BACKGROUND

The Government have issued a “Roadmap out of Lockdown Restrictions” document and Bowls England have issued their “Return to Play Guidance” dated 26th March 2021 which can be found on the Bowls England website (key points at the end of this document)

Risk Assessment

We have used the latest Bowls England Risk Assessment document to undertake an inspection of our policies to mitigate risk at the club to the lowest possible level.

What formats can be played?

The guidelines from April 12th 2021 allow ALL formats such as Singles, Pairs, Triples & Fours to be played, but with a current maximum of 24 bowlers on the green at any one time.

Providing members adhere to our guidelines / instructions the risk is LOW.

ALL MEMBERS USING THE GREEN DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK AND MUST ADHERE TO THE CONDITIONS OF THIS POLICY.  THE CLUB HOLDS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY MEMBERS FALLING ILL.

When further guidelines are published from Bowls England,
we will amend accordingly

The Management Committee

SUMMARY OF BOWLS ENGLAND PRESCRIBED PLAYING ARRANGEMENTS

• Off-site booking system for rink allocation (if possible Google Calendar)
• Minimum of 20 minutes between allocated time slots to enable players to arrive/depart safely
• Clubs to communicate in advance with players to advise on social distancing requirements that are being applied on arrival at the club – for example not leaving cars until a certain time before their allocated time slot
• Only play on alternate rinks e.g. 1, 3, 5 OR 2, 4, 6 (keep an empty rink between rinks that are being played on).
• Maximum of six players from different households per rink
• Spectators to be admitted to the club providing they stay socially distant 2 meters
• Capping the number of occasion’s a player can book a rink each week to ensure that the available capacity is distributed fairly

The Management Committee has decided to Open the green for FULL MEMBERS (and approved Formal Coaching) but, only in line with with Bowls England STEP 2 guidelines.

The following rules subject to further amendment(s) MUST be adhered to.

DON’T COME TO THE CLUB IF YOU HAVE ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS
 

1. FULL MEMBERS ONLY allowed to use the green at present
2. Each morning the ‘on duty steward’ will set out the standard six rinks for ‘organised club play’.
3. In the Stewards hut you will find several large buckets of disposable anti-bacterial wipes – please use them
4. TWENTY FOUR (24) members bowling at the club at any one-time. No spectators.
5. Please minimise touching anyone else’s bowls and if you do, please sanitise your hands. Use feet or bowls pusher to move bowls after each end.
6. You MUST use 2 jacks (one jack per team, no sharing of jacks).
7. Two mats to be used on each rink, to be lifted and placed by one nominated player (if pairs, triples or fours, then the skips will also need to move the mat).
8. You MUST always maintain social distancing (2 metres).
9. Keep hands clean, wash hands or use sanitizer before and after bowling.
10. After roll-up, jacks, mats (pushers & scoreboards if used) to be thoroughly cleaned with disposable anti-bacterial wipes before being returned to the steward’s hut.
11. Leave the Club as soon as your Rollup is over.

FAIRNESS - Members can only book 2 sessions per week in advance to ensure equity.
Chris will note if you would like to be play more and if there are spaces, he will try to let you know.
There are 72 spaces available each day (max of 24 bowlers per session), but please be aware every effort will be made to fill all playing spaces, so you may find that rinks will be made up of at least four persons if necessary.
e.g. If you book for three players a fourth player may be allocated to join you, unless it is a club competition which will take precedence over other internal bookings

CLUBHOUSE and TOILETS – Members can use the toilets, but no changing in the changing rooms, please come ready to play.  Please take care when entering or exiting clubhouse.
You must wipe down the seat, cistern handle and door handle before using the toilet and before exiting. If you touch it, wipe it!

COACHING - only limited coaching for members is possible at this stage, on set days, normally Monday AM. This is subject to review on May 17th.

When playing Pairs, Triples or Fours, the following will apply:

• When arriving one nominated individual from the rink will collect 2 mats and 2 jacks. He/She will ensure they are sanitised before and after the game and replaced.
• When arriving one nominated individual from the rink will collect 2 mats and 2 jacks. He/She will ensure they are sanitised before and after the game and replaced.
• It will be necessary during the game for skips to also touch the mats, so please ensure you wash/sanitise your hands.
• Each side will take charge of one mat (home team take charge of mat at one end, with the away team taking charge of the mat at the other end).
• Lead player to roll their own jack (no sharing of jacks).
• When leaving the end, please always walk to the left and remember to maintain social distancing (2metres).

During League matches we will conform to Bowls England guidelines.

