NWR current guidelines for Covid-19

NWR’s current guidelines related to Covid19, which are kept as simple and straightforward as possible, for group meetings are as follows: 

Please note that guidance can change quickly and NWR has a tiny, part-time staff team but we will try to keep this updated as required. If your area has local restrictions in place they will override this advice.

The latest guidance available states that Covid-19 Secure venues, which includes many community halls etc. can host more than 6 people in total, within their capacity limits, if people are in household groups of no more than 6, and socially distanced from other household groups also in attendance.

However, for activities and social groups where there is a significant likelihood of groups mixing and socialising (and where it will be difficult to prevent mingling and therefore breaking the law) meetings should not take place in a community facility. These may include but are not limited to:

• formal or informal clubs and hobby clubs (e.g. women’s institute, veteran’s associations, freemasons, sewing clubs, book clubs, crafts clubs, reading groups)

Please check www.gov.uk/coronavirus for details of local restrictions. 

We advise against sharing lifts if possible. 

Please maintain a distance of 2 metres between members.

Please ensure that you wash your hands often and use hand sanitiser as necessary, maintaining good hygiene practices. 

Please ensure that you do not attend any NWR gathering if you have any symptoms related to Covid19. 

For members in the shielding group we ask that you take the advice of your relevant medical professionals before joining any NWR gathering. 

England:-

Meetings in member’s homes are not permitted.

Meetings in member’s gardens may take place with up to 6 people as long as social distancing is practiced throughout. We advise you to move through houses to the garden as quickly as possible and it is preferable for you to wear a mask when moving through the house or using the toilet. We also advise you to  bring along your own mugs for hot drinks (don’t forget we have reusable, collapsible NWR travel mugs for sale at just £6 each) and it is worthwhile for the host to have antibacterial wipes on hand for door handles and toilet trips.

According to the guidance, meetings in public outdoor spaces should also be restricted to up to 6 members and social distancing should be practiced.

There has been some confusion over the ability to meet in up to groups of up to 30 as a community group in ‘Covid secure’ environments such as village halls. Technically this is something which NWR groups are able to do - see above.

Wales:-

Meetings are not allowed in any indoor setting

Meetings of up to 30 people are now permitted outdoors in all settings. But you should continue to maintain physical and social distancing from people outside your household. We advise you to move through houses to the garden as quickly as possible if meeting at a members garden. It is preferable for you to wear a mask when moving through the house or using the toilet. We also advise you to  bring along your own mugs for hot drinks (don’t forget we have reusable, collapsible NWR travel mugs for sale at just £6 each) and it is worthwhile for the host to have antibacterial wipes on hand for door handles and toilet trips.

Scotland:-

Meetings outdoors can only include people from up to 5 households (4 ‘other’ than your own), effectively limiting NWR meetings to 5 people in most cases (Meetings can be up to 15 in total if they include multiple members of the same household). It is also worth noting that the guidance states you should not meet people from more than 4 other households in total each day (whether indoors and/or outdoors). This means that if you meet 4 others for an NWR meeting you should not meet anyone else from outside of your household for the rest of the day.  

We advise you to move through houses to the garden as quickly as possible if meeting at a member’s home. It is preferable for you to wear a mask when moving through the house or using the toilet. We also advise you to bring along your own mugs for hot drinks (don’t forget we have reusable, collapsible NWR travel mugs for sale at just £6 each) and it is worthwhile for the host to have antibacterial wipes on hand for door handles and toilet trips.

Indoor meetings are limited to 2 other households and so, in most cases, will not be relevant to NWR.