Section 6

OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR GUEST EVENTS

    1. Summary

    Safety and wellbeing of guests and volunteers will be planned into all Guest Events through adherence to the guidelines set out below. The Guideline include management arrangements and responsibilities. The major drivers of risk are health and mobility of guests and distance travelled.

    Management of Guest Events

    The Trustees will allocate funding for the following years activities considering reserves available and fundraising plans. The Events Coordinator (EC) is responsible for drawing up a plan of activities and will confirm dates at least three months in advance. Secretary is responsible for booking coaches and events.

    2.1 Risk assessment forms, Incident Report Forms and Incident Report Logs.

    A Risk Assessment Form, (Appendix 1 available on request) will be completed for all events by the Event Co-ordinator.  However, for routine events held at OFMGC, coffee mornings, exercise classes and events at Totteridge and Millhillians Cricket Club, the risk assessment need only be revised on an annual basis unless a new risk is identified when a further mid-year revision will be prepared. Risk Assessments for any additional locations will require an annual check. Midyear assessments can be completed for any regular location if circumstances change.

    All incidents will be reported to Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman using the Incident Report Form shown in Appendix 2 (available on request). Our brokers and insurance company MUST be informed in the event of any claim or a potential claim arising from any accident. This will be the responsibility of the Treasurer in co-operation with the Secretary and Chairman.  A record MUST be kept of ALL accidents in an incident report book which will be held by the Secretary for future reference. A summary of incidents will be tabled at AGM using the Incident Report Log shown in Appendix 3 (available on request).

    2.2 Planning external events

    There will normally be one or two external events per year. Typical events are a coach trip to the coast or a river cruise. A visit will be made to each new location before the event is held, costs confirmed with Treasurer and booking made by Secretary.

    For external events a Risk Assessment Form, Appendix 1 (available on request), will be required for each event and emailed to Chairman and Secretary at least a week before the event takes place. The email will detail findings from the planning visit undertaken by the Events Co-ordinator.

    2.3 Drivers Permissions and Guidelines

    All volunteer drivers will be sent a copy of the Drivers’ Information prior to their first participation, or in exceptional cases as soon after as is possible.

    2.4 Insurance

    The Treasurer shall ensure that there is insurance in place to cover: employers’ liability covering injury to authorised volunteers; public and products liability covering injury and damage to property of the general public; Trustees and Volunteers Indemnity for costs and damages due to wrongful but not reckless acts and lastly legal costs. Damage or loss to guests and volunteers’ property is excluded.

    • St John Ambulance and First Aid

    The Secretary will email notification of all events to St. John Ambulance (SJA) some three months in advance. The Event Coordinator will remind SJA nearer the event. In the event of SJA not appearing for any event held in the Borough of Barnet the event will still take place. In the event that SJA does not appear for an external event, the event will be cancelled unless otherwise agreed by any two of Chairman, Vice Chairman or Secretary.  When in attendance, SJA is responsible for all medical decisions regarding guest welfare.

    Movement to Music classes have a paid instructor who holds a First Aid accreditation and therefore does not require the attendance of SJA. Coffee mornings are attended by the most mobile guests so no transport is provided. The location does have first aid trained staff who could help in an emergency.

    • Members and Guests details.

    Details on each guest invited to an event will be held electronically by the EC. The Template of information collected is shown at Appendix 5 (available on request). Information collected on guests attending Movement to Music Classes is not held electronically.

    • Guest welcome to events

    Guests will receive a welcome to each event. For local events, guests will be reminded of their data that is collected and held electronically and that pictures may be taken that may be reproduced on the web or included in newsletters or other communications. Dependent upon location, the following points will be included: –

    • Location of Fire Exits in the event of fire.
    • Location of toilet facilities
    • The fact that we have 2 members of St John in attendance should anyone fall ill.
    • Puddeneck volunteers are there to help and inform as necessary.
    • Any guest with food allergies to identify themselves and specify what their allergy is.
    • That location is a ‘No Smoking’ area.
    • Guests are not allowed to incur expenditure and expect Puddenecks to pay the bill
    • Guidance notes for Volunteers on external events

    The Event Coordinator will be responsible for running the trip from the time of departure to the time of return. The role of the volunteers will be to support the EC as required and help guests to gain the most from the event.

    Guests invited are older people and some might have some mobility challenges and require aids and or some assistance in moving down steps or over uneven ground. Guests may be accompanied by a carer who is responsible for their toileting, eating and mobility. Otherwise, guests are selected who can look after themselves and do not need assistance in toileting or eating. It is possible that a guest can start to display such unfortunate characteristics or become confused and where this is noted the aid of SJA should be sought and extra care exercised.

    A register of guests expected to attend will be available. Each time the group fragments for example a toilet break, the register will be held again to ensure nobody is left behind.

    All guests will be given a copy of their registration details for correction. They will also be given a timetable for the day that will include contact numbers of volunteers, and the meeting point and time for departure in case guests get lost.

    The Register will also contain details of contact names to be used in case of emergency. A separate list of members and officers contact details will be taken.

    The Secretary and Chairman will be advised of any incidents in order that they can provide any assistance required.

    3 Reviews

    The Committee will review events management at each meeting.

    Bernard Woolf / Vic Valoti, Events Co-ordinators

  2. Last Reviewed: February 2024