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Coronavirus Update
Update 20th December 2020
Now that we have moved to Tier 4, all walks
are again suspended. Once we are able to
walk again this page will be updated
accordingly.
Update 18th December 2020
Regarding walking in Tier 3 Covid areas,
we have sought clarification of the term
Neighbouring Area from the Ramblers
Association and they advise that Essex
is being treated as two areas, Tier 2
and Tier 3. This means that as a club
we can walk in Tier 3 areas providing we
do not cross boundaries into Tier 2.
For clarification, they have advised
that our single Tier 3 area comprises
the District Council areas of Basildon,
Braintree, Brentwood, Castle Point,
Chelmsford, Epping Forest, Harlow,
Maldon, Rochford, Southend on
Sea and Thurrock.
Update 15th
December 2020 (Effective 00:01 16th December
2020)
The Ramblers have
updated their advice follows:
"Whether you’re
organising your own walk with friends and
family, or joining a Ramblers group walk,
the travel restrictions are the same: you
should not travel to or from Tier 3 (Very
High Alert) areas, including neighbouring
Tier 3 areas, either to start your walk or
as part of your walk."
and we will be
following this.
As the government
have designated areas within Essex as Tier 3
this means that individuals cannot travel to
different areas within Essex to join walks.
Walks resume 2nd December
2020.
This Covid pandemic is definitely keeping us
on our toes as far as walking is concerned!
Can we, can’t we? How many in a group? What
conditions apply? But at least we are now
seeing light at the end of a very long
tunnel!!
Lockdown finishes early Wednesday morning 2
December and we will be able to walk again
from then either under the Club banner with
more than 6 people or in a social group of
no more than 6 people. For both types of
group, Covid and Government rules will apply
as before lockdown. The rules and conditions
are available on our website.
There is still no published programme but
all walks planned will be advertised on
Facebook.
Lets all get back to walking again and look
forward to Spring of 2021 when we might be
seeing some sort of normality returning to
our lives.
Maggie Say
AGM Postponed
With the Covid pandemic still rearing
its ugly head, it will be impossible to
hold the AGM of the Club as planned.
For the AGM to take place it would need
a quorum of 20 people and currently,
that is impractical and illegal.
Under the circumstances, the Committee,
en bloc, has agreed to stand until such
time we can hold the meeting, which I
believe will not be until next November.
In the meantime, your Committee will
carry on working on your behalf. I am
happy to answer any questions you may
have.
The yearly Accounts have been
submitted and signed off by our
Auditor Dave Skinner. Our thanks to
Dave for all his efforts. If anyone
has any questions regarding the
accounts or wishes to have a copy
then please contact our Treasurer,
Julie Payne.
Please keep walking and stay safe,
normality is somewhere around the
corner.
Maggie Say
Walks
Suspended
So sorry to advise that in accordance with
the Government guidelines and on the advice
of the Ramblers Association, all Club group
walks are cancelled from Thursday 5 November
for 4 weeks.
Hopefully this lockdown will only last the 4
weeks. i am sure like me, you will still
enjoy walking through this lockdown. Why do
I have a sense of deja vu!!
Maggie Say
A CAUTIOUS
RESUMPTION OF CRC WALKS
The Government has announced that from
14 September social gatherings of more
than 6 people will be banned in England
- but there are some exceptions.
Organized group walks of up to 30 people
which follow the Ramblers’ operational
guidance are categorised as ‘outdoor
physical activity events’ and are exempt
from the latest restrictions . However,
this is only when walks follow agreed
protocols and include extra measures to
reduce risk of Covid-19 transmission.
We currently have informal walks that
take place but when these are made up of
more than 6 people they will have to
become CRC group walks. However, there
is no rush. We want to adopt a cautious
approach, with decisions on when and how
to resume to regular weekly walks left
to the groups themselves. Currently
things are so fluid regarding Covid-19
that nobody knows where we will be even
in a weeks time!!
It is important to be aware that any
group resuming ‘official’ Club walks
must operate in a different way from in
the past. The Government guidance
requires the Club
- to ensure that any
‘official’ walk is risk assessed in
advance by the leader, focussing on
issues of Covid-19 transmission , with a
record kept for a year.
- To keep contact details
of everyone booking onto an ‘official’
Club walk to be kept for 21 days as
there may be a NHS track and trace
follow up. This may seem a bit daunting
but in reality, we need to note if there
are any styles or gates that require
walkers to use hand gel, the leader
needs to have a mask available in case
they need to offer assistance and remind
the Group to social distance at all
times.
