Click here to book for 9am service  Numbers are  limited to 35 for maximum safety

Click here to book for 11.00am service,
Children aged 3-11 will probably prefer to be part of our Children’s worship in the hall. Please contact Naomi Savage separately to book them in for this 07864 127523 or [email protected]

Note:  We have moved back to requiring separate booking for each person attending the main adult service)   If you need help, or to cancel, ring Margaret Hollins on (01782) 612009

Please do carry on reading  if you are joining us for the first time since early 2020

You’re free to chat with others outside the building before and after worship. Although under the current regulations,  inside the church building worshippers may only interact with their own household, we’d love you get to know you after the service, so do consider staying to chat on the paving and grass in front of our building.

Face coverings are now legally required  for all members of the congregation at both services, albeit with exemptions for :

  • children under the age of 11
  • people with health or disabilities issues that prevent mask wearing including (but not limited to) the following:
    • breathing difficulties and other respiratory conditions
    • conditions affecting their dexterity, meaning they are not able to put on a face covering
    • mental health conditions such as anxiety or panic disorders
    • other non-visible disabilities such as autism
    • cognitive impairments, including dementia, who may not understand or remember the need to wear a face covering
    • visual impairments, with a restricted field of vision, particularly if any residual vision is at the lower edge of the normal field of view
    • impairments which would make it difficult to put on or take off a face covering safely, accurately, consistently or without pain
  • those who address the congregation (ie bible readers, those leading prayers, ministers etc) do not need to be wearing face masks whilst they are doing so- (though will need to  sanitise their hands after putting them back on)

9 am service aimed to be as safe as we can make

  • different households dispersed over the whole building so that they can be well over 2m apart;
  • maximum attendance kept to around 35

11.00 service, (when held indoors, this will allow up to around 65 to be present)

  • 2m distancing will be still maintained, but with more people allowed this will mean that the health risks will be a bit greater than at 9am

If you are planning to attend either service, please note the following…

Your responsibilities before you arrive

If you, or anyone else in your household have any symptoms which could possibly signal the beginnings  COVID-19, you must stay at home. These symptoms are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

As well as staying at home (self-isolating) you should also ring 111 for advice and to arrange a test. To protect others, you must not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital if you have any of these symptoms.  There is also a warm encouragement to ring the vicar for prayer or practical support.

The government continues to advise that travelling in the same vehicle as a member of a different household except for essential travel entails an unwise risk of infection

Please put your face covering on before you arrive, keep it on during the service, and remove it using the ear loops when you have left. More details at the end of this email. Masks are now available in many big shops or online, so we envisage that many people will be able to obtain their own from the wide variety on sale.  However if you would like to be provided with a single-use mask to enable you to attend, please indicate this when booking

Service leaflets will already be laid out on the pews to indicate where a household is allowed to sit

  • For the 9.00 note that only one household is permitted on any pew
  • For the 11.00 service, most pews will only be set out for a single individual or household ; although a few of the longer pews in the centre of the nave will allow 2 individuals from different household to sit at nearly opposite ends

Arrival

  • Please wash your hands thoroughly before leaving home Click here for details
  • We have been advised to take all printed material out of use, but you are welcome to bring your own bible
  • The government ask us to pass on that they continue to advise against sharing a car with members of a different household for non-essential journeys; Because of this advice we regretfully are not operating our usual dial-a-lift system
  • Please don’t arrive any more than15 mins before the service starts
  • A steward wearing a visor may be outside to greet you
  • It may at times be necessary to queue 2m apart outside on entry to church
  • There will be 2 hand sanitizer stations near to the entrance, which each person is required to use as they arrive
  • Where you can sit is indicated by presence of service leaflet. Where there are several leaflets in the same place this is to indicate that it’s a good place for households to sit together. Alternatively when a long pew still contains 2 separate leaflets, couples or larger households are welcome to sit by one of the leaflets.  taking the leaflet at the other end of pew to use as well – which will helpfully prevent anyone else from sitting on the pew and being too close to you.
  • Please follow any additional directions from the steward on duty as to where to sit so that safe distancing can be adhered to. In general we’d prefer people to fill up from the front first of all so that it is not too difficult for any arriving later to find a seat
  • Once you’ve sat down, please don’t move to another pew, as the area where you had sat has been contaminated by you, and someone looking for a seat may not be aware of this

