst hiding up a chimney breast pretending to be Santa Clause – a family friend had to partly remove a fireplace in order to free the 41-year-old.

“Another festive favourite was the Welsh lady who wrote that she had removed her five gold rings whilst preparing the Christmas dinner and had subsequently thrown them out with the waste, not realising until the refuse had been removed – there was no mention of whether she was cooking partridge in a pear sauce.” 

Congregational & General Insurance’s Top Five Unusual Festive Claims

1. Santa-impersonating father of two becomes trapped up a chimney – fireplace damaged removing him
2. Husband and wife driving home from Christmas shopping skid on driveway ice, crashing through a garage door breaking chest freezer.  Claim included ruined turkey
3. Father and son both ended up feet-first through a bedroom ceiling – Dad had gone to retrieve Christmas decorations and fallen through an un boarded attic floor.  The son had gone to help Dad and did exactly the same
4. An apparent family disagreement over Christmas Day television viewing preferences escalated into a full-blown argument, where a scuffle broke out with the claimant writing that ‘a bottle was thrown, breaking me telly’
5. Finally, one lady claimed that she believed she had used so much brandy preparing a Christmas pudding that when it was lit, flames shot up, panicking the person holding it, who dropped it causing irreparable damage to a carpet – the claimant did not say whether it was excess brandy used by, or consumed by, the cook.

To find out more about Congregational’s home insurance products visit www.shared-values.co.uk.

*Source – British Retail Consortium, 2006

ENDS –
Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.

 For further information
Contact Adrian Johnson or Jonathan Priestley in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117. 
Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com or jonathan@lucrecommunications.com

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8th November 2006 Bradford Insurance Company Backs National Community Excellence Award.

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.
4. Faithworks is a movement of individuals, churches and organisations motivated by their Christian faith to serve the needs of their local communities and positively influence society as a whole.  Faithworks has developed books, manuals, a DVD for small groups, and a training programme to support churches as they serve their local communities professionally, in a way that is consistent with their Christian ethos.  For more information please visit www.faithworks.info.

Photography
The image shows Congregational MD Carlo Cavaliere presenting the Congregational Community Excellence Award 2006 to Bernadette Benn of Barnabas Workshops alongside members of the Barnabas volunteer team.

For further information

Contact Adrian Johnson in the Congregational Press Office on 0113 243 1117.  Email adrian@lucrecommunications.com

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8th November 2006 Barnabas Workshops lands Congregational Community Excellence Award 2006

Barnabas Workshops Lands Congregational Community Excellence Award 2006 £5,000 for Project Demonstrating Community Innovation & Excellence Essex-based Barnabas Workshops, which specialises in job search information, advice and guidance, has been awarded the prestigious Community Excellence Award at the Faithworks Awards ceremony held at the House of Commons on 7th November 2006.

Sponsored by Congregational & General Insurance, the award recognises best practice in community-based Christian projects that demonstrate a good understanding of long-term sustainability and entrepreneurial attitude. A record number of entries were received from projects which had created a positive impact on local communities as far apart as rural Cornwall, central Birmingham, to the Islands of Orkney.

This award was one of three community projects recognised by Faithworks, the organisation which works towards empowering and inspiring individual Christians and local churches to develop their role within their community.

Carlo Cavaliere, Managing Director of Congregational, said: “We are delighted to be associated with Faithworks and this important Christian-inspired community initiative. 

Barnabas Workshops stood out in the judges’ eyes as a very impressive, mature project which last year helped 297 individuals get jobs, many of whom had been long-term unemployed or did not speak English as a first language. 

The charity believes passionately that employment is a doorway out of deprivation, and works to equip people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to achieve career success.

Barnabas Workshops work with people of all faiths and none, many of whom are often entering the UK job market for the first time and their success rating is higher than other employment projects in the borough of Redbridge.

Judges were also impressed with its strong management and governance structures, supported by two quality assurance marks – Investors in People and Matrix. 

The charity is fully deserving of this £5,000 award and the national title of Congregational Community Excellence Award winner for 2006.

Malcolm Duncan, Leader of the Faithworks Movement, said: “The three winning projects each demonstrated excellence, professionalism and amazing commitment in the services they provide. The 18 shortlisted projects each showed that Christian faith works.”

The ceremony was hosted by the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Gary Streeter MP, Chairman of the Conservative International Office, in the Members Dining Room of the House of Commons.

To find out more about Congregational’s church insurance visit www.congregational.co.uk for more on its home insurance products visit www.shared-values.co.uk.

ENDS –

Notes to editors

1. Congregational & General is one of the country’s most respected insurers of homes and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.
2. Based in Bradford, it is wholly-owned by a charitable trust which to date has disbursed grants totalling several million pounds to churches and other worthy causes.
3. In addition to issuing policies for over 7,000 places of worship of all denominations, the fastest growing area of its business today is the private homeowner.
4. Faithworks is a movement of individuals, churches and organisations motivated by their Christian faith to serve the needs of their local communities and positively influence society as a whole.  Faithworks has developed books, manuals, a DVD for small groups, and a training programme to support churches as they serve their local communities professionally, in a way that is consistent with their Christian ethos.  For more information please visit www.faithworks.info.

Photography
The image shows Congregational MD Carlo Cavaliere presenting the Congregational Community Excellence Award 2006 to Bernadette Benn of Barnabas Workshops alongside members of the Barnabas volunteer team.

