Supporting the Sector - Coronavirus
The Government's roadmap for the easing of lockdown restrictions is made up of four steps, with the second and final phase of step 1, which began on 29 March, now in force. This means that all outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts, sports pitches, outdoor skateparks and outdoor swimming pools can reopen.
Organised outdoor sport and physical activity for adults and children can return and are exempt from legal gathering limits. It is now also permitted to stage organised sport participation events such as races, or rides. However, these are all subject to compliance with a range of key principles, which are outlined in more detail here.
Outdoor gatherings of six people, under the 'rule of six', or two households, can take place. Informal sport and physical activity is not covered by any exemptions, and will have to follow the legal gathering limits for outdoors.
More information about what is and isn't allowed is available on the government’s website.
Sport England are working with the government to update resources and provide support to the sport and physical activity sector they have created a list of FAQs here.
Your Governing Body: We would advise sports clubs to check their national governing body of sport website for additional sport specific information. See list of Guidance by Sport
Government Guidance for the Phased Return of Sport & Recreation
From 2 Dec the available Guidance has changed somewhat. The following guidance is now available:
- Grassroots sports guidance for the public and sport providers (Updated 17 September 2021)
- Grassroots sports guidance for safe provision including team sport, contact combat sport and organised sport events (Updated 18 August 2021)
- Guidance on Coronavirus (Covid-19) for elite sport (Updated 17 August 2021)
- Working Safely during Covid 19 - Guidance for people who work in grassroots sport and gym/leisure facilities (Updated 18 August 2021)
- Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities (Updated 17 May 2021)
- Guidance for full opening schools - wraparound provision and extra curricular activity (Updated 27 August 2021)
- Protective measures for holiday and after-school clubs, and other out-of-school settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak (Updated 27 August 2021)
- What FE Colleges & Providers need to do (Updated 27 August 2021)
- Guidance for accessing green spaces (Updated 18 May 2021)
Sport England:
Sport England: have announced that they have two key priorities during this period of uncertainty:
- supporting the sector, and
- encouraging people to stay active.
On their website you will find information about funding flexibilities and other funding support. They have a dedicated email address coronavirus@sportengland.org where you can contact them about impact of coronavirus on your organisation and the type of help you think would be beneficial now and in the future. Find out more
Sport England Guidance: Sport England have pulled together a range of guidance for the sector on returning to play.
The resources include:
- Inclusion & accessibility guidance – helping you to understand the government guidance for different groups, how you can engage and reassure specific audiences who may be nervous of returning and how to ensure your facilities are, and remain, accessible to all when allowed to reopen.
- Support for the professional workforce - including advice on staffing considerations for when the safe reopening of facilities is allowed, as well as news on support available from the government and links to resources such as training and development opportunities.
- Volunteering guidance - setting out some of the main considerations to help your volunteers return safely, well-informed and prepared.
- Legal support - Managing liability and risk guidance - to give providers, be they clubs, governing bodies, community groups or regional associations, advice on what issues need considering and how they might tackle them in order to safely return to play.
- Hygiene Guidance - Advice and guidance to help sport and physical activity facilities keep their environment safe for everyone, plus downloadable posters and stickers.
There is also support for sports clubs and organisations, direct on the Club Matters website including:
- Reopening toolkit – this includes information on how your club/organisation can plan its return to sport, with advice on what you need to think about across different areas such as reopening your facility and protecting your people.
- Risk register template – this template, with a dedicated user guide, is designed to help your club/organisation introduce or update your practices regarding how you manage risks.
- Creating a risk assessment – this draws from the current Health and Safety Executive advice and provides step-by-step guidance to help organisations address risk, including coronavirus-specific considerations.
- Social distancing guidance – this resource covers the different practices and considerations your club/organisation may need to introduce so that social distancing can be implemented in line with current government advice.
Sport England Funding: Sport England are making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis. Find out more. A number of funds are currently paused, and new ones (such as the Return to Play funding and a partnership with Crowdfunder) opened. See more on our Funding page and Covid-19 funding page.
