During the recent Covid 19 pandemic Abbotskerswell Village Hall put measures in place to keep the hall running whilst helping to keep hirers and volunteers safe. Whilst these measures have been relaxed as the pandemic has eased, the details we put in place are outlined below and may be reinstated in the future should the need arise. These details include the Special Conditions of Hire and the Covid 19 Risk Assessment.
HELP KEEP THIS HALL COVID-19 SECURE
1. You must not enter if you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms.
2. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms within10 days of visiting these premises you must seek a COVID-19 Test.
3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing as far as possible: Wait 2 metres behind the person in front of you as you go through the entrance door to your activity and observe the one-way system marked.
4. Use the hand sanitiser provided on entering the premises. Clean your hands often. Soap and paper towels/hand driers are provided in the toilet area. Ensure only one person at a time are allowed in the toilet area.
5. Avoid touching your face, nose, or eyes. Clean your hands if you do.
6. Face coverings MUST be worn unless an exemption applies to a person (eg for health reasons, those aged under 11) or a person has a reasonable excuse not to wear a face covering (eg when taking part in an activity to which an exemption applies). This is a legal requirement.
7. Catch it, Bin it, Kill it Tissues should be disposed of into one of the rubbish bags provided. Then wash your hands.
8. Check the organisers of your activity have cleaned door handles, tables, other equipment, sinks and surfaces before you arrived. Keep them clean. We cannot clean all surfaces at the hall between each hire.
9. Take turns to use confined spaces such as corridors, kitchen and toilet areas. Standing or sitting next to someone is lower risk than opposite them. Briefly passing another person in a confined space is low risk. Please clean any areas that you have touched with equipment provided before anyone else enters the area.
10. Keep the hall well ventilated. Close doors and windows on leaving.
11. Wash your clothes when you get home to reduce risk of transmission.
12. A Signed Cleaning Table is on the trolley in the Foyer and must be signed along with the date and time when the hirer or Village Hall representative has completed their cleaning.
Special Conditions of Hire during COVID-19
Note: These conditions are supplemental to, not a replacement for, the hall’s ordinary conditions of hire.
SC1:
You, the hirer, will be responsible for ensuring those attending your activity or event comply with the COVID-19 Secure Guidelines while entering and occupying the hall (including social distancing), as shown on the attached poster which is also displayed at the hall entrances, in particular using the hand sanitiser supplied when entering the hall and after using tissues. Maximum group sizes are 15 for the small hall and 30 for the large hall.
Only the hirer can enter the building through the main door, which must be locked behind you. Once inside, the hirer will need to open the glass doors/fire exits which are signed ‘way in’ and ‘way out’. This one way system must be adhered to at all times to minimise cross-contamination and ‘pinch points’.
Currently, the kitchens and bar area are out of use and should always remain locked. The first aid kits and cleaning products will be located on the wooden trolley in the main foyer.
Sanitiser is available near to every entrance/exit and in the foyer. You must ensure your users sanitise their hands upon entrance and exit and regularly throughout the booking.
SC2:
You undertake to comply with the actions identified in the hall’s risk assessment, of which you have been provided with a copy. You will also be required to write your own risk assessment, specific to your activity, and provide us (the trustees) with a copy. There is a sample risk assessment attached.
SC3:
You will be responsible for cleaning door handles, light switches, window catches, equipment, toilet handles and seats, wash basins and all surfaces likely to be used during your period of hire before other members of your group or organisation arrive and to keep the premises clean through regular cleaning of surfaces during your hire, paying particular attention to wash hand basins and kitchen sinks (if used), using either the products supplied (on the trolley in the main entrance way) or your own ordinary domestic products. You will be required to clean again on leaving. You will need to sign the cleaning log once this is done.
There have been bins placed next to exits for users to dispose of gloves, face coverings and tissues. These MUST have a bin bag (found on the trolley in the entrance hall) put in at the start of the event and the hirer is responsible for ensuring these are tied and placed in the wheelie bins outside at the end of the event. The hirer is also responsible to check the car park for discarded litter and dispose of any that is found.
SC4:
You will make sure that everyone likely to attend your activity or event understands that they MUST NOT DO SO if they or anyone in their household has had COVID-19 symptoms in the last 48 hours. If they develop symptoms however mild, within 10 days of visiting the premises they MUST seek a Covid-19 Test. The hirer will be responsible to record their group’s contact details to be used in this situation (adhering to latest GDPR legislation) and must let the trustees know if such should occur.
