Category Archives: News

News

Additional Meeting 24th April

We have managed to book an additional club meeting at Writtle Village Hall on 24th April. This date was originally taken by another user who has since cancelled their booking. So we are now back to two meetings in April.

The 24th April meeting will be held in the main hall only, as will all the meetings from now until 2nd October, apart from the 15th May meeting which will use both halls.We did originally book the 18th September meeting in both halls but have now reduced that booking to just the main hall in order to partially offset the cost of the additional April meeting.

Essex Warriors Committee

News

Essex Warriors Full Re-opening on 1st August

Essex Warriors full re-opening on 1st August

Next Sunday 1st August will be our first nearly normal meeting and we will return to normal timings, opening the doors at 9:30 am and closing around 4:30 pm (or earlier if the last game finishes before then).

Although legal restrictions have been lifted by government, we still need to exercise some caution. The Hall Management has asked that we limit attendance to no more than 30 people in the Main Hall and 15 people in the Small Hall, which seems eminently achievable given that our total membership is 46 and we have never seen more than 30 at a meeting!

Everyone will of course be aware of the government guidance following the lifting of legal restrictions. Building on that guidance we have set out our own recommendations:

  1. Do not attend if you have been told to self isolate, have shown a positive test or are showing any symptoms of Covid. If you feel unwell at a meeting then there is a Covid procedure which we will need you to follow.
  2. We will retain our sign-in sheet for the time being for Track and Trace purposes.
  3. Ventilation: Doors and windows must be left open and the fans should not be used.
  4. We recommend frequent cleaning and hand washing. We have a supply of sanitiser and cleaning materials to sanitise tables before and after use.
  5. Avoid large gatherings. People should not congregate in groups inside.It is much safer to talk in groups outside. In the past the kitchen area has proved a choke point so please try to keep this area clear. The kitchen area can now be used by members.
  6. While it is no longer compulsory to wear a face covering, individuals may wish to do so in the same way as they might do in any other public space. We will leave that decision up to each individual’s judgement.

We have taken a booking on both halls for the rest of this year’s meetings, namely: 1st, 15th and 29th August, 12th and 26th September, 10th and 24th October, 7th and 14th November, 5th and 19th December.

We are currently negotiating next year’s booking dates with the Hall and hope to arrange a full programme of 24 to 25 meetings as usual.

Finally, we look forward to a return to something approaching normality and to seeing you at the club again soon.

Essex Warriors Committee

News, Events

Essex Warriors Reopening on 4th July 2021 for limited numbers

Following last Monday’s government announcement extending the lockdown restrictions for a further four weeks, the Committee met to consider the implications for our planned meetings for 4th and 18th July. We have decided to go ahead with opening on those days but with limited numbers in accordance with government guidelines.

Although we normally only use the Main Hall in the summer months, we had booked both halls in anticipation of increased demand after a long absence. This means we can have up to six players in the Main Hall and up to six in the Small Hall but those groups must not mingle. Attendance at these July meetings will be restricted to members only; no visitors will be allowed. In order to manage numbers, intending players must book a table by sending Mike Fitzsimmons an email specifying the date required, the name(s)of their opponent, and the number of tables required. Attendees will of course be required to comply with all government and village hall restrictions. The full conditions of re-opening arrangements have been emailed to members today.

Hopefully we will be able to reopen fully for our August meetings, providing the government go ahead with the planned lifting of restrictions on 19th July. In the meantime we hope these limited opening arrangements will provide a welcome gaming opportunity for those members who are keen to take advantage of it.

Essex Warriors Committee

News, Events

Essex Warriors Reopening Postponed

Since the new restrictions prohibit more than six people gathering indoors, we have decided to delay reopening the club until the situation improves. The Village Hall Management have been advised by their national association that six people is the limit for groups.

It is simply uneconomic for us to open for just six players at a time when we have well over forty members. We are sure that members will appreciate that we need to conserve our funds for the future. As we have already stated in a previous update, we will be offering a significant discount on next year’s membership fees for those members who paid for a year’s membership in 2020.

We are aware that the new law makes provision for certain activities to be excluded from the restrictions. However, wargames clubs do not appear on the list and, with the best will in the world, we can hardly be considered a youth club! That said, we are continuing to explore possibilities with the Village Hall Management and hope to give you a further update in the next week or so.

For now, however, the club will remain closed until further notice.

Essex Warriors Committee