| Return to Play |
| Resources and updates |
Happy Easter everyone! A combination of warm spring sunshine and being able to meet up with a few friends now to walk, wheel and just enjoy some company mean that things do feel as if they are looking up. By now many of you and your families will have had your vaccinations and so are hopefully feeling a little more safe and confident in getting out and about.
Return to Play
We know that lots of you are looking forward to getting back to your clubs and seeing your teammates for the first time in a while. As a club it is very much up to you when you feel it is right for you to return to play (RTP) but we want to encourage all clubs to complete the RTP process as soon as you can and it must be completed before you have your first session. All the information is available here:
If you have any queries please email covid-19@gbwr.org.uk. Completion of the RTP process is a condition of the government requirement before activity can begin and is also a condition of our insurers, so please do give it your attention.
Whilst there is an exemption in place allowing disability indoor sport to resume before other indoor sports it must be done under the approved NGB plans and we are seeking further guidance on which step we can authorise clubs to play. For those clubs who have not returned at all yet, you will be required to start at Step 1 to ensure you have in place all the processes and procedures to ensure the COVID-19 protocols and practices are in place and work.
We would love to hear about your experiences of getting back to training whether this was last summer or if you about to start so that we can share this with other clubs. Send us an email or a short video to tell us about the best part of starting back or what you are looking forward to. Please send this to Lauren at lauren.templeton@gbwr.org.uk.
Chair Checks
Check your chair! We know that some people will not have played any wheelchair rugby since we first locked down last March so your competition chair might need some TLC before you use it again. We will be running a chair maintenance webinar for anyone wanting more information on how to maintain your chair. We will also be putting up a series of videos on the website to show you how to check the different areas of your chair and to make basic adjustments.
Membership Renewal
All members should have received an email explaining the changes to your membership, and this information is also available here:
Please email Daniel at daniel.hook@gbwr.org.uk if you need any further information. We will now have a standardised membership year which runs from 1 April to 31 March which will mean everyone will need to renew their membership before they RTP and the details of how to do this are included in the email. On the back of the free membership we have provided over the past year we are now offering reduced membership rates for the current year as we know some clubs will not start back straight away. All the details about the new membership process are in Daniel’s email.
NGB Changes
The NGB change process is now under way. We had a high number of applications for the new Head of Performance Support & Science and these are now being assessed before deciding on who will be short listed for interview. This is a very important role as along with the Head Coach it will provide the senior leadership of our performance programme and GB team. On Wednesday 7 April applications close for my current role as CEO. Again there has been a high number of applicants which the Nominations Committee chaired by Trustee Mary Daunt will be reviewing. The next process towards shortlisting will be conducted by Page Executive who are supporting us to find the best possible candidates to be interviewed by a selection panel led by Chair Ed Warner. Meanwhile I am pleased to announce that Daniel Hook has been promoted to the position of Business Support Manager and will be taking on new and additional responsibilities for managing the NGB. He will be part of the senior management team supporting the CEO and the Governance & Finance Committee.
Tokyo News
You will have seen the news that no international visitors will be permitted to visit Tokyo for the Summer Games. This will be hugely disappointing for many of you, particularly the families and friends of the athletes who had plans to support the GB team at the games and to enjoy travelling in Japan. I think the decision is understandable though I share your disappointment and it may well be that I am also unable to attend. As a squad we are still very upbeat. Training is going well at Lilleshall though we would all like to have some opposition and competition. We are still planning for the Quad Nations in June though there are still a number of hurdles to overcome before we can be sure it will take place. Meanwhile some of you will have seen that the wheelchair rugby test event became the first official test event held by Tokyo 2020 since the postponed games. Held at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, around 100 staff, volunteers and the Japanese team participated. A big part of this was to test the COVID-19 countermeasures which included pre-competition tests for athletes and disinfecting chairs and equipment.
Enjoy the new freedoms as things start to open up and best wishes for your return to play.
David Pond, Chief Executive
