Covid Guidance

Caravan and Motorhome Club

Covid – Secure Guidance for Rallies

This guidance is intended to help advise Centres about how to enhance their procedures to ensure that they and their members are safe and well whilst on a rally, and that rallies are operated in line with Covid-Secure protocols. This means that the guidance is based on principles of minimal person-to-person contact, minimal common touch points and maintaining social distancing. This guidance will be kept under regular review.

Prior to the rally

  • Consider the reaction of the local community in your rally risk assessment. People living in remote areas with limited access to health services may object to the rally if they feel members’ behaviour is placing them at a higher risk. It is best to liaise with the owner of the rally field/premises on how to act considerately in this regard. There may also be occasions where landowners are currently unwilling to allow planned rallies to proceed, and this should be respected.

Pre-arrival at a rally

  • Please ensure you and your Centre members are familiar with any new practices and procedures in advance of attending a rally.
  • The numbers attending a rally can be limited/controlled to ensure that there is sufficient physical spacing and as a reassurance to members.
  • Attendees should be reminded, and expectations set, that at the present time the rally will be for siting of leisure vehicles only. Social gatherings and meetings of groups from different households should not take place except in line with the limited numbers allowed under current government guidance .

Travelling to a rally

  • If possible, when travelling to the rally avoid busy transport hubs such as motorway services – toilets, food service areas and petrol pumps – to reduce the risk of contamination.

Payment for a rally

  • No cash payments should be made for a rally, and every effort should be made to offer a contactless alternative, such as online payments, which can be made in advance.
  • Payments can continue to be made by cheque in advance of the rally, but if not possible, it could be made by a cheque in a sealed envelope which is dropped into a bag or receptacle for the rally officer, with the name and amount written on the outside – to be opened after the rally has concluded (leaving for 72 hours).
  • Centres could explore the possibility of using ​https://sumup.co.uk​ (or similar) which provides a small card machine to take card payments alongside an app on a mobile phone, for a small fee. These could enable payments to be made in advance over the phone or on the site if necessary.

On arrival at a rally

  • Instructions can be given on arrival on an information board or directly in a socially distanced manner without leaving the car/leisure vehicle. Providing a phone number for arrival queries will be helpful. Distribution of paper materials or instructions is not advised.
  • No welcome drinks or gifts should be provided or distributed. No rally plaques should be distributed at the rally but can be ordered and distributed when restrictions are lifted.
  • There should be no access to a rally by member or non-member visitors or day guests. This ensures that the track and trace ability is not compromised and limits the numbers on site.

Pitching Up

  • The Club’s minimum spacing requirement of 6m between outfits must be applied which as well as maintaining safety standards, ensures good social distancing is in place.
  • The usual practice of marking pitches out in advance can be followed, or members’ places indicated on arrival, both of which will assist the arrival process and ensure spacing requirements are met.
  • Rally Marshals are able to assist by directing those arriving at a rally and indicating how to site their outfits as long as they comply with social distancing requirements whilst doing so.
  • Risk assessments of the site will need to be undertaken in the normal way, taking into account the need to ensure that the rally operates in line with Covid-secure protocols.
  • Every effort should be made to keep the density of a rally as low as possible and even more so for member reassurance that rallies will not be too busy.

Flag pole/Social Activities

  • It is not permitted to hold a gathering at flagpole, and a rally should not offer any social type events/gatherings which are in conflict with Government guidelines in place at the time.
  • No awnings/gazebos/marquees/event tents should be erected which could be used for common shelter or social activities. Personal awnings or gazebos as part of a family’s own outfit are permitted for the family use only.
  • Sports and games strictly in accordance with government regulations only are permitted.
  • There shall be no sharing of food or drink at the rally.

Water Taps and Service Points

  • As usual, there must be a clear separation between the drinking water tap and water supplied for cleansing chemical closets.
  • There should be sufficient space around service points and clear markers placed on the ground to allow for queuing and social distancing.
  • Avoid queuing if possible by waiting clear of the service point until it is free or come back later.
  • There should be increased regularity of sanitisation of touchpoints, including taps and emptying points and every member is responsible for cleaning service points before and after use.
  • Handwashing and social distancing reminders should be displayed.

Waste Disposal and Refuse

  • There should be an effective system for waste disposal and grey waste should be disposed of into disposal points agreed with the landowner.
  • Handwashing and social distancing reminders should be displayed.
  • Those attending the rally should take their own refuse home with them for disposal, unless the landowner has arrangements in place to ensure the proper disposal of refuse.

Hygiene Procedures

  • All members attending a rally shall be advised by signage to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds after using service points, waste disposal points or electrical hook-ups, if appropriate.
  • Consideration should be given to the provision of hand sanitiser stations across the rally field.

Discipline

  • We are all in this Together!!
  • Everyone attending a rally has a responsibility to be mindful and considerate to their fellow ralliers, particularly by following any procedures, practices and Government guidelines in place.
  • The Rally Officer/Marshal is not expected to police that members attending a rally are complying with any government guidelines in place at the time e.g. visiting other outfits. Any allegations of misbehaviour on the rally field should be looked into in accordance with Centre Guidance. Ralliers should respect the comfort and safety of their fellow attendees.

Unwell on a rally?

If anyone staying on the rally begins to feel unwell (with suspected Covid symptoms), please follow the guidance below.

  • Go online to NHS 111.
  • Call the Rally Marshal/Officer on the phone number provided and let them know. They may make a record of the incident.
  • If a member of the rally becomes unwell and is advised to have a test, the track and trace guidance will need to be followed.
  • In the event of a case being suspected on a rally, access by any members of the affected outfit to common service points should only be allowed at a pre-agreed time with disinfection of the service point afterwards. All refuse waste from the outfit should be double-bagged and taken home, not disposed of on-site. If they are able to, they should leave the rally and travel home to self-isolate.