Return To Play Covid Protocols
At last, we are open for play under strict protocols below.
Play will commence Wed 28th 09.00-11.45 and that evening for club night 19.00.
To book a slot email: johnsward27@gmail.com slots are from 9 until 10.15 and 10.30 until 11.45 and evening from 19.00 until 20.15 and 20.30 until 21.45.
This will be the case every Wednesday. Further dates will become available in time. Due to our need to supervise play, if it is not shown as available on our website, you must not play at The Cottage.
Pétanque England Guidelines - Return to Restricted Play are here: https://www.petanque-england.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/PE-Covid-19-Play-Safe-Guidlines-March-2021-Final.pdf It is a condition of entry to our club area that you read and accept them, even if not a Member of PE.
Pétanque England, Norwich Pétanque Club & The Cottage Protocols
To comply with guidelines from the UK Government, Pétanque England and The Cottage there will be strict protocols which all must comply with.
Only formally organised pétanque can take place between more than six players or two households. Play is now allowed at clubs based at hospitality venues.
To qualify as formally organised, PE Play Safe Guidelines must be followed and venue risk assessments must be carried out.
Subject to a risk assessment confirming that there is sufficient space to maintain social distancing, the numbers allowed at a venue can be as many as can be safely accommodated.
Club play, leagues and competitions are all allowed to take place if formally organised and following these protocols.
You can travel to play in organised pétanque activities in England, but you cannot stay overnight.
Our ability to play formally without restrictions on numbers depends on players and officials following PE Guidelines. PE has been warned by the Government that any sport that is not able to follow its own Guidelines may have restrictions imposed.
NPC members must make their own decisions to return based on latest Government Guidelines and their own assessment of their health and risks associated with exposure to others. If you have a high temperature, are coughing or feeling unwell, or have a loss of, or change to, your sense of smell or taste, do not attend.
Only players allowed, no spectators. We have imposed a 36 player maximum i.e. 6 pistes of 6 players.
Members who were ‘shielded’ should inform fellow players of their status if they are not already aware. Please advise NPC to chair@norwich-petanque.co.uk & contact@norwich-petanque.co.uk , or advise on arrival.
Wherever you are, you must respect 2 metre social distancing; i.e. in The Cottage car park, on the driveway towards The Cottage, and on your approach to our terrain. There are yellow flow signs on the path from the car park to The Cottage. Keep to the right on entry and exit. Log in via the NHS app, scanning the NHS QR code to your right as you pass under the gazebo. Strictly no entry/exit via the shortcut through the hedge from the car park.
Please go to our shelter to sign in. Details will only be shared with The Cottage if we/they have an outbreak of Covid 19. Your temperature will be taken. At 38 degrees or above, you will be excluded from play and must leave.
Our NHS Covid posters link NPC to the NHS app. Log in by scanning our QR code. Please follow any instructions from the NHS.
Please bring hand sanitiser and mask. Use sanitiser frequently. Dispensers will also be available.
11 x 3 metre pistes are marked. 1,3,5,7, 9 & 11 will be used. You will be allocated a piste which you must stay within. 2,4,6, 8,10 will be out of bounds and should only be entered with caution to retrieve wayward boules or jacks.
Please respect instructions from The Cottage Management and staff, club officers and stewards. All stewards have authority from our Committee and club officers will normally be present.
Whilst in our area you can only play and mix with a defined group of up to six. Groups of six must not reform or mix with others. Whilst off piste, masks are not mandatory, but would be appreciated to protect yourself and others. Whilst on piste, masks must be worn, or you must follow the 1 metre with mitigation rule (face mask or standing side on). Pub patrons may be near our terrain as lunchtime approaches and also during club night. Ian & Lorraine will reserve our benches to us at a loss to them. They have been very helpful to us and I urge members to support them in return.
There will be no access to club equipment and no touching of others boules or jacks. All players must use their own jacks. Only one player per group of 6 will be allowed to measure using their own measure. Personal hand-held scorers must be used, as club scoreboards will be unavailable. The terrain will have been raked.
Our shed lock has been temporarily replaced to prevent use of club equipment. In inclement weather there will be no gathering under the shelter.
Ian & Lorraine have kindly arranged for us to have access to Birkbeck Room toilets near our terrain.
Terrain time may be limited to enable others to play. Once your allocated time has elapsed, please sign out at our table and leave immediately. You will be able to sit in The Cottage outdoor area as a pub customer, subject to available space, or leave via the car park. Once you have signed out from our area you will be unable to return unless space is available.
If you breach these protocols you will be required to leave our area. Serious or repeated breaches of these protocols could lead to fines, our club being expelled from Pétanque England, or being unable to use The Cottage.
Please follow these protocols to protect yourself, other club members, The Cottage and our club. Our club membership is skewed to older age groups and despite vaccination we all remain at risk. If we all act responsibly to prevent new outbreaks of this virus, the sooner we will be able to return to our pre-Covid normality; if you can remember that far back.
If you are free to help with our continuing work on renovation and stewarding on play days, then please email us.
We look forward to seeing you again and to welcoming you back to The Cottage, our great club and wonderful sport.
