Last updated 31st October 2021
Communicating with people not online; includes use of pictures
Online material from Diocesan websites in printed publications
In cancelling The See in early 2021 (see this page for more) we were fully aware it was a useful communication tool for reaching people who are not on the internet.
So, we want to emphasise at this time that parishes are free to use and adapt ALL the regularly updated articles and information appearing on the Diocesan website and in Parish Update and other ebulletins.
You can use the articles in local communications (such as your own parish magazine if you have one) to continue to keep people informed.
Using website articles and how to do it ...
- On the Diocesan website (the one you are on now) all news stories and features plus any of the text about upcoming events from the events section; plus any other material on other pages of the Diocesan website is available for inclusion in local printed publications, in whole or in part.
- The same applies to articles featured on the Diocesan Board of Education website.
- You can copy and paste articles and use the original words in your own communications (printed or digital) across your parish.
- Sometimes whole articles are also provided in downloadable 'ready to use' format as pdfs - so look out for those. More on these kinds of articles further below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please try to use articles in whole where possible. If not possible please edit with care, keeping the key points originally made. Also, please do not change or amend any facts or add opinion (yours or anyone else in your parish) into a original piece you have taken from the website(s). If an opinion is to be added on any matter for discussion, please keep it separate and original to your own parish and don't include it within something you have downloaded from the Diocesan sites.
- Ideally please attribute the source of the article from the news pages (namely www.blackburn.anglican.org) and, where named, the author or originator of the piece if possible (if featured, then it will usually be found at the start or the end).
- You can also use the text of all stories that appear in Parish Update and our other ebulletins: Safeguarding Matters; Lay Ministry News and Money Matters and ebulletins sent from the Diocesan Board of Education.
- Our ebulletins consist of a number of shorter pieces than you might ordinarily find on the website. Sometimes these shorter pieces are 'stand alone' and contain all the information you need to engage; but often they will be summary pieces or introductory articles and will link to either this website or other websites for more information.
- If the piece you want to use for say, your parish magazine, links to a page on the Diocesan website then you could use the Parish Update article as an introduction and then add the greater detail from the website underneath or next to the shorter piece.
- If you want to use an article and it links to a website that is an outside source (not from the Diocese) then if it is The Church of England national website you should be fine; but if it is another organisation please check with them first as a courtesy before copying and pasting articles into local printed publications.
- Hopefully the above is self explantory. Applying common sense to what you use and how you engage with it at all times should suffice; but if you have any queries re the above, please email communicate@blackburn.anglican.org and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Weekly Sermon and other 'ready-to-go' information and articles
- As well as material on the website pages, you can also download a whole range of artiles to print off 'as is' for distribution to people who are not online.
- A good example is the Weekly Sermon. This is written each week by one of the clergy and laity from around the Diocese - the Bishops and Archdeacons and the Dean also take a turn. We have a rota we keep up to date and noone on the rota writes for the page more than twice a year.
- You could download and print any of the sermons to add to information packs you may be circulating to parishioners not online; or why not print the latest one off and insert it into your parish magazine; either in its standard 'ready-to-go' A4 format or A4 folded to A5 if your magazine is smaller?
- You will also find other articles added regularly to other parts of the Diocesan website to illustrate themes being discussed or for engagement in other ways. Here are just a few recent examples (all available to use now) ...
- Giving Devotions. A series of devotions for each day of the Call to Pray and Give; with opportunities to daily 'pause'; 'rejoice', 'reflect' and 'ask'.
- Also as part of the Call to Pray and Give initiative, we offered some reflections on giving ... 'Sacrificial Giving'reflection (pdf) by Revd. Dr Chris Dingwall-Jones, Curate at Fleetwood St Peter and St David. Word version: Sacrificial Giving. Also we have another reflection on 'The Gift of Giving' (pdf) by Rev. Dr Tom Woolford, Vicar of New Longton. Word version The Gift of Giving.
Pictures
- If you want to use a picture as well as words from the website or Parish Update, please ALWAYS check first by emailing communicate@blackburn.anglican.org
- The good news is that, with the exception immediately below, pictures for news and feature stories that appear with articles on our website(s) will also usually be able to be used in local parish communications (printed or online). That's because any taken or provided 'for the Diocese' will include permission for parish communications by default.
- Pictures involving children and young people: These pictures are always taken and provided with special permissions and on many occasions may not be useable in other publications without jumping through other hoops to make arrangements. You can still check however and so, as with general pics above, if you want to use a picture in a parish publication originating on the Diocesan website or Board of Education websites and it features children or young people, check first by emailing communicate@blackburn.anglican.org
- When you email communicate@ state the picture you are interested in; the context in which you are using it (where it is to appear) and when you need it by. If we can supply it, we will try to provide you with the hi-res original if possible and will email back with a reason if it is not possible.
- Any hi-res pictures provided in this way are for the sole purpose of using in the parish publications you state; nothing else. We hope you understand they must not be circulated locally on email and/or kept for private use.
- Please also do not use pictures taken randomly from elsewhere on the web to illustrate your story - particularly any story directly related to the Diocese - as their use could be misconstrued and you may not have copyright of the image anyway.
- A brilliant copyright free photosite for pictures we can recommend is www.unsplash.com
Ronnie Semley, January 2021