I ​am sure that we are all hoping for a long summer of cricket. At the Trust, we look forward to seeing you and your members soon. The SCST is delighted to announce that we have renovated our outdoor cricket nets under John Howard’s direction. I hope that users can treat them with respect, for instance spiked shoes cannot be used.  
 
I hope that we can ease our way into outdoor cricket practice.
 
We are starting with one to one coaching for our selected individual coaches. As members, they can book single lanes of nets and use them for 1:1 coaching. I confirm all bookings for cricket nets on our ground management system Open Play. The system is shared with the ground staff, bar and Trust managers.  A key principle is to avoid double bookings. We expect to be busy and to tightly schedule use, therefore we ask for prompt starts and finishes.
 
According to the ECB road map (please see documents below), we can now plan to open the outdoor nets at the ground for club bookings for outdoor cricket net practice from Wednesday 29th March.  
 
We are very aware that ECB and Governement regulations may change over the coming weeks in the lead up to the cricket season. We ask that all your members stay aware of any changes in regulations and restrictions.  I have attached below the COVID-19 briefing supplied by the ECB.

Please make all your members and parents are familiar with the content and requirements.
 
There are some key areas that affect our local provision -

• We do not wish to encourage mingling outside of the nets sessions. We ask that parents drop off their children and collect them away from the cricket net facility please.
• Players attending cricket nets or the ground should be aware of the rule "group of six" and therefore do not mingling in large groups,
• We ask all people using our facilities to continue to be aware of the Governement and ECB social distancing guidelines.
• We will expect your members to observe all the hygiene requirements and recommendations suggested by the ECB including the sharing of equipment.
• Players feeling unwell and displaying any of the Covid-19 symptoms should not attend the ground and any person displaying these symptoms will be asked to leave.

 
We ask that all clubs nominate a session manager so that they can collect the key for the nets and the Pavilion. The session manager must also maintain a complete list of all attendees for track and trace purposes. John Howard has installed a key safe with a security number. Clubs should talk with John about access arrangements.
 
The toilets in the changing rooms are available for access. All cricket net gates, lanes and the Pavilion must be locked after use and the keys put back securely into the key safe. After the evening sessions, the Turney Road gates must be locked by the last group or person leaving. If in doubt, please ask John Howard.
 
As you will be aware, the recent weather means that the outfield is soft. We ask that your members do not cycle over the fields or drag their bags along the surfaces. On arrival at the nets, players should change into sports shoes. We do not want to get mud on to the new surfaces. Please ask players to clean the mud from their shoes.  John Howard and the ground staff can guide you on the drier routes to the nets.
 
We are hoping that the your cricket nets and practice will be enjoyable.


The bar is scheduled to open in the week commencing Monday 12th April. We plan to open on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and at the weekend.  Drinks and meals can be consumed outside at tables of no more than six. Jackie Howard can take advance orders for food. The guidelines state that table orders and table service are required in the next phase.
 
I hope that this short guide enables you to use our facilities and enjoy the start-up of cricket. We hope that the ECB road map enables us to move through the stages safely.
 
Please do hesitate to ask me or John Howard about any aspect of start up to sports play at the Trust.
 
With many thanks John Smith
PLEASE SEE ECB DOCUMENTS BELOW

Please see the initial guidance below from the FA back in June which can be similarly applied to certain situations since the 11th of September no more than 6 people rule when off the pitch.

Please read adaptations for all outdoor cricket activity, applicable to players, spectators, volunteers, clubs, coaches & officials in Step 4 of the ECB Return to Cricket Roadmap.
​
Click on file below to read

"Please respect your fellow sports people, our dedicated staff and volunteers. Please do not enter SCST ground if you are displaying symptoms of Covid-19 and please follow all current government recommendations whilst at this ground​"

PLEASE NOTE
THERE IS STRICTLY NO ACCESS TO THE BAR AREA FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS OLD

JUNE UPDATE  - Covid-19 Pandemic



We are all watching the trickle of announcements about safe training for cricket from the ECB.
 
There is to be no organised cricket until at least July.
 
We now have full use of our outdoor nets by member clubs on each evening of the week plus mornings on Saturday and Sunday. We will continue with that usage as booked and managed by member clubs. The trust is providing access to the nets and dressing rooms/toilets on a strictly managed basis. Please ensure that non-members do not use our facilities. Each club has provided evidence of their protocols and we are pleased at the level of adherence.  We plan to continue nets sessions until at least July.
 