For further information

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14th August 2006 Congregational Appoint New Non-Executive Director

Harry Driver has joined Congregational & General Insurance plc as an independent non-executive director from 1 August 2006. Harry was latterly with RSA where he was Director of Insurance Risk, having previously been Director of Underwriting, Claims and Reinsurance. Congregational & General Insurance was established in 1891 as a specialist church insurer.

6th June 2006 Set All Free Campaign

SET ALL FREE TO COMMEMORATE ANNIVERSARY OF ABOLITION OF SLAVE TRADE ACT

Two centuries ago, black and white Christian abolitionists were at the forefront of the campaign to end the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in 1807. Churches Together in England established the set all free project to raise awareness about the role of the Church in the abolition of the slave trade and ensure that churches continue to end its modern day equivalent. Sunday 25 March 2007 will be the 200th anniversary of the passing of a British law to halt the transportation of millions of Africans to the Americas, and the Government, alongside a range of organisations including museums, galleries, libraries and the media are planning to mark this significant event.

Richard Reddie, set all free’s project director suggests: ‘Next year’s bicentenary will be a momentous occasion in the history of this country. Already there are hundreds of activities planned and we want to make sure that the Christian community plays a significant role in everything.’

As a result, set all free has produced a range of resources, and is developing activities that enable all sections of society to remember what happened 200 years ago, reflect on how these events still affect our lives today and respond to the needs of those in modern slavery.

Richard states: ‘It would be wrong to think that slavery ended two hundred years ago; the truth is millions are still in modern forms of slavery today and we need to be as dynamic as our abolitionist forbearers in ending this activity.’ He continues: ‘Similarly, we need to be aware of the continuing damage caused by the Transatlantic Slave Trade and work together to finally end this horrendous episode in history.’

Assisting them in this pioneering task is Congregational Insurance, one of the country's most respected insurers of homes and Churches. According to Margaret Slater, Congregational’s Marketing Manager “We decided to support set all free in its work because, it complements our work with the church community and has a wider appeal crossing social and political boundaries, we are very committed to issues of social justice and the need to bring about change where necessary.”

Congregational’s’ support for set all free forms part of a wider commitment made through the Congregational & General Charitable Trust which regularly grants funds to charitable, social and community projects.

(ends)

For further information about set all free please contact Richard Reddie at set all free, telephone 020 7529 8141 or email info@setallfree.net or www.setallfree.net For further information on Congregational & General Insurance plc please contact Margaret Slater Tel. 01274 700754 or email press@congregational.co.uk

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9th May 2006 NOT ALL PURCHASES ARE PRICE-DRIVEN - SURVEY FINDS

BUYING a home may be the biggest investment most of us make in our lives but Britain's church-goers would rather spend time researching TV and audio systems than home insurance.

That's one of a number of intriguing results from a survey sponsored by Congregational and General Insurance in advance of this week's National Christian Resources Exhibition (Sandown Park Exhibition Centre, Esher, Surrey, May 9 -12 2006).

4000 CRE visitors were asked: 'Of the following, which would you spend most time researching?'
Their response:

Medical advice - 31 per cent
School or daycare centre for children - 21 per cent
Job opportunities - 17 per cent
Financial advice - 12 per cent
TV/audio system - 8 per cent
Car insurance - 8 per cent
Home insurance - 3 per cent

'It seems that people are prepared to invest a considerable amount of time and effort in selecting electrical goods but spend much less time ensuring their property is fully insured ,' said Margaret Slater of Congregational and General Insurance who will be at CRE to launch www.shared-values.co.uk - ethically-based home insurance.

Ethical issues play a key role in financial decisions made by church-goers. More than two out of three (69 per cent) said they would be inclined to pay slightly more for home insurance from a company claiming an ethical stance than pay a slightly lower premium from another company.

‘Given that this is a survey of professing Christians we were not surprised at the results... not everything is price driven,’ said Margaret Slater. ‘At Congregational, we aim to be competitive and also provide excellent service with honesty and integrity. By choosing Congregational, policy holders can help to make a difference in the community, as we are owned by a charitable trust which regularly donates a proportion of our profits to worthy and charitable causes.’

Established since 1891 Congregational & General Insurance company has built its business on the traditional values of trust and reliability. Together with the professional and friendly service of dedicated staff it's an ethos which has helped to establish Congregational as a leading provider of church insurance and also to expand into the home insurance sector.

Congregational & General Insurance is one of the country's most respected insurers of home and churches with over £9 billion household assets and almost £5 billion church assets covered in the UK.

Based in Bradford, Congregational & General is wholly owned by a charitable trust which, to date, has disbursed grants totaling several million pounds to churches and other charitable causes. In addition to providing insurance solutions for 7000 places of worship of all denominations the fastest-growing area of business today for Congregational is the home insurance market.

The ‘shared-values’ building and contents insurance products, launched in May 2006, are designed to appeal to consumers with a sense of social and community responsibility. These are available directly by telephone and the internet www.shared-values.co.uk.

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* Issued by Stephen Goddard Associates on behalf of Congregational and General Insurance. For more information phone Stephen Goddard 01744 733898 or 07930 198209.

*Or Margaret Slater Marketing Manager Congregational & General Insurance plc 01274 700754 or email press@congregational.co.uk

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8th May 2006 LAUNCH OF SHARED-VALUES

CONGREGATIONAL SHARES ITS VALUES WITH HOME INSURANCE CUSTOMERS
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