Stoolball news

Below is the latest covid-19 policy from Stoolball England. We will update the policy as and when we get updated guidance from the government. https://www.stoolball.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Stoolball-England-COVID-19-Policy-0.2.pdf

Stoolball England are currently reviewing the latest guidelines from the Government and Sport England. We will be making a further announcement in the next few days.
Please see:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation/guidance-for-the-public-on-the-phased-return-of-outdoor-sport-and-recreation

ALL forms of stoolball and associated activities are suspended as of 19 March 2020.

Following the Government’s latest advice around social distancing, we would recommend that all forms of stoolball are suspended until further notice. This suspension extends to pre season training, friendlies and any associated Stoolball Activity.

Stoolball England will continue to monitor the situation, liaise with relevant sporting bodies including Sport England and The Sport and Recreation Alliance and hope that we will all be able to start playing in the near future.

May we remind you that you can access relevant information through the government website here https://www.gov.uk/…/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-res… and you can access health information here https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/…/wuhan-novel-coro…/.

When we have further guidance we will notify you. Until then ALL forms of stoolball and associated activities are suspended.

In the mean time we will try and create and promote fun ways to practice our beloved sport in self-isolation. Feel free to send us some innovative ways of doing this!

Stay safe everyone, hopefully we will be back soon! From theStoolball England Committee

Whilst Stoolball England continue to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak
in line with government and public health department requirements we ask
that the stoolball community take all reasonable precautions when
participating in a game and other club activities. It is important that
we look after ourselves and each other.

You can access relevant information through the government website here:
https://www.gov.uk/…/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-res….
We will be in touch with further guidance as soon as we have a better understanding of the requirements for community sport.

Sport England also put out a fresh statement yesterday.

https://www.sportengland.org/news/coronavirus-information-sector

Two days ago, the Government published an action plan to contain the possible spread of the coronavirus. The SRA have pulled together the latest information to provide with you with an update on how the you can respond. We have abridged this slightly as some of it dealt from professional sport. From a stoolball point of view, if you share equipment such as bats, please keep an alcohol based hand-sanitiser available for use with your kit bag. Your preparations Many of you are proceeding rapidly with your contingency planning. Some are just beginning that process in earnest. Either way, the following ‘ABC’ may help shape your approach. There should be no presumption that one stage will automatically lead to the next, but it is best practice to think about the different scenarios that may emerge. A: As you are. Our current state.

• There is no need to cancel or postpone your events at this time;
• Reassure your athletes, stakeholders, and customers, building on the latest Public Health England advice;
• Examine your insurance policies to see what cover you may have should the situation evolve;
• Remain mindful of guidance on infection control in the workplace – catch it, kill it, bin it;
• Take sensible steps to discourage staff with flu-like symptoms from coming to work;

B: Behind closed doors If the Government finds it necessary to curb travel or large gatherings of people, this is particularly a possible scenario for spectator sports. C: Cancellation, curtailment, or postponement if the Government finds it necessary to impose restrictions which make staging an event or providing a service impossible.

• Consider how you would resolve your remaining fixtures and conclude your competition, workforce health permitting;
• Consider how you would deal with cancelled classes, membership, season tickets etc.
• Please also take every step to help keep our nation active. Being fit and healthy can reduce the risk of infection in the first place. Think creatively about how we can maintain activity levels in such a scenario, looking out for steers from Sport England.

Latest government guidance The following tailored advice for our sector has been developed. This advises:

• There is presently no rationale to close or cancel sporting events, but this may change as the situation evolves, so please keep a close eye on Gov.uk.
• Anyone with flu-symptoms should avoid the risk of spreading their infection, whatever that infection may be, by staying at home and recovering;
• For those hosting sporting events, whatever the size, attendees and participants should stay up to date on the government’s latest advice on how to avoid catching or spreading the virus, which is here;
• As the situation progresses advice may follow for the frail, elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions (to be defined) to stay away from gatherings as part of general advice aimed at minimising unnecessary contact with others;
• For those travelling to sporting events overseas, the Foreign Office’s travel advice should be followed here  and travellers should note that apart from the countries and territories named in that advice, the government is not presently advising against travel to anywhere else;
• For those who offer community and leisure services, such as running a local football team; or running a gym; hand hygiene should be strongly promoted and encouraged and equipment and facilities should be thoroughly cleaned and wiped down as usual following use. The government is planning to publish specific advice on this shortly;
• There is presently no reason people should stop doing their daily sport and physical activities as they normally would;

The Sport and Recreation Alliance would like to reiterate the importance of following advice from Public Health England and Gov.uk when you have queries relating to the impact of coronavirus. Hopefully the guidance above will have answered many of your questions. As we all know, sport and activity play a vital role in maintaining health and wellbeing, and we will provide further updates when appropriate. Many thanks for your co-operation.

