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 on Sept 7th. The government’s ‘Rule of 6’ (Sept 9th) was followed by Boris’ statement this week and your Hall Committee has now consulted the latest ‘nitty gritty’ government advice dated 22 Sept https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

The crucial sections of the website are 2.11 3.11 and 3.15

The Committee has decided that we can keep the hall open for some future events but with certain new precautions:

1. We can continue to host groups larger than 6 in total but we must sit in sub-groups of no more than 6 (as in pubs and restaurants). This is only because the hall is a Covid-19 Secure premises.

2. Face coverings are now mandated indoors upon entry and exit of the building and in moving to toilet or kitchen areas. Masks may still be removed to eat and drink or when the wearing of a mask inhibits the activity (e.g.Tai Chi). The penalty for not wearing a mask has been raised to £200. PLEASE WEAR A MASK AT THE START OF ANY ACTIVITY!!

3. NO SOCIAL MINGLING: It’s really important that we sit in socially distanced groups of 6 but do not wander about mixing and mingling with other groups.

4. Although the kitchen will be open, people are asked to bring their own drinks and glasses whenever possible.Careful washing of crockery after Coffee Mornings will be required. The virus cannot live on hard surfaces for long periods but the principle of clean crockery and cutlery at all times is important.

5. Existing protocols regarding hand sanitising, social distancing and good ventilation must continue. Contact details must still be provided.

The most important regulation, however, is that people should NOT attend village hall activities if they have any covid symptoms (persistent cough and fever).

DECISIONS: Tai Chi therefore continues on Mondays at 2.15pm and the teacher Debbie has been sent the hall’s latest Covid-Secure policy. Wellbeing classes have now re-started with Sarah Haddow on Thursday mornings at 9.15am.

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 will hold their next meeting 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.

THE FUTURE: Any future plans depend on government decisions but we will keep you informed at every stage. The hall’s (fourth) Covid Policy is published in full on the hall noticeboard and is available from David Sutcliffe or any committee member.

*The safe capacity of our hall (applying 2 metre distancing) is 21 people. With masks and good ventilation the capacity @ 1.5 m distancing is 36 people. Gatherings of more than 30 people are strongly discouraged anyway at the moment.

Village Hall Committee 25 Sept 2020

Notice Date: 27/09/2020