Retired United Reformed Church (URC) Minister the Revd Peter Beaman MBE has been awarded a Police and Crime Commissioner’s award for his service as a volunteer for Merseyside’s Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) scheme.

The annual Merseyside Police ‘Community First Awards’ recognise police officers, staff, volunteers and community partners for their dedication, bravery and professionalism.

Peter has chaired the ICV scheme since its inception in 1984, organising volunteers to visit police custody suites in Merseyside and ensuring that detainees are treated lawfully and with care and dignity by the police while in custody.

More than 270 people attended the United Reformed Church Buildings Forum’s first online conference on 19 April.

Guest speakers included Andy Turner from the HeartEdge movement and the Revd Dr John Bradbury, General Secretary of the URC.

In his address, John spoke about how it’s not the building that makes a Church, but its people:

The Revd Adrian Bulley, currently Synod Clerk for the United Reformed Church (URC) National Synod of Wales and Convenor of the URC Business Committee, has been appointed the new Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship).

In January, Adrian had been seconded to the role of Assistant General Secretary, for a period of seven months, to assist the Revd Dr John Bradbury, URC General Secretary, who had been covering the deputy role following the retirement of the Revd Richard Church in July 2020.

As interim Assistant General Secretary, Adrian had concentrated on safeguarding as well as other areas of the department.