From 4th July 2020, the Government announced that outdoor playgrounds can reopen. The Parish Council of Hockley Heath has taken the decision to reopen the children’s play area on a trial basis from Monday 6th July 2020. There are a number of restrictions in place and it is essential that all visitors maintain social distance and follow the Government advice to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. Signage will be placed in and around the play area detailing the restrictions as detailed below, please read the instructions before you choose to use the play area.
Please only use the play area if you feel it is safe to do so for yourself and your children. You will need to bring hand sanitiser with you.
BE COVID-19 AWARE WHEN USING THIS PLAY AREA
HYGIENE
Scientific advice suggests that the virus can survive for up to several days on some hard surfaces. These risks are reduced when outdoors, where surfaces may be subject to UV light and/or rain. However, coronavirus could survive long enough on frequently used/touched outdoor surfaces to facilitate transmission.
We ask that you protect yourselves and the community by using hand sanitiser before you enter the park and regularly throughout your stay and on leaving the park. Wash your hands thoroughly when you get home for 20 seconds with soap and water. We also encourage you or any child in your care to:
● not touch your face
● cough/sneeze into a tissue then sanitise your hands, remember to dispose safely of your tissue
● not to put your mouth on any equipment or put your hands in your mouth
● not eat or drink in this play area
Please place all litter including cleaning equipment, tissues, gloves and masks in the bins provided. If these bins are full then please take your rubbish home with you.
As the Parish Council is unable to clean this play area daily, please only permit the children in your care to use the equipment if you feel it is safe to do so. You can help your community by wiping down touch points on equipment that your child will be using with suitable hand sanitiser/cleaning wipes that are safe to touch for children and adults.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Social distancing aims to reduce social interaction between people to minimise the opportunity for transmission of COVID-19. You should aim to keep 1m plus apart from anyone who is not a member of your household; 2m is preferred. This will mean that you need to:
● use the different entrance and exit points to the play area
● a maximum of 7 children in the play area at any one time, you may need to queue outside when busy
● during busy periods, play limited to ten minutes per family to allow others to use the play area (you may queue again to re-enter the play area)
● only have one adult supervising each family group – all children to be supervised
● wait at a distance until others have finished using the equipment – one family/household per individual equipment or bench
● choose equipment that allows for a minimum of 2m distance between users, such as leaving an empty swing between each child, unless they are members of the same household
● follow and adhere to all current government advice in addition to the above instructions
Thank you for your assistance during this difficult time, HHPC
UNFORTUNATELY, IF COVID-19 GUIDELINES TO REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS CANNOT BE FOLLOWED IN THE PLAY AREA IT MAY LEAD TO CLOSURE.