- to publish walks at least a week
in advance and
- to ensure anyone wanting to walk
should phone the walk leader and advise
of their intentions to walk.
This is all
essential information if we are to offer
walks to our members.
Some groups may conclude that they are
unwilling to resume regular walks -
others may be willing to offer a trial
walk for a limited number of people. We
cannot produce a comprehensive walks
programme and ‘official’ walks on offer
will only be advertised on line a week
or so in advance.
Details of the current walk leaders can
be found in the latest Newsletter.
We are operating in very difficult times
and no doubt there will be problems in
coming to terms with the new norm.
Let’s walk forward together.
Any
queries please contact me. Thank you.
Margaret Say
Walks
will be published on Facebook and
here.
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENTS AND UPDATES
CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE 25 November 2020
The Covid 19 virus seems determined to
stay with us and cause us problems.
The Ramblers Association and the
Government COVID rules clearly state we
can walk in groups of up to 30 people as
we are classed as an outdoor physical
activity. Whilst some of our members
are happy to walk in larger groups and
under the rules of our club, others are
happier walking in informal groups of no
more than 6 people.
To simplify matters we are posting
on the club website contact details
of the current types of walk and the
people who are organising these Club
walks. If you are interested in any
of the walks, please contact the
organiser to find out details. Each
group will also post forthcoming
walks on the Facebook page.
Steve Freight has put together the
latest COVID rules for participating
in these walks. These can be viewed
here on the Club website.
Nobody can say with any certainty
when we will get back to any
normality but let’s all do our best
to keep the Club up and running as
best we can. All suggestions to me
will be welcome.
Maggie Say
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT 6 August 2020
You may have seen that the Ramblers
Association website advises that groups of
up to 30 can now walk, which seems to go
against the directive from the Government
which states that only 6 people from
different households can socialise together
at a safe distance.
We have queried this with them and
considered their response. Although they
advise that up to 30 people can now walk
together, they also say that it is down to
the discretion of individual clubs if
and when they return to rambling.
Any return to walking would mean
increased responsibilities being put on
walk leaders (not all of whom would
still wish to lead walks under the
current circumstances) such as arranging
pre-bookings, keeping a register of
participants and in the event of issues,
becoming a track and trace coordinator.
The Committee, having considered
everything, and also taking into account
the views of those members currently
walking in small unofficial groups, have
decided that the safety of our members
is paramount and that the Club should
not return to formal Club activities
until such time the situation
considerably improves.
We will, or course, continue to monitor
the situation. For up to date
information, please check the website,
our Facebook page, sign up to the e-mail
list or contact me at any time.
A newsletter will be issued within the
next two weeks.
Maggie Say
6 August 2020
E-mail Distribution List
If you have not signed up to our e-mail
distribution list and wish to be kept
abreast of the latest position regarding our
walking activities, please send and email to
chelmsfordramblingclub@outlook.com and
ask to be added.
Update 18th May
All Walks and Club Activities are now
cancelled until Further Notice.
Update 25th March
The Ramblers Association are reviewing their
advice daily and we would recommend that
their advice be followed wherever practical.
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/volunteer-zone/coronavirus.aspx
Update 17th March - All walks Cancelled
until 31st May
Please note that all
walks are cancelled until
at least the 31st May.
As we
are affiliated to the Ramblers
Association we are following
their advice for the well being
of our members.
You will see
that they are saying that
walking independently is still
permissible.
For full details
of their statement please follow
this link.
Thank you.
https://www.ramblers.org.uk/volunteer-zone/coronavirus.aspx
We are also suspending ALL
club activities during this
period too.
Coronavirus – Message from the Committee
We take our members' health seriously, and we do not intend to be
prescriptive in our thoughts on whether
walks should or should not take place. We
feel we are all capable of making our own
decisions about what is right for us.
Unless Government guidelines change our walks will continue.
However, if a walk leader wishes to cancel, for their own
well-being, then they should be free to do
so and members should respect that decision
and they should not be under any pressure to
find someone else to lead.
If anyone
wishes to cancel a walk then please post on
Facebook and /or contact Steve and he will
send out an e-mail to the group.
Regarding the e-mail list please remind people on walks that they
should request to be added to the list for
up to date information, as this will be the
quickest way to hear any updates.
Please pass this information on to anyone you know who does not
have internet or e-mail access.
Thank you.
Additional support
NHS Advice
NHS 111 Online service
Government Updates
Ramblers Association Statement on
Coronavirus
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