The renewal of the master policies issued to Stoolball England falls due on 1 March. Clubs are invited to participate in these policies by renewing your cover or applying for the first time if you haven’t previously availed yourself of the protection provided. You MUST confirm that your club will play by all of the Stoolball England rules including the age restriction rules. Open age means all forms of senior stoolball.

The cover provided by the Civil Liability policy remains at £10 million and the cost per club has risen slightly to £55.00.
Cover includes: –
Civil Liability arising out of injury to any 3rd person;
Civil Liability in respect of loss or damage to third party property;
Civil Liability in respect of nuisance and trespass;
Civil Liability in respect of libel and / or slander committed in good faith;
Civil Liability arising out of advice, tuition or coaching provided by any member of your club. This covers all Umpires, Scorers and Coaches etc.

The Personal Accident policy covers members aged between 5 and 80 (though benefits may reduce for certain age categories) playing or officiating and also members spectating at the club’s home or away fixtures. Please see Summary of Personal Accident Cover.

The premium for this PA policy is £5.00 (admin) plus £2.60 per club member (minimum of 14 senior members – equal to £41.40) plus junior members at £1 each.

Emails have been sent to all clubs and leagues that participated last year. If you wish to have insurance cover for the first time, please email richard@…

Andrew Dunstan, Contract Manager at the Lancing Manor Leisure Centre is keen to start stoolball in all its formats.
They currently have Friday nights free and would love to start an indoor league. They have a huge square-shaped sports’ hall that would be ideal for indoor stoolball.
They’ve had the sports hall floor re-done, so have had to stop the roller disco that used to happen on a Friday.
The Coastal League have been contacted but other clubs within 10 miles of the leisure centre are Steyning, Partridge Green, Blackstone, Clayton & Ditchling, Hurstpierpoint and Adastra.

Please contact Stoolball England, info@… if your club is interested.

Welcome to the Stoolball England Newsletter for January 2020. We can only apologise for the lack of newsletters last year. Stoolball England are 100% volunteer run and would like a volunteer to take on the role of Press and Publicity Officer. This newsletter could be their first duty. Here is our first newsletter of 2020. To download a copy, please click on the link below. SE Newsletter Jan 2020

It is National Safeguarding Adults Week. UK Coaching have released a new online course in conjunction.

Developed in partnership with the Ann Craft Trust, a national charity who work to minimise the risk of abuse of disabled young people and adults at risk, Safeguarding Adults provides an opportunity to learn how best to support and promote the welfare of adults at your sessions – all at a time to suit you!

Nobody should have to worry about abuse or harassment at your sessions.

It is the first of its kind to be endorsed by CIMSPA against their Safeguarding Adults and Adults at Risk Technical Specialism and has been awarded 3 Developmental CPD points.

Safeguarding Adults is suitable for everyone who delivers coaching in clubs, community sport and physical activity.

To find out more, go to:- https://www.ukcoaching.org/…/learn-at-…/safeguarding-adults…

Stoolball England is celebrating after being awarded £7590 of National Lottery funding from Sport England to develop a new coaching workforce.

The grant will allow Stoolball England to train eight new coaching tutors who will develop and promote stoolball to schools, clubs and the wider community across Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and beyond.

Building a new coaching workforce will enable Stoolball England to offer coaching courses to stoolball clubs, schools, community groups and accreditation courses to sports and activity deliverers.

Kelvin Speirs, Stoolball England chairman says: “We are so pleased to have been awarded this funding. It’s taken a lot of time and effort to get this programme off the ground and now we call on all coaches and sports leaders to get on board to help take it forward. Stoolball is a unique sport with dedicated players and we can now celebrate that by building a professional coaching workforce. I’d also like to say thank you to everyone who plays the national lottery, we wouldn’t be able to do this without you!”

Please contact info@… for more details or to register interest in becoming a Stoolball England Coach.