News archive

February 2021

Friday, 5 February 2021

Local Group Activities & Covid19 - An Update

This E mail was received by the Local Group Leader and she felt that we should share it with our members. As government guidelines across the UK continue to change over the next few months, we will be continuing to hold monthly review meetings to discuss Local Group face-to-face activities, so if you have any feedback about our approach please do raise this with your Local Groups Officer or Volunteering Development Officer. It is worth noting that our guidelines do not change depending on whether you have been vaccinated - we will be continuing to follow appropriate government guidelines on this and for more information you can visit the appropriate country website for more information:
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland

As things stand, our guidance on local group outdoor face-to-face activities remains that these can recommence when local lockdowns and appropriate country guidance allows, and if locations are able to accommodate your visit. You know your members and local situation best and any decision to restart outdoor activities is entirely down to your committee. The guidance and risk assessment documents circulated in November will allow you to consider where and when this may be possible. As always, please only do what you and your committee feel comfortable doing, and the RSPB will support your decision. Do make every effort to keep your supporters in touch.

Our guidance to suspend all local group indoor face-to-face activities remains unchanged. We are now in the process of creating a risk assessment document so that if and when appropriate government guidance and advice from our Health and Safety team deem it safe to allow indoor meetings to recommence, you will have structure with which to consider the best way forward for your group. Depending on your local situation and the feelings of your committee and membership, it may be that you are deciding to continue to hold talks and other social events online for this season and the foreseeable future, and this forward planning is commended and encouraged.