In a recent statement the ECB has allowed “pods” of cricket training in groups of six.  I understand that member clubs may seek to organise cricket training sessions at the Trust. It has been suggested that the pods could use the artificial wickets on the SCST ground. We would welcome member clubs booking artificial pitches for well managed training sessions.  Could I suggest that we will allow use of the remote artificial pitch and the Belair artificial pitch.  For the moment, we will not book the Nursery artificial pitch because of the proximity of the outdoor nets and the windows in the Nursery. John Howard will be considering these matters in the next few days.

PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT
As you may have read the Government is gradually easing restrictions on the Pandemic lockdown. The Trust has been following ECB guidelines since the shutdown and we are interpreting the attached guidance received yesterday.

​We consider that the Trust is in a position to open our outdoor nets for the use of the member clubs: Dulwich CC, South Bank CC and Ploughmans CC. To borrow a phrase from the Prime Minister, we intend to do this using “granny steps”.

All bookings for nets will be managed by me. I propose to honour the pre-booked sessions for SBCC on Wednesdays and Ploughmans CC on Thursdays. I am asking Dulwich CC to inform me which days that they wish to use as they have booked Saturday and Sunday mornings for junior nets already.

We realise that there is some pent up demand from your members, I am open to member clubs making further requests for slots. I have been talking with senior members of the Board about how we might use the outdoor nets. I have set out our initial thoughts so that you can respond as you consider your requirements for your members and your club.
 
We have agreed that a slot for an evening session be extended (initially) from 3pm to 8pm for Ploughman’s and SBCC. The generous pricing is based on reduced numbers of users, the practice social distancing and net use protocols. I have attached the SCST price list. Here is some illustrative guidance-
 
1.            Outdoor nets – operation
Nets management and distancing is the responsibility of the cricket club using the facility. SCST will set out the nets with the middle lane free.
All club members on site to be responsibility of cricket club including waiting groups. Usual net usage rules will apply especially no spikes. We expect clubs to manage issues around bringing your own ball, pads, bats and other equipment.
SCST request that care is taken with commonly used articles e.g. padlocks, returning balls and touching stumps. The SBCC protocol may help other clubs.
As club members may be at the ground when ground staff are working, we ask that waiting groups be prepared to move away if ground staff are working nearby.
The SCST is clear that groups should not arrive before the booked time and should leave at the close. There is no opportunity for club meetings or social arrangements.
 
2. Access to the nets

John Howard of SCST will provide access codes for pedestrian gate to each club organiser.  It is important that as each club member comes in to the ground, that they shut the gate afterwards. SCST does not want open access for the public to our grounds. Could club organisers tell all their participants please.
SCST will open the west side dressing rooms to allow for access to toilets. At the end of the club session, club organisers are asked to close the west side-door as they leave. We expect your members to come ready changed.
John Howard will arrange for collection of the nets keys with the club organiser.  
We expect clubs to use their own sets of spring-back stumps. John can advise if this is an issue.
At end of the session, the club is responsible for locking up the nets, closing the dressing room door and locking the Turney Road gates.
At end of the session, club members are asked to leave the ground promptly and quietly with no social gathering afterwards.
 
3.            Outdoor nets – payment
SCST wishes to hold to the existing price list as far as possible. All member clubs pay £100 annual membership plus a fee for booking facilities within HRMC guidelines.
Previously clubs have paid £35 for an evening use. We propose to offer an extended session from 3pm to 8pm as a gesture towards member clubs.  Therefore if you wish to book nets with the SCST, we suggest that you initially book say ten sessions.
 
As the Pandemic eases or possibly worsens, we will review the use of nets, the safety implications of your protocols and the likelihood of cricket match resumption.  We will keep in touch with you about this.

Once I receive your request for bookings, I will make a confirmation and enter on to our booking system “ Open Play”. This system informs the treasurer, grounds director and Sportsturf of confirmed bookings. Only confirmed bookings will be allowed to use the nets. If your net is cancelled or the pandemic grows, we will not make refunds but your club will be offered a credit for future use.

Once the needs of member clubs has been met, we expect that there may be some ad hoc requests, which we may insert into any gaps.

I hope that your club chooses to practice in our nets at the Trust. We are opening in a spirit of seeking to help but we ask your co-operation in keeping all people at the ground safe and well. We do not expect John Howard or his team to supervise your members as we expect you to manage your members in a safe way.
​

Please see ECB guidance below

Please see latest guidance and updates from Government and ECB from  Dulwich Sports Ground 

As the weather changes, we begin to think of summer sports. However in these extraordinary times, we are in a national lockdown. The Southwark Community Sports Trust will obey Government advice and we will follow the recommendations of the ECB and Sport England about any start up.
 
The current position is quite clear that all recreational cricket including friendly games, nets and training is stopped until the end of May. Equally other sporting or social events cannot take place.  The facilities on Turney Road are closed although our sports contractors are maintaining the squares and grounds for a start-up.  We are ready once the appropriate decisions are made by the government.
 