In league matches only Triples (B&DBA) and Fours (Bowls Dorset) will be played.
The home team will set out the green to accommodate four rinks for B&DBA matches (on pre-designated marks) and alternate rinks for Bowls Dorset matches.
At ALL other times the ‘on duty steward’ will set out the standard six rinks for ‘organised club activity’.
Bowls Dorset and B&DBA knockouts will be played in accordance with their guidance which has yet to be published.

REMEMBER:

• MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING & MINIMISE TOUCHING OF EQUIPMENT
   
• SANITISE YOUR HANDS
   
• NO HANDSHAKES OR HIGH FIVES!

These rules have been designed to reduce the risk of cross infection as much as possible. Individuals not following these rules will be excluded from using the club.  If continuous breaches occur, then the club will be closed.
The regulations will be notified to all members and posted within the steward’s hut on the inside of the door.

Please read carefully - you must always abide by them.

The club will make every effort to enable members to enjoy some “Organised club play”, but it is up to all members to do the right thing.

We accept there might be the odd accidental indiscretion, so it is incumbent on us all to remind fellow members of the rules and report continued transgressions to the Management Committee.  Failing to do the right thing could see that member or all members excluded from roll-ups with immediate effect, if we are seen to act against the health and safety of ALL members.

When further guidelines are published from Bowls England, we will amend accordingly,
as soon as practicable
 

HOW DO I BOOK A RINK?

Firstly, you CANNOT casually just turn up and play - YOU MUST PRE-BOOK a rink in advance as all bowling has to be “Organised club play”.

1. Check 'BOWLR' on club website to see if rink free for booking
   Club website - https://www.branksomeparkbowls.co.uk/
   DIARY - https://www.branksomeparkbowls.co.uk/index.php/diary
    
2. Contact Chris Dennis as follows:
   I am now happy to take bookings via WhatsApp/Text/Signal/Facebook group/Messenger or Email (and telephone as a last resort) on:
   07912 648679 (18.00hrs - 20.00hrs Monday to Friday ONLY!), but if I am playing, please leave a voicemail)
   Note: WhatsApp & Text are the BEST ways to book rinks.
    
3. Chris will confirm your booking and enter it onto the Diary
    
4. You can book up to SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE for an allocated slot to play (Monday to Sunday inclusive).  You will receive notification that your slot has been reserved

On The Day

Bowlers to arrive at the club a MAXIMUM of 10 mins BEFORE the start of their session to allow bowlers from the previous session to leave.

1. If you touch another person’s equipment, please clean your hands and clean equipment when finished
    
2. You can use the toilets - you CANNOT change in the clubhouse
    
3. Triples for now will ONLY be available during the afternoon and evening sessions
    
4. No spectators permitted
    
5. SIX rinks in operation every day, but this will be reduced to FOUR suitably spaced rinks when League matches are being played

Session Timings

League Matches 2021
 

BOWLS DORSET
Bowls Dorset will start their season slightly later.
• Playing Fours in the Championship League on Monday evenings.
• Some games will have to be played in the afternoon's in the short term due to rink spacing requirements (max of 24 bowlers only on a green)
• Promotion and Relegation, as well as player registration and restrictions will be applied.
• Percy Baker will continue as normal but start slightly later in the season.
• TRAVELLING may be an issue until May 17th, when hopefully it will be relaxed to allow car sharing.

BOURNEMOUTH & DISTRICT BOWLING ASSOCIATION
• This will be played informally as Triples, with no promotion or relegation and without player registration or limits.
• We have the 1st and A teams playing home and away in the afternoon and four (two Triples teams) playing in the morning, two home and two away.
• All fixtures on the B&DBA website -

SQUAD SYSTEM FOR 2021 ONLY
Players who indicated that they would be playing in these leagues have been allotted squads, which means everyone should get a game. But you are not guaranteed a game every week and we will ALL have to sit our odd games.
However, depending on the strength of teams in the Dorset Monday evening League, we may have to be more inclined to pick the best team in order to maintain our league status, as they are operating promotion & relegation this season.

BOURNEMOUTH EVENING TRIPLES
This is a new league we have entered a team in and will be played at Bournemouth BC (Meyrick Park) which will be our “home” venue.
We will be playing as the 'Branksome Nomads' and will be another chance for members to get a game playing evening Triples at 1800hrs.
All fixtures on the B&DBA website - 'Evening Triples'

You will have to keep an eye on the club noticeboards for team selection, but this season as we have BOWLR ‘Availability module’ you will also get an email with the team sheet. Bravo for technology!
Please respond PROMPTLY to your selection to notify the Captain's, who will be a little more stretched this year as it is not a straight forward season.
Thank you in advance for your co-operation.

During League matches we will conform to Bowls England guidelines.