With just over a week to go before our One ‘L’ of a Midnight Walk, we wanted to provide you with an important update following the government announcement that the final easing of lockdown restrictions will be delayed until Monday 19th July 2021. In light of the fact Stage 3 lockdown restrictions will still be in place, our health and safety team has been assessing whether we can still go ahead with the event and we are pleased to say we can!

Keeping you, along with our staff, volunteers and wider community, safe is our number one priority. You will therefore need to follow the below COVID-19 safety guidelines we have put in place.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

LATERAL FLOW TESTS – these are now readily available, free of charge, from pharmacies. We encourage you to take one on the day of the event. If your lateral flow test is positive, or you have any one of the symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell), then you must not attend the event and your place will be deferred to the 2022 event.

TEMPERATURE CHECKS – we will be carrying out a temperature check on all participants. This will be done at check in. If your temperature is above 37.8 then we will ask you to leave the site immediately and your place will be deferred to the 2022 event.

FACE MASKS – face masks will need to be worn at all times when you are on the College site. They can be removed once you set off on the walk but you will need to put your mask back on when you return to the College. We ask that you bring your own mask, however we will have masks available if you do forget yours.

SOCIAL DISTANCING – we will be enforcing the social distancing rule at all times. There will be COVID-19 marshals monitoring this and signage will also be in place. Please remember it will be your personal responsibility to ensure you stay in your bubble of no more than 30 people (as per COVID-19 legislation) and maintain social distancing from others.

HAND SANITISING – you will be required to sanitise your hands at all key touch points. While we will have hand sanitiser on site, we recommend that you do bring your own.

Some other key information to note:

CHECK IN

This will open at 9.30pm and there will be three check in gazebos available. When you arrive, please sanitise your hands and scan the QR code for NHS Test & Trace. In addition to your temperature check, you will be asked the following COVID-19 screening questions:

o    Do you have a new, continuous cough?

o    Do you have any loss or change in your normal sense of taste or smell?

o    Have you recently had COVID-19, or been around anyone who has and were you asked to isolate because of this?

Please note the following:

o    If the answer is yes to any of these questions in the days leading up to the event, please do not attend the walk. Your place will be deferred to the 2022 event.

o    If the answer is yes to any of these questions on the night, you will be asked to leave the site immediately and your place will be deferred to next year’s event.

o    If the answer is no to all of these questions, we will ask you to sign a declaration to state you have answered the screening questions truthfully and you have also received, read and understood the above COVID-19 safety guidelines in place for this event.

OFFICIAL START OF THE WALK

Following the countdown, there will be a slightly staggered start with groups of no more than 30. Marshals will direct your group to the start line so please ensure you follow their guidance. Ask any volunteer or staff member (in high vis jackets) if you need help.

CLOTHING / FOOTWEAR

Please ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing for all weathers. We recommend you wear trainers or walking boots. Footwear such as flip flops and loafers are not recommended for the distance / terrain of the walk.

FOOD / DRINK / ENTERTAINMENT

Food and drink will be available and you will still be able to enjoy various games and entertainment. Please ensure you hand sanitise at all key touch points and maintain social distancing.

PHOTOGRAPHY

A reminder that we will be taking photography on the night to use on our social media channels and in follow up publicity/promotion. Please also be mindful that, if you are taking your own photography at the event to share on your social media channels, you are complying with the COVID-19 safety guidance, in particular the social distancing legislation.

 

Our aim is to still make this event as enjoyable as possible for you all, while ensuring we are compliant with the current COVID-19 legislation in place to protect your health and safety.

We fully appreciate that we are still living in uncertain times and, while we are doing everything we can to keep you safe, some of you might not feel comfortable attending this event. We are therefore giving you the opportunity to defer your place to the 2022 event.

If you have any queries or wish to discuss anything further please contact either Sarah or Katie in the fundraising team on 01904 777 777 or sarah.atkinson@stleonardshospice.nhs.uk / katie.ayrton@stleonardshospice.nhs.uk.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you on the night.