Covid-19 Statement and Policy
This statement and policy is applicable to any Way of Mindfulness outdoor activities represented in this document by the term, “Activity” and includes: Mindfulness Retreat Walks; Outdoor Therapy (Outdoor Counselling); Women’s Empowerment Days (mindful navigation training)
To protect myself, my Participants/Clients, our collective families & friends and the general public, I take the threat of the Corona virus seriously. I am taking and requesting that any Participants/Clients will take the following actions:
On booking:
- On booking or on arrival each participant will be asked to sign a declaration to state that:
- you, or no-one you have been in contact with in the past 14 days has symptoms of Covid-19
- no-one in your household and/or bubble has any of the listed symptoms of Covid-19
- no-one in your household and/or bubble has tested positive for Covid-19 and are still within the 14 day “recovery” period
If you answer Yes to any of the above, please inform me that you cannot attend. Your place will be held open for another Activity, but it also means someone else can take your place on this one.
Hygiene
- As these activities take place outdoors, all Participants/Clients will bring adequate warm and waterproof clothing – so please read the detailed Kit Lists sent out with your activity booking.
- All participants will need to bring their own “Ouch Pouch” for minor ailments that would not normally require First Aid attention from Belinda. A typical Ouch Pouch might contain: plasters; blister plasters/zinc oxide tape; any prescribed medication you would normally need to take with you for outdoor activities, etc. If you have your own individual First Aid kit please bring it with you.
- We will avoid sharing kit/equipment as much as possible.
- I will sanitise my hands at the start of Activities and after opening any gates, using stiles or otherwise touching street furniture or fixed objects. It is recommended that all participants/clients do the same.
- To help minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19, I will be measuring temperatures prior to the Activity start. Anyone who has a temperature will not be allowed to attend the Activity, but their place will be held open for another Activity at a later date.
Social Distancing
- Numbers on Way of Mindfulness Retreat Walks will be limited to a maximum of 8, until further updates, with social distancing being maintained at all times.
- Please bring your own food and refreshments in order to maintain decent social distancing and personal/group hygiene.
- With participants spaced four metres apart, my Mindfulness Retreat Walks are already naturally socially distanced. There are group discussions at certain points to facilitate exploration and deepening of the meditation practices: during group discussions, a spacing of 2metres will be required and should you chose to wear facemasks/face coverings/buffs at these points, please ensure you bring your own supply.
- In accordance with government guidelines (1) where it is not possible for the Activity to take place with 2 metres between people, it is advised that people walk alongside each other. For these outdoor Activities, I do not require face masks to be worn but I will wear one at the request of participants/clients.
- There will be no physical contact between myself and participants/clients, including handshakes or help using stiles or gates etc. In order to ensure you are not undertaking an activity that will be outside your fitness or skills level please take time to read the Walk description before booking. If in any doubt, do feel free to contact Belinda for further information.
- Each of us will need, as far as possible, to maintain the 2 metre social distancing when using stiles/gates.
- I and all participants/clients will be responsible for maintaining a 2 metre social distance from other members of the public at all times.
Rescues & Emergencies
- Information about the distance, total climb, type of terrain is part of the publicity information for each walk and should be carefully considered by Participants/Clients in combination with fitness levels and walking experience before booking onto an Activity. Any questions or concerns can be raised with Belinda via telephone, email or direct message at the pre-booking stage.
- On Way of Mindfulness Activities, the aim is to be self-reliant and undertake activities and choose venues within our limits, due to the increased risk of transmission if first aid or an emergency rescue is needed.
- Participants/Clients will be encouraged to carry their own safety kit, and to take personal responsibility for personal safety and responding to emergency procedures.
- On rare occasions that First Aid is called for, Belinda will wear the appropriate mask/face covering and gloves to prevent the spread of droplets: for protection in CPR, CPR face shields will be used.
- Activities are usually postponed if adverse weather conditions are forecast just prior to the activity. However, it can on rare occasions become necessary to use a Group Shelter: should this arise, all users will be required to wear face coverings; they will also be asked to sanitise their hands before and after use of the Shelter.
Respect local communities & the environment
- Way of Mindfulness will be sensitive to the concerns of local landowners in the choice of parking and venues.
- Way of Mindfulness will aim to bring work and visitors slowly back to North Wales to help re-start the local economy whilst avoiding a second peak of COVID-19. For more information on visiting North Wales, see the websites of NorthWalesTourism and Visit Wales.
- As with any outdoor activity, there is a strict “Leave No Trace” policy. Any disposable items need to be disposed of in your own waste disposal bag to be taken back home with you and disposed of accordingly.
Welsh Government Test, Trace and Protect Strategy
In line with current government guidelines, Way of Mindfulness makes every effort to ensure compliance with the current Welsh Government Test Trace and Protect strategy. To this end:
- If Participants/Clients develop symptoms in the next 72 hours after the walk finishes, they will contact Belinda so that she can trace other participants.
- If Participants/Clients are contacted by Belinda to inform them that another participant has been taken ill with Covid symptoms, or tested positive, they must agree to self-isolate for 14 days in accordance with current guidelines.
Equipment
Sharing of equipment will be kept to a minimum, as detailed above. However, any Way of Mindfulness equipment that is required to be shared, will be cleaned and isolated for 72hrs before re-use on another activity.
| Covid-19 symptoms (2) |
| High temperature (you feel hot to touch on your chest or back) New, persistent cough (coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes over a 24 hour period) Loss of sense of smell and/or taste (either you have lost your sense of taste and smell or things taste and smell different to normal) |
It would be really helpful for the environment if you could bring a reusable face mask