Caerphilly County Borough has been local lockdown since Tuesday 8th September. We have been waiting on Welsh Government to release more information on what that means for Sport in the borough.
Welsh Government have released the following:
“Sport and outdoor activity
Can sport, leisure and recreation facilities remain open?
Yes. The operators of these facilities must take all necessary measures to manage risk and maintain social distancing, and a gathering of people to exercise or play sport, both indoors and outdoors, must not exceed 30 people.
Who can I play sport or exercise with?
You can only play sport or exercise with others from within the local authority area as long as you maintain social distancing, all reasonable steps are taken to minimise risk, and only do so in groups or classes of up to 30 people.
Can outdoor sports classes and team sports continue?
Yes, but social distancing should be maintained at all times and the classes must be limited to no more than 30 people. You should not travel to areas outside the county to participate in sport or exercise.
Can I drive somewhere to exercise or play sport?
Yes, as long as you staying within the Caerphilly County Borough area.
Do I need to wear a face covering when I exercise in a leisure centre or gym?
As gyms and leisure centres are indoor public places, you will need to wear a face covering when you go there and you will need to keep it on depending on what you are doing. If you are preparing to exercise, changing or undertaking any activity that isn’t strenuous, especially when in close contact with other people, you will need to wear a face covering.
However, there may be circumstances where the layout of the premises and the nature of the exercise you are doing mean that it would not be reasonable to expect you to wear a face covering. The World Health Organisation advises against wearing a face covering when exercising as sweat can make a face covering become wet more quickly, making it difficult to breathe and promoting the growth of microorganisms. It advises the important preventive measure during exercise is to maintain physical distance from others.
As part of the measures the operator of the gym or leisure centre will need to put in place to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus, they will need to consider when wearing a face covering would not be appropriate and what mitigating action may be needed. They will be expected to give you further information about the systems put in place and what you will be expected to do.
I have mobility problems and need to drive to exercise – can I do that?
Yes. People with specific health or mobility issues may need to travel by car from their home to exercise, including possibly outside the Caerphilly County Borough area if there is a good reason for this. For example, some wheelchair users or users of mobility scooters may not be able to exercise immediately outside their homes for practical reasons. In such circumstances the journey should be to the nearest convenient accessible location.
Can I travel to and from the county borough to take part in sport?
No, only if you are a professional sportsperson or an elite athlete as designated by Sport Wales. Travelling to and from the county borough for amateur sport activities is not permissible.
Useful Links:
https://gov.wales/caerphilly-county-coronavirus-lockdown
https://gov.wales/caerphilly-county-coronavirus-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions
Caerphilly Council may issue additional guidance.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind all clubs and participants to continue to adhere to the guidelines issued by BowlsWales and the National Governing Bodies.
You can access general return to Bowls advice and guidelines here: https://bowlswales.com/covid-19/
For up to date local advice please consult the Caerphilly Borough Council website https://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/Coronavirus or follow @CaerphillyCBC on Twitter
