It was great news that we moved boldly to Step 3 of the Roadmap to Recovery on Monday 17th May, but what does this actually mean for voluntary and community groups?
This is a significant step forward as it allows community buildings to reopen and resume many of their activities and services, however we appreciate that this also adds a level of nervousness and uncertainty for those who manage community buildings as they make important decisions about how and when to reopen. The focus of Step 3 of the roadmap is about managing the numbers of people meeting safely rather than the activities they are undertaking. Further information about Step 3 can be found here; below are some of the key changes within this next step: - People are now able to meet indoors but the rule of 6 applies – a group of no more than 6 or 2 households/bubbles
- A maximum of 30 people can meet outdoors
- The capacity of community buildings must be carefully managed to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
- Community buildings must be COVID secure
The implementation of COVID secure measures will ensure venues are as safe as possible and continue to reduce the spread of the virus, which will hopefully allow the final step of the recovery plan to be implemented in a few weeks’ time, where it is hoped that most of the restrictions will be lifted. Further details about what is meant by COVID secure measures can be found here Reviewing and refreshing your risk assessments is one of the best ways to ensure you have everything in place for when you start to welcome back your users. Durham County Council are still offering free Lateral Flow tests (LFD) to all residents in the county which is another way to help keep people safe and reduce any further spread of the virus. Further information about the testing programme can be found here As always, we continue to work with our colleagues at ACRE and update our resources to continue to help and support you as you work through the process of reopening. The latest ACRE information sheet, updated on 22nd April, which features further advice and guidance on reopening can be found here Over the next few weeks, as the government looks to implement the final step of the recovery plan and the restrictions are lifted further, we will continue to provide further information, advice, and guidance to support you in your decision making. In the meantime, our staff team are available to help you understand what the changes may mean for your community building and to provide you with information, advice and support with any queries or concerns you may have. If you have already been in contact with one of our Community Support Team, contact them directly or email info@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk |