22nd September – ACRE has issued it’s latest safe practice guidance Covid Winter Plan for Village Halls based on the Govt’s Covid-19 Winter Plan Click Here
Appendix E Supplementary Special Hire Conditions has been amended to reflect the latest guidance Click Here
New guidance on managing public outdoor settings has been published. It replaces a number of previous pieces of guidance, including that for outdoor playgrounds. For Recreation Fields, Playgrounds and Outdoor Toilets which are unstaffed use of posters encouraging good hand hygiene remains appropriate Click Here
For Working Safely Guidance Click Here
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The below remains for the present for reference:
20 July – ACRE has issued the Re-opening Village Halls post Covid-19 Closure Information Sheet V.11 Click Here
This replaces the interim guidance previously issued on 14 July but has the same content.
All the Appendices have now been separated from the Information Sheet and are available through the links below. You are advised to check that you are using the most recent version.
These are all PDFs, if you would like a Word version please contact tim.hayward-smith@cdaherts.org.uk
Appendix A July 2021
Appendix B July 2021
Appendix C July 2021
Appendix D July 2021
Appendix E July 2021 see updated version above
Appendix F July 2021
Appendix G July 2021
Appendix H July 2021
Appendix I July 2021
Appendix L July 2021
Appendix M July 2021
Please note that Appendices J & K are not in use
Govt Guidance – Covid-19 Response: Summer 2021 Click Here
COVID-19: Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities –
This guidance was withdrawn on it’s no longer current. While cases are high and rising, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious. This is why the Govt is keeping in place key protections on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 Click Here
You should also follow the measures in the working safely guidance Click Here
Other Guidance:
The following sections below have been left here for reference and guidance to help Halls and Hirers ensure that activities are continued to be carried out as safely and securely as possible to restrict Coronavirus spreading and to keep the elderly and vulnerable safe.
It’s your Hall and you make the Rules!
There are some Covid-19 Information ‘Postcards’ created for the Covid Information Champions which you may find useful to print and display when you are open Click Here
If you are providing office workspace in your Hall Click Here
Enabling safe and effective volunteering during COVID-19
This guidance aims to help organisations and groups understand how to safely and effectively involve volunteers during the pandemic
Click Here
For Uniformed Youth Groups the following applies:
Click Here for Girlguiding
Click Here Scouts
Click Here for the National Youth Agency
The following link provides some handy posters which summarise the general position for each area Click Here
Click here for further updates from EMDUK about Group Exercise and current restrictions
Here is some further information and useful links which you may find helpful in clarifying responsibilities.
These are some sites which may help with the Ventilation versus Heating problem:
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here for the latest Public Health England guidance for the Hands, Face, Space message. Really useful resources for you to promote and reinforce safe and essential behaviour through social media, email signatures, websites, posters and bulletins
Click Here for Govt Guidance for people who work in performing arts, including arts organisations, venue operators and participants.
Click Here for ABCD useful guidance for musicians and their choirs.
Click Here for EMD the National Governing Body for Group Exercise
Click Here for Sport England Guidance on the Rule of 6 and Indoor Team Sports
Click Here for Guidance for making a Support Bubble
Click Here for Guidance For the Charity Sector including AGMs
Track and Trace – Organisations that manage it for you
Click Here for Time to Spare
Click Here for Secure Check In
Barnham Community Hall in Sussex has produced a short and welcoming video for Village Hall users, including showing their signage, about what to expect and how to conduct themselves when entering and using the Hall.
Click Here
Guidance for Choirs and Choral activities
Click Here
Clarification about Face Covering exemption for physical activity in a Village Hall or Community Building –
The wording that quoted contained in the previous versions of the Govt Legislation and Guidance has now changed (as has been the case on frequent occasions of late) but it is still saying that it may not be advisable for health reasons to wear a face covering whilst engaged in physical exercise and so, where this is taking place in a Village Hall, participants are exempt from wearing face coverings.
This is from the Guidance 24 September ‘When to wear one, exemptions and how to make your own’ Click Here
“In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.
This includes (but is not limited to):
…to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others – including if it would negatively impact on your ability to exercise or participate in a strenuous activity”
and “There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering:
… if you are undertaking exercise or an activity and it would negatively impact your ability to do so”
This is covered in the Legislation under “Reasonable excuse” to not wear a face covering Click Here
“(c) … removes their face covering to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to themselves or others;”
However, please be aware that the wearing of face coverings is to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus and so your risk assessments should determine, given the level of physical activity, if it is advisable for health reasons for the people involved with the activity to wear them or not. It is still advised to wear face coverings as frequently as possible for all activities other than for the health reasons cited above. Everyone should still be behaving as safely as possible and not looking for reasons not to wear face coverings.
Please get in touch if anything is not clear.