SC5:
You will keep the premises well ventilated throughout your hire, with windows and doors (except internal fire doors) open as far as convenient. You will be responsible for ensuring they are all securely closed on leaving.
SC6:
You will ensure that no more than the number stated in SC1 attend your activity/event, in order that social distancing can be maintained. You will ensure that everyone attending maintains 2m social distancing while waiting to enter the premises, observes the one-way system within the premises, and as far as possible observes social distancing of 1m plus mitigation measures when using more confined areas (e.g. moving and stowing equipment, accessing toilets) which should be kept as brief as possible. Face coverings are advisable to be worn inside. You will make sure that no more than one person use each suite of toilets at one time and each user should clean any surfaces afterwards. To ensure this is practical, there have been vacant/engaged signs put on the outside of the toilet door, which users can rotate as necessary.
SC7:
You will take particular care to ensure that social distancing is maintained for any persons aged 70 or over or likely to be clinically more vulnerable to COVID-19, including for example keeping a 2m distance around them when going in and out of rooms and ensuring they can access the toilets, kitchen or other confined areas without others being present. For some people, passing another person in a confined space is less risky, but for older people that should be avoided.
SC8:
You will position furniture or the arrangement of the room as far as possible to facilitate social distancing of 2m between individual people or groups of up to two households or 1m with mitigation measures such as: seating side by side, with at least one empty chair between each person or household group, rather than face to face, and good ventilation. If tables are being used, you will place them so as to maintain a distance of at least 2 metres across the table between people who are face to face.
SC9:
You MUST keep a record of the date and time the activity started and the name and contact telephone number or email of all those who attend your event (or a member of any group of up to 6 people who attend together). This can be done either by operating an advance booking system which collects these details, or by asking everyone who attends to use the NHS QR poster at the hall entrance to register their attendance and by keeping a record of any who do not register using their smartphone app and the hall’s NHS QR poster or your own NHS QR poster. If food or drink is being served, then the contact details of everyone attending must be obtained on arrival unless they register using the NHS QR poster or have provided details beforehand. These records MUST be kept for a period of 3 weeks after the event.
SC10:
You will be responsible for the disposal of all rubbish created during your hire, including tissues and cleaning cloths in the wheelie bins.
SC11:
You will encourage users to bring their own drinks and food (and plenty of water). At the present time there will be no access to kitchens or the hall’s utensils during hire. You will bring your own clean tea towels (if needed), so as to reduce risk of contamination between hirers, and take them away. If food and drink is being consumed users should be seated and there should be no mingling between groups (maximum 6 per group) at different tables.
SC12:
We will have the right to close the hall if there are safety concerns relating to COVID-19, for example, if someone who has attended the hall develops symptoms and thorough cleansing is required or if it is reported that the Special Hiring Conditions above are not being complied with, whether by you or by other hirers, or in the event that public buildings are asked or required to close again. If this is necessary, we will do our best to inform you promptly and you will not be charged for this hire.
SC13:
In the event of someone becoming unwell with suspected Covid-19 symptoms while at the hall you should remove them to your designated safe area. Provide tissues and a bin or plastic bag, and a bowl of warm soapy water for hand washing. Ask others in your group to provide contact details if you do not have them and then leave the premises, observing the usual hand sanitising and social distancing precautions, and advise them to launder their clothes when they arrive home. Inform Lynn Howard on 07702 092278 as soon as possible.
SC14: (NOT ALLOWED UNTIL STEP 4)
For events with more than 30 people (when allowed) you will take additional steps to ensure the safety of the public in relation to COVID-19 and prevent large gatherings or mass events from taking place, for example by operating a booking system or providing attendants or stewards who will ask people to seat themselves furthest from the entrance on arrival, to exit closest to the exits first and invite people to use toilets in the interval row by row.
SC15:
You will ask those attending to bring their own equipment and not share it with other members. You will ensure that any equipment you provide is cleaned before and after use, as per your hirer risk assessment.
SC16:
If using the stage curtains, only open using the rope pull (with gloves or sanitised hands). Do not touch the curtains. If the PA system or microphones are being used, these must be cleaned after use.
SC17:
People who are dropping off or collecting users from the hall will need to make sure that they remain in their vehicles (or well away from the hall if walking).
Risk Assessment
The Village Hall Committee have produced a comprehensive risk assessment designed to keep everyone who uses the hall safe and secure while the restrictions are in place.
Covid 19 Risk Assessment