As the cricket season has theoretically started, I thought that I should inform you of the current position.
 
Member clubs made bookings before the shut-down and the Trust has a full list of commitments. There are a few gaps at weekends and some opportunities for mid-week. Our season for cricket matches is planned to end on Sunday 13th September when we will switch emphasis to winter sports.
 
Each week of the lock down from now on, will see the cancellation of booked fixtures on a rolling basis. As the position becomes clearer over the next few weeks/months, we will be in touch with you to agree future arrangements. We know that the cricket authorities are hoping that we might have a half season to enable clubs, leagues and juniors to play cricket. We will respond once we have some dates.
 
On the emergence from lock down, I will publish bookings and the options available to clubs to reduce commitments or book more dates.  It is bound to be fluid. We hope to offer practice opportunities as well as much organised cricket and other activities as we can permit.
 
On any re-emergence from lock down, the Trust will enforce government guidance on hygiene and social isolation. We expect to deal with changed requirements for teas, meals and service at the bar. We are lucky to have a spacious facility to allow space for changing rooms, showers or for groups of people to spread out in the Pavilion. Over the next month, you can rest assured that our ground staff are committed to preparing the pitches in readiness for use. Our team has used the enforced window of isolation to repair and prepare the sightscreens and covers. We have a plan to repair the artificial surfaces once lock down is over.
 
If you have any thoughts or particular questions, please do not hesitate to email me or John Howard.
 
Please stay safe and follow the Government advice
 
John
John Smith
Home:    01694 771 552
Mobile:  07831 638 775 with variable reception

The events surrounding the control of coronavirus are fast moving. The Southwark Community Sports Trust is seeking to play its part in helping the community stay safe. We know that one Dulwich sports club has a member who has had a positive test.

We have not had much access to our fields due to the appalling weather. As the weather may soon allow us to play some sport, we have to be aware of the wider concerns about a possible epidemic.
The Trust does not manage or select individual teams. We will rely on the good sense of our users and their opponents about exercising self-quarantine and not including people with the symptoms of the disease. We will observe the Government advice in the coming weeks and months. 
​

As individuals, please ensure that you are using tissues, washing your hands frequently and thoroughly for 20 seconds. Some people are bringing their own hand sanitiser. The Trust has installed hand sanitiser units by the doors and the bar of the pavilion. We hope that we have enough liquid to maintain these.
As a trust, we wish to ensure that the playing of sport goes ahead but we would only wish our clubs to proceed if they felt safe to play. We are doing our utmost to offer a clean environment but we rely upon our users not to infect communal areas.
There is a hierarchy of conditions that we can see-

• If you are in a high risk category then you may wish to consider to avoid coming to the Trust.

• If you are showing symptoms, then please self-isolate and use the telephone or website 111 for advice. Naturally we do not expect you to come to the Trust.

• If your club or team has a confirmed case, please let us know. We will work closely with the NHS  and also inform other member clubs. There may be implications for the Trust in that Public Health England may visit, make a risk assessment and advise on specific measures such as deep cleaning and a contact assessment. The government website shown below gives much latest guidance and no doubt, will be updated:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19
The Trust Board has set up an emergency action co-ordination group. The group can be contacted via http://www.dulwichsportsground.com/
If you have any suggestions to improve our response, please do let us know.

​This Sunday (November 3rd) one of our regular teams, AFC Brixton have been drawn at home in the early rounds of the London Cup. They are due to play SE Dons FC based in Lewisham at 10-30am.
 
We have been told by officials at AFC Brixton that that the away team (SE Dons) have a major following on social media. They stream all their games live on U tube and are very active on Twitter etc. Apparently this has had the effect of drawing a large number of followers who are now starting to watch their fixtures. AFC Brixton have spoken with their opponents and the Cup organisers who both expect a large away crowd.
 
Whist this will not resemble the crowds drawn by Crystal Palace FC, it may be significant for recreational football. We have asked that SE Dons FC assist us by trying to forecast numbers. We are working with AFC Brixton to mitigate the effects of a large crowd of spectators. On Sunday we have  

• Closed the car park for casual users and advised all teams to use public transport.
• Sought volunteer stewards from member clubs
• Timetabled other football fixtures to different kick off times to ease numbers.
• Asked SE Dons FC to help with stewarding and crowd control
• Arranged additional staff in the SCST Pavilion

 
I hope that we can enable the spectators to enjoy their experience of our facilities at Turney Road.  I would be grateful if you could alert our neighbours that there may be larger than usual number of people walking in local streets on Sunday morning.