A new programme has been developed to keep clergy safe from the rising number of violent attacks in churches each year. If it is successful it could become obligatory training for all clergymen and women within three years.

The CLERGYsafe project has been developed by former policeman and co-ordinator of the National Churchwatch organisation Nick Tolson to give clergy the necessary skills and know-how on how to defuse potentially violent situations peacefully.

Tolson hopes that the project will eventually be rolled out to dioceses across the country where it could become obligatory training for all clergy.

The programme has been developed as attacks on clergy continue to rise. A recent poll from the Diocese of London found that some 48 per cent of the 80 clergy surveyed had experienced some sort of violence in the past year.

Mr Tolson stressed that the purpose of the course was not to teach self-defence moves to clergy but rather to equip clergy to deal with potentially violent encounters.

“What we want to do is help clergy to understand violence and how to defuse confrontations and use ‘self rescue’ techniques, in other words how to run away,” said Tolson.

“We won’t be teaching self-defence moves, it’s not going to be a case of karate chopping-clergy!”

“If they were to try and use self-defence techniques it might place them in even deeper trouble, so the main thing we want to do is teach them how to get away without hurting the other person.”

Seminars are provided free of charge by National Churchwatch, an organisation that works to enhance the safety and security of workers in the Church, with plans also in the offing to run the course in theological colleges around the country.

Tolson added: “Unfortunately today there is a need for this type of training, there has always been violence and abuse against clergy as churches often attract violent people, yet the 10,000 clergy in England and Wales receive nil formal training for dealing with this.”