Financial support for businesses & charities:
Funding: If you have funding in place already and are worried about this, please get in touch with your funders direct. A number of funders have already expressed they are happy to be flexible, but you must make contact with them. If you are looking for funding, please see our funding page which we will update with any new funds. Please also sign up to our funding newsletter here.
Charities Commission: If you are set up as a Charity, please refer to the latest advice from the Charities Commission. This includes information for Trustees, information about the use of reserves and more.
The latest information on Support for businesses forced to close is available here. Further information regarding the latest support available for those who are self-employed can be found via Support for Self Employed as you can your eligibility here
Government Business Support: The Government have announced a number of measures to support businesses, you will find the latest here.
Coronavirus Additional Restrictions Grant: The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) supports businesses that are not covered by other grant schemes or where additional funding is needed. This is distributed via local authorities, please check with your local authority to see what is available. By local authority we mean the following district councils:
Find out if you are eligible here. Some also have discretionary funds available, so if you find you are not eligble you could still enquire about discretionary funds.
Sector specific resources:
Club Matters: has been populated with a number of new resources, case studies and guidance re coronavirus. See their support page here.
As a reminder these include:
- Business continuity plan template
- Securing your premises checklist
- Emergency financial planning guide
- Preparing your committee to operate virtually
- Running virtual meetings and AGMs
- Community and engaging as a virtual club
- Ann Craft Trust – A guide to safeguarding adults through coronavirus
- CPSU – Safeguarding children through Coronavirus (Including online)
- Note – Return to play resource are still available via our website too
- Sport England Winter Toolkit
They are also really keen to showcase the great way that clubs and organisations have been engaging members and volunteers as well as supporting their community. So please get in touch if you'd like to be included. They have also adapted Club Matters workshops to go virtual!
UK Coaching: have temporarily unlocked 10 of their most valuable subscriber resources, making them available to all registered on the site.
Sport & Recreation Alliance: The Sport & Rec Alliance have outlined how some of the Governments measures can support the sport and recreation sector at this difficult time.
CIMSPA: Have created a hub as a place to bring together advice and practical assistance on coronavirus (Covid-19), including offers of support from many of their partners.
- Briefings
- ReActivate Training
- Guidance on outdoor training
- Guidance on indoor training and group exercise
UK Active: Advice and guidance for the sector and the latest on Covid 19. Including:
- A framework for the re-opening of the gym and fitness industry
- A framework for the safe delivery of children’s activity provision during social distancing
Socially Distanced Sport Guidance - Mayor of London: The Mayor's Community Sport Team have published a new guidance document. This toolkit has been designed to support grassroots sport deliverers with advice and key learnings for socially-distanced community sport.
Your Governing Body: We would advise sports clubs to check their national governing body of sport website for additional sport specific information. See list of Guidance by Sport
Training:
See our courses page for current opportunities
ReActivate is a new, free, online training platform, designed to equip anyone working or volunteering in the sport, fitness, leisure and physical activity sector in England with the knowledge and skills they need to confidently return to work or restart their coaching activity. Click HERE for more and to sign up.
Safeguarding:
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents new safeguarding challenges for all those working or volunteering with children.
The CPSU is compiling the latest information and resources for those in the sports sector here.
The Ann Craft Trust has Covid 19 advice here.
Mental Health: Mind have produced a guide aims to equip the sport and physical activity sector with the tools and information required to support the mental health of staff, coaches, volunteers and participants as we ‘return to play’.
Impact of Covid19:
We have pulled together some of the reports and emerging evidence on the impact of Covid19, see here.
Support in Cumbria:
Cumbria County Council: Find the latest information about Covid-19 in the county here.
Cumbria CVS: The wider third sector in Cumbria is being supported by Cumbria CVS, see information here.
Action for Communities Cumbria: Support for communities and community building is available through Action for Communities Cumbria, see information here.
Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership: Some organisations may be looking at alternative models of business; CSEP have been funded by Cumbria County Council to provide support and advice.
About Us
As a result of the COVID-19 virus, the Active Cumbria Team will be working in a different way for the foreseeable future. We will be working from home, minimising our non-essential traveling, and will be looking to use virtual meetings wherever possible. This is very much in line with the procedures of our host agency, Cumbria County Council.
All of our Team can be contacted either via email or mobile phone, and the details can be found here
