Following government instructions, and guidance issued by Paul Parker, Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) Recording Clerk, all Meeting Houses, as Places of Worship, were closed on 18 March 2020. The timing of the re-opening of Places of Worship (for Meetings for Worship and use by hirers) will be determined by the government but as an Area Meeting we will need to follow guidance from both the government and BYM.
At Area Meeting level guidance will be provided by the CEQ charity Trustees who are responsible for both health & safety and compliance with regulations. Trustees have set up a small “C19 project team” to develop guidance for Local Meetings and Branches and to provide advice and practical support to Friends. The guidance is evolving all the time, and Meetings will be receiving regular “Bulletins” together with new or revised supporting documents.
The documents currently available are listed below:
Bulletins
BYM guidance
- BYM 9 steps to re-opening Meeting Houses – 17 June 2020
- BYM Meeting House RA template COVID supplement – 17 June 2020
- Advice to AM Trustees – 27 May 2020
- Thoughts on blended worship – 3 June 2020
Other guidance
- Guidance for the safe use of places of worship from 4 July (Gov, UK)
- Guidance on Risk Assessments – 25 June 2020
- Guidance on Cleaning, Hygiene & Signage – 25 June 2020
- Firefix catalogue (signage)
- C19 Visitor guidelines (customisable) – 18 June 2020
- Sample letter to hirers – 18 June 2020
- CEQ Link Trustees & Property Link Friends – 11 June 2020
- Congregational Insurance, preparing your church building for re-opening – 12 June 2020
- Congregational (insurance) Statement unoccupancy due to Coronavirus – 20 March 2020
- Congregational (insurance) statement – update 24 March 2020
- 5 Steps to Working Safely (Gov, UK)