The UK Government announced changes for the Covid-19 rules on Monday 19th August and England Hockey (EH) have updated their guidance considering those changes. For those taking part in training and matches the changes are actually very small. The restrictions on social distancing have gone, along with having to sanitise equipment (e.g., balls) if touched by someone else.

As a club, it no longer means that we must send EH a list of who has taken part in each session, which means that you no longer need to sign the EH Participation Agreement – all data held by EH in that respect will be deleted. We will still be keeping registers at training sessions, since we need to know who attended, so we know who must pay. This will stop come the new season for adult sessions, but registers have always been taken at junior sessions and will continue.

Hopefully this means that come the new season we will be allowed back into the clubhouse, but this requires Aspire to update their practices. In the meantime, please continue to wear masks when you use the toilets.

However – and this is important – please respect those that want to social distance, wear masks, etc. Covid-19 has not gone. You MUST continue to do a self-check before attending a hockey session and if you have Covid-19 or are not sure DO NOT attend. Equally do not share water bottles or other persona equipment.

EH have also recommend that after matches the shaking of hands is replaced with a stick-tap, which will also help to stop the spread of other diseases.