In a post-Covid world there is much to consider when thinking about re-starting activity and ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Fortunately, help is at hand - we've gathered useful hints and tips together below and we've also included some useful links to other information. Finally, you can always contact Hope or Kerry if you need help or advice.
1) Read the guidance - Welsh Government and WCVA have both produced guidance for the managers and Trustees of village halls. It can be quite long but it's definitely worth a read through!
Read Welsh Government advice here
2) Assess your risk - this will be different for every hall. Your hall may have better (or worse) ventilation than others or maybe better (or worse) heating systems...the point is that risk assessment is unique and Covid 19 risk assessment even more so. Each activity must be thought about in detail and potential risks managed as far as possible. A simple risk plan guide is below:
THE RISK PLAN
- LOOK AT THE RISKS: Anything which could cause harm to someone. Consider what people are doing - what actually happens, not what ought to happen, ask them how they actually go about their work.
- REDUCE THE RISK: Note what you have in place and what you can do to reduce each risk – what can you reasonably do. Focus on the most serious risks and those vulnerable individuals most at risk and those actions which you can undertake directly.
- SHARE THE RESULTS: Share the risk plan. Make sure everyone knows what to do and if they have any concerns. These concerns can be shared and added to the risk plan. Have a simple ‘Do’s and Don’ts List’ and share it with all staff/volunteers.
- REVIEW THE PLAN: The more people involved the better. Review it every week or when something goes wrong or you identify a new risk.
3) Consider if some activities can return before others. Whilst every hall wants as many as possible to return, as quickly as possible, it can be a very different proposition to manage a seated exercise class than a bustling market event. Some activities may need to wait.
4) Consider what arrangements are needed to hire your hall. Many halls hire out to external parties for classes, events and other activities. For many halls, this is an essential form of income that goes towards paying the bills. There is nothing to stop you from renting your hall out again now - but you need to be very clear about who is responsible for what. Do you need to consider a 'cleaning clause' so that all hirers clean specific parts of the hall after use? Is there anyone who can inspect to ensure this is carried out?
Oh and just one more thing....
Have you considered the benefits of being a 'virtual' village hall?
YOU could be a centre where people can hire kit from! Laptops, tablets, smart camera's and even Alexa's are available for you to loan to people who want to try them out.
https://connectpembrokeshire.org.uk/pembrokeshire-digital-connections
You can also film activities and upload the videos to YouTube for others to view at their leisure! For the extra confident, how about running an activity and livetreaming it for people to watch! Not only can virtual activity help you reach more people but you can also team up with care homes and other providers and put your content in front of people who would never have been able to make it to your hall!
Remember you can always message the team for help