What a difference a day makes, indeed 12 hours.
Following our Extraordinary General Committee meeting last night, which included the Directors, it is with a heavy heart that I am writing to inform you that we have taken the decision to suspend all sailing for the moment. It is a huge disappointment to us all and I trust you will appreciate that much thinking and discussion has taken place in the last few days, of course influenced by the increasingly strident calls on restraint from the Government. I would like to thank the Directors and General Committee for their time, especially as most of them are working and managing teams of people.
Everyone realises that sailing is important to our health and well-being and itself is low risk. We considered the obvious option of cancelling all organised activities and rostered duties, closing the clubhouse and asking those wishing to sail to organise their own safety cover. We concluded that the safeguards we believe would need to be in place to fulfil the guidance to reduce transmission cannot be guaranteed. We were also mindful of the government’s advice on the reduction of travel and of placing unnecessary risks to our emergency services.
We are continuing to monitor the situation, will review on a regular basis and keep in touch through this newsletter (main channel of communication), the facebook group and, more briefly, on the website. Thank you to everyone who contacted me or other members of the Committee with your thoughts, it is much appreciated. Everything was circulated to the Committee.
Looking ahead, please support your club by continuing with the renewal process. We fully understand that some members may wish to renew but find themselves in financial difficulty. If this is the case please contact Rosie, the membership secretary, and she will send an explanation of what to do. membership@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
We have much to consider in the coming weeks, not least the effect on our wonderful chef, Rob Hatherell and his staff. We will also have to work out what we can and cannot proceed with in terms of maintenance and upgrades.
Please keep in touch with each other via the various social media groups that I know are out there and, as always, I am pleased to hear from members directly.
Once again, on behalf of the flag officers, general committee and directors I wish you, your families and friends good health and resilience. Extraordinary times!
Helen
Helen Martin
Commodore, on behalf of the GC and Directors
commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk