Following the Prime Ministers statement earlier this week, regarding "The Rule of 6" etc,questions have been raised by many in the sport as to how this affects the short mat bowls clubs that have been granted "Safe Bowls" status. A statement has been issued today by ESMBA Chairman Barry Hedges, on behalf of the ESMBA Management Committee, to clarify the situation.
ESMBA Coronavirus Update (26th September 2020)
Following the Governments recent amendments to the coronavirus rules relating to ‘The rule of 6’, The ESMBA issue the following guidance on its safe bowls certificate. Clubs with “Safe Bowls” status and operating on ONE MAT will be permitted to continue as their approved documentation. Clubs with “Safe Bowls” status on MULTIPLE MATS will be permitted to continue but with additional conditions. The prime consideration is that each mat is classed as an individual group, each group MUST NOT have ANY interaction of any kind with any other and must always strictly maintain 2m social distance. As you can imagine this will have to be strictly managed and additional restrictions will have to be adhered to, detailed guidelines will be issued to Safe Clubs via the safeguarding officers.
ONLY CLUBS affiliated with the ESMBA and having achieved “Safe Bowls” status can operate within the Government guidelines. Clubs not complying with affiliation or “Safe Bowls’ status will be classed as a social gathering thus bowling illegally. The ESMBA will take disciplinary action against members that return to bowls without “Safe Bowls” status.
Furthermore, as per the ESMBA Route Map, the ESMBA will allow clubs with ‘Safe Bowls’ status to move to triples per mat group if space permits. Additional guidance on the specifics of this and the authorisation process will be issued by the county safeguarding officers. It is important that clubs proceed to triples only after completing at least 2 session of pairs.
We again remind the members that the ESMBA Emergency Fund is available for members to apply for. The first round of applications closes on the 30th September 2020.
The Government recognise the importance of members being affiliated to National Governing Bodies, and that these bodies are best placed to manage and monitor the protocols of safe return to sport. As such they only recognise those clubs that have achieved the NGB Published guidance and protocols.
It is important to point out that many hours have been put into the ESMBA “Safe Bowls” scheme and that all applications are judged on the same process and protocols. The ESMBA Risk Assessment template must be completed in detail and although reference can be made to the supporting documents, the statement in them must be written on the Risk Assessment.
Barry Hedges
ESMBA Chairman
On behalf of the ESMBA management committee