All sports clubs, schools, businesses etc. were recommended to appoint a Covid Officer/s. Wendy and Hayley volunteered. They attended a training course. They have looked at all the Guidance from Government, Local Authority and England Athletics and updated our Club Guidance and Disclaimer. They devised our Risk Assessment and Disclaimer for coaches and athletes.
Our coaches and athletes have signed these to allow them to use the track facilities. They advised the club what had to be done to make the training safe eg. sanitiser, dispensers, signage, wipes etc.
One room of the Marley building became a sanitising area. Only coaches and athletes were allowed in the track arena in their ‘bubbles’. Everyone else has been asked to leave their athlete at the gate to keep the track arena covid safe. Athlete ‘bubble’ times are staggered to avoid contact. Coaches have a daily register of their athletes.
Hayley spends an hour or so on Sunday producing a rota for the week based on requests received. Wendy and Hayley then monitor what is happening under the different guidance and remind anyone who has transgressed. As time has gone by people have become frustrated, tired and struggled with the many variants.
It has become a very difficult and unusual time. People have had to adapt for a longer period of time than they expected. As a result disagreements have occurred, in front of members, over the breaching of our covid guidance on several occasions. There is no discussion just shouting. This is having a detrimental effect on those who are adhering to the guidance.
If the same people continue to break our covid guidance then the club will have to think about a period of suspension. We are all struggling in our own way and all finding it hard but we must follow the guidance and the law.
John Murphy (Hon. Secretary)