During the service

  • Toilets are available for ‘emergency use’
  • Once you have sat down, please remain in that seat until the service has finished.
  • You may bring your own Bible if you wish (there will be none provided)
  • We will not be singing but there will be some music played during the service. We will be considering how to introduce Holy Communion into our services from August onwards.
  • if you have not transferred to direct giving via the bank and wish to make a donation a plate will be available at the back of church to put this into. The collection plate will not be passed round during the service.
    Cheques (payable to ‘St Andrews PCC Westlands’) are very much preferred, though cash is acceptable. Some have indicated that they will want to make up for what they would normally have given over the last 3 months. We are very grateful for those who feel able to do so. Ideally we would prefer this to be aggregated as a single gift (again cheque preferred) inserted into any one of your numbered set of envelopes

Leaving

  • You will be asked to leave fairly promptly at the end of the service- though we don’t want to discourage chatting with others, this can be done far more safely outside, maintaining 2m distancing.
  • You are advised to sanitise your hands as you leave
  • If you are using a single-use mask, the safest practice is to keep it until you get home (and then dispose of it carefully and wash your hands) However it is also allowable to dispose of it in the pedal bin provided just before you reach one of  the hand sanitising stations

After the service

  • There will be no refreshments
  • The government strongly advise you to wash your hands when you get home
  • If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, then contact NHS 111 for advice.

Masks

This article  covers a wide range of questions about masks. The 2 stewards will be wearing visors, which offer equivalent protection to others

Steps to putting on a face mask        Click to watch video

  1. Before putting on the mask, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or rub your hands together thoroughly with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  2. Check for defects in the face mask, such as tears or broken loops.
  3. If present, make sure the metallic strip is at the top of the mask and positioned against the bridge of your nose.
  4. If the mask has:
    • Ear loops: Hold the mask by both ear loops and place one loop over each ear.
    • Ties: Hold the mask by the upper strings. Tie the upper strings in a secure bow near the crown of your head. Tie the bottom strings securely in a bow near the nape of your neck.
    • Dual elastic bands: Pull the top band over your head and position it against the crown of your head. Pull the bottom band over your head and position it against the nape of your neck.
  5. Mold the bendable metallic upper strip to the shape of your nose by pinching and pressing down on it with your fingers.
  6. Pull the bottom of the mask over your mouth and chin.
  7. Be sure the mask fits snugly.
  8. Don’t touch the mask once in position.
  9. If the mask gets soiled or damp, replace it with a new one.

Do not: 

  • touch the mask once it’s secured on your face, as it might have pathogens on it
  • dangle the mask from one ear
  • hang the mask around your neck
  • crisscross the ties
  • reuse single-use masks

If you have to touch the face mask while you’re wearing it, wash your hands first. Be sure to also wash your hands afterward, or use hand sanitizer.

Steps to taking off a face mask

A mask gets heavily contaminated with your own germs, which can then get on your hands and so spread to others. This means that you need to be particularly careful about how it is taken off and disposed of

  1. Before you take off the mask, wash your hands well or use hand sanitizer.
  2. Avoid touching the mask itself, as it could be contaminated. Hold it by the loops, ties, or bands only.
  3. Carefully remove the mask from your face once you:
    • unhook both ear loops, or
    • untie the bottom bow first, followed by the top one, or
    • remove the bottom band first by lifting it over your head, then do the same with the top band
  4. Holding the mask loops, ties, or bands, discard the mask by placing it in a covered waste bin.
  5. After removing the mask, wash your hands thoroughly or use hand sanitizer.

Note The use of a face covering should not be thought to justify laxity with regard to other precautions.

Planning & Risk assessment

The vicar and wardens have met twice weekly during lockdown; and a committee met regularly to keep up to date with government and Church of England guidance. Our risk assessments are available here and here