Your Village Hall committee prepared a ‘Covid-19 Secure’ policy and undertook new arrangements (hand sanitiser, new signage, deep cleaning) to enable the hall to re-open successfully last week. However, the government’s new ‘Rule of 6’ was announced on Wednesday 9th. Villagers might like to know that the Hall Committee has consulted the revised and updated government advice (www.gov.uk/guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities) and decided that we can keep the hall open for some future events. Only two paragraphs have been altered from the original (August) guidance that we followed, namely:-

"From 14 September, whether indoors or outdoors people from different households must not meet in groups of more than 6. This limit does not apply to meetings of a single household group or support bubble which is more than 6 people. Community facilities following COVID-19 secure guidelines can host more than 6 people in total, but no one should visit or socialise in a group of greater than 6. Further information on social contact rules, social distancing and the exemptions that exist can be found on the guidance on meeting with others safely. These rules will not apply to workplaces or education settings, alongside other exemptions. See more details on what has changed.

If partaking in permitted activities users of COVID-19 secure community facilities should limit their social interactions with anyone they do not live with. Whilst activities may have 6 or more people participating (where it is safe to do so and capacity permits) it is important for all parties to maintain socially distant, 2 metres or 1 metre with actions taken to reduce the risk of transmission (where 2 metres is not viable) between households. For example, use of face coverings and encouraging good hand hygiene on entering premises and throughout visit."

What this makes clear is that the hall (as a community facility following Covid-19 secure guidelines) can host larger groups but we must sit in sub-groups no larger than 6. Effectively we will be just like any pub or restaurant. With good 2m social distancing* and hand hygiene etc, we can continue. Face coverings should be worn unless we are eating or drinking or undertaking activities inhibited by masks, in which case face coverings may be removed. No change there.

Tai Chi WILL GO AHEAD on Monday 14th at 2.30pm, as the teacher Debbie has been reassured by her insurance company that she may safely proceed within the hall’s Covid secure policy.

The hall plans to host the next Coffee & Chat session on Wed October 7th at 10.30am and this will be in aid of the McMillan Nurses charity. We hope you may be able to support this. The Village Reading Group may begin to use the hall and their next meeting is on Wed 30 Sept. Time to be confirmed. The village choir leader has been sent the hall’s Covid policy but no plans have yet emerged for any restart.

Any future plans depend on government decisions but we will keep you informed at every stage.

*The safe capacity of our hall (applying 2 metre distancing) is 21 people. With masks and good ventilation the capacity for 1.5 m distancing is 36 people.

Village Hall Committee 12 Sept 2020

Notice Date: 12/09/2020