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COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update – 12 November 2020
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COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update – 12 November 2020

By November 12, 2020August 21st, 2021No Comments

COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) UPDATE – 12 NOVEMBER 2020

Dear all,

Since the announcement of the new lockdown (which commenced on the 5th of November 2020), we have been working tirelessly to review the new rules. Within this, our team have worked hard to create a safe and accessible environment in the centre, to enable us to support our most vulnerable members of our community during such challenging times.

There have been some changes in how we are operating on a day to day basis, these have been guided by regular team meetings, advice from Public Health England, the National Youth Association and England Boxing, to protect both our participants and staffs wellbeing.
We have decided to keep the centre open, in line with the National Youth Association and Government legislation which states that:

“Some venues will be allowed to remain open for specific exempt activities, like childcare and support groups. Support groups that are essential to deliver in person can continue with up to 15 participants where formally organised to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support. This includes support to victims of crime, people in drug and alcohol recovery, new parents and guardians, people with long-term illnesses, people facing issues relating to their sexuality or gender, and those who have suffered bereavement.”

As you may be aware, we sadly as a community have recently lost yet another one of our participants to knife crime and feel now more than ever that, it is essential to continue offering services where possible. With this in mind, we have created support groups (maximum number allowed in the support group is 15, including staff), for our most in need young people to engage in one or more of the following activities, which also includes a discussion group on various topics:

  • Mentoring
  • Food Deliveries (to those most in need)
  • Fitness sessions
  • Virtual cooking classes on zoom
  • Bike workshop sessions
  • Tutoring sessions
  • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/carneyscommunity/):How to videos (e.g. how to wrap your hands, how to fix a puncture etc.)
  • Virtual boxing sessions/weekly workouts on Mondays
  • Motivational interviews with ex-participants and inspirational people

We have been assured by the National Youth Association that the above conforms to the new lockdown restrictions and that, any travel to and from the centre for these activities is permitted.  However, drop in is not allowed, so those who have been placed in support groups have been invited to specific sessions.

We are also going to continue to support our adult participants, although as restrictions are less flexible with them we will be providing the following services:

  • One to one mentoring or fitness sessions (outdoors and virtual only)
  • Food Deliveries
  • How to videos
  • Employment advice and guidance

We have assured all participants that we are operating as a Covid 19 secure premises, to protect our staff and visitors. Below is an outline of the things we are doing:

Checks and cleanliness:

  • We have implemented opening and closing cleaning checklists. It is here where all high traffic area surfaces and doors are sanitised rigorously.
  • We ask visitors to not enter the centre if they have symptoms of Covid 19 / if they have returned recently from a country where they are required to self-isolate.
  • We are requesting visitors to sign in upon entry to the centre, either via our NHS Test and Trace code or visitors signing in sheet.
  • Visitors are encouraged to use hand sanitiser when entering the centre.
  • We sanitise all equipment in the gym after each person has used it, and have increased cleaning in the centre all round.

Social distancing:

  • You will see social distancing floor marks and signs around the centre. Please do follow the rules in place, as they are paramount for your safety, our staffs and also to enable us to keep the centre open.
  • We now only allow one person to be in the bathrooms at any given time.
  • We have limited the flow of traffic in the centre by creating a new centre timetable.
  • We have created new entry points to help with social distancing and prevent ‘support groups’ from mixing.

Changes to classes:

  • We have made changes to how many participants may engage in sessions, to meet government guidelines.
  • We have brought new outdoor boxing bags and also a gazebo so that, we may work with some participants outside of the centre
  • We have made changes to the times that our boxing sessions run, to allow more under 18’s boxing sessions to take place.
  • We now run virtual cooking and tutoring classes, to minimise the amount of people in the building.
  • In our boxing sessions, we will work with participants in ‘support groups’ of 15, each ‘support group’ is trained by different coaches during the session.

Limited facilities:

  • The showers remain closed.
  • We are not allowing participants to leave the gym for water, to avoid support groups mixing with other users of the building. Therefore, staff can fill their water bottles up, if necessary.
  • Changing rooms remain closed.

Protecting you and the team:

  • The boxing coaches wear face shields when delivering sessions.
  • In the bike workshop, staff and participants wear face masks.
  • During sessions, our youth workers wear face masks.
  • We have hand sanitiser mounted on to the walls, so it is easily accessible for you to use.
  • If staff have symptoms of Covid 19, we will ask them to isolate and book them a Covid 19 test.
  • Staff where possible, are being asked to work from home.

Please continue to ensure that you and your family follow the government guidelines https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.  In the meantime please also be aware that other people in our community will be suffering more than usual now, so if you are in a position to offer support, without putting yourself at risk, we would encourage you to please do so.
I will send further updates as and when is necessary and can be contacted on 02072280506 or george@carneyscommunity.wpsc.site.  If you would like to be updated via our newsletter please sign up here: https://carneyscommunity.wpsc.site/.  We will also be providing regular updates on our Instagram story and welcome you to access our online work outs on https://www.instagram.com/carneyscommunity/.

Many thanks,

George Turner
CEO Carney’s Community
12/11/20