COVID-19 Update (23 March 2021)

To all members,

Well, I think it's fair to say that none of us thought we would be in the same situation a year down the line (literally to the day!) Thank you for your continued patience and support while we navigate the ever-changing situation. It has been a truly challenging time for all of us and we are very much looking forward to welcoming you all back on the rink very soon!

We have been working with the DCMS and UKActive to gather the facts before sharing our plan with the wider community. Unfortunately, a lot of the detail remains to be seen but we will share what we know so that you can start planning as best as possible. The expectation we have is that more details will be released at some point next week, once we pass step 2 of the spring roadmap.

To summarise our plan: -

• > 12 April 2021: Junior teams (under 18) able to return to training in an indoor hockey rink / sports facility. All children will be able to attend regardless of circumstance. Participant numbers and relevant on-site restrictions have not yet been published by the Government or the DCMS. We anticipate activities to be restricted to 15 individuals but will confirm as soon as this information is available.
• > 17 May 2021: Senior teams (18 and over) able to return to training in an indoor hockey rink / sports facility. Participant numbers and relevant on-site restrictions have not yet been published by the Government or the DCMS. We anticipate activities to be restricted to 2 x 6 individuals but will confirm as soon as this information is available.
  > 21 June 2021: Restrictions are due to be lifted. Exactly how this affects organised sport is not yet known. The BRHA's National Executive Committee has been working closely with each region to start hosting regional tournaments and friendlies from or around this date. These events will last for approximately 8 weeks and more details will be shared by each regional exec in due course.
• > 14 August - 19 September 2021: During this window, the BRHA intends to host a national tournament at each age group (juniors and seniors). These will be hosted at the available BRHA rinks across the country in solidarity and support of our valued partners after what has been an extremely challenging year financially and emotionally. The tournament format and dates will be communicated in due course but will be open to all registered teams and members with no qualification criteria.
  
• > The 2021/22 season: Each region commences their season at various points, typically between September and November, so please keep a close eye on your regions social channels or www.brha.co.uk for further information in the coming weeks and months.

We have been working to ensure as smooth return as possible and fully understand that everyone's situation is slightly different when it comes to inter-club activities; therefore, please liaise with your regional exec and local training facility to ensure you have the most up-to-date information available.

The dates contained within this communication reflects and is conditional on the government's 'Spring Roadmap 2021' and is subject to change without notice.

RETURN TO PLAY: We will update our RTP and risk assessment template at the earliest opportunity once this information is made available. All previously submitted RTP acceptance forms are now deemed null and void. Teams are required to update their acceptance and risk assessment to reflect the guidance once published. As per, the responsible person in each team will receive an automated approval email from the National Exec once the submission has been reviewed and approved, only after which are you authorised to return and for your insurance policy to be deemed 'active'. The email will contain a link to a PDF which can be forwarded to your facility as proof. If you don't have the approval email then you are not insured nor able to adopt the BRHA's RTP.

Looking for an event in the coming months? We are committed to posting the regional and national events we know of on our website so that our members have a central reference point. Keep an eye on our website for details as they become available: https://brha.co.uk/news/372.

As ever, if you have questions or need pointing in the right direction, you can email us: nationalexec@brha.co.uk and we will do what we can to help.

Stay safe,

Dave McGill
Director, BRHA Ltd.
www.brha.co.uk

On behalf of the BRHA National Executive Committee.