A guide for group workers and others
staying at the Centre
It is important that everyone working with and responsible for groups of children, young people and adults using the Centre should read this booklet on each occasion that they visit the Centre as it is constantly being updated.
Contents
HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT
Health and Safety Policy Statement
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
This is the Health and Safety Policy Statement of
Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture
Our statement of general policy is:
The boundaries and where you can and can’t go
Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture does not own Macaroni Wood. We lease the buildings and 17 acres of the woodland from the Hatherop Estate which owns most of the land in the immediate area of Macaroni Wood.
Macaroni Wood is quite large – 60 acres in total. Our area (highlighted on the map in squares and to the back of Castree House) comprises 17 acres and is the only area where groups are allowed to wander freely. Please do not wander into any areas of woodland apart from this area to the back of Castree House.
You can cycle on the tarmac paths that form a figure of eight in the middle of the wood and on the paths to the main roads on the edge of the wood. You must not take the bikes out of Macaroni Wood without informing the Centre Manager beforehand.
Please be aware that there are two ponds in Macaroni Wood. The one on our site is fenced off but the other is not as it is in an area not covered by our lease where group members are not allowed to go and therefore not our responsibility
The Centre Manager will inform your group in his introductory talk of the limits of the site but you must reinforce this message to your group throughout your residential visit particularly when they are allowed free time to play and are using the bikes.
You will notice a large water tower on the right hand side as you get to the top of the drive. Please ensure that no-one goes near this structure.
Other people in Macaroni Wood
There are a number of organisations that work and live in Macaroni Wood.
The Guide & Brownie Association has a residential centre similar to ours in Macaroni Wood. Whilst it is generally used only in the summer months please be aware that during these periods there are young children staying there and respect their needs for privacy and quiet – especially at night. If you take your group out on a night walk please ensure that you do not go past the Brownie camp late at night and keep noise levels down to a minimum.
There are also a number of businesses who operate from Macaroni Wood. These include a wood yard, a garage, an antiques restoration workshop and an artist’s workshop. The Hatherop Estate have plans to open further workshops in the future and so it is important that everyone respects the property of other people in the wood and not enter any areas other than those described above.
Supervision
It is the group leaders and workers responsibility to
ensure the health and safety of the members of their groups whilst they are
staying at the Centre and in particular when they are playing outside. A
member of staff should be outside at all times that their group is allowed
free access to the site i.e. using the playground areas, the BMX track,
cycling, horse riding etc. and all group members should be fully aware of
the limits to where they can go in Macaroni Wood and to how they should
behave towards other people and their property.
When using the caravan as part of a residential visit minimum staffing
levels require that two members of staff be present.
Child Protection Policy
Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture has a child protection policy. A copy of this
policy is available on request from the centre managers. This policy can
also be viewed on our web site. In the event of any incident involving child
protection issues occurring at the centre during your residential visit, it
is the duty of the group leader to inform the centre managers immediately.
Insurance
Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture has public liability insurance and employer's liability insurance.
We advise all groups to take out their own public liability insurance to cover activities undertaken both on and off the site where supervision is the responsibility of the group workers e.g. ice skating, swimming etc. Noah’s Ark does not provide cover for activities that its employees do not supervise – e.g. playing on the swings, riding the bikes and pony rides where the group leaders take charge of the ponies themselves. All group workers should ensure that they are covered by public liability insurance when supervising activities undertaken by all the clients who they bring to the Centre.
If you do not have public liability cover and experience difficultly in obtaining cover please contact the Centre. We will be happy to put you in touch with a suitable broker.
Provided you fulfil our requirements to drive the Centre’s minibus our insurance will cover you to do so. Further details on using the minibus are included further on.
Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture does not have insurance cover against theft for any contents in Bazley or Castree House. This includes personal property brought to the Centre by our visitors.
Bazley and Castree House are regularly inspected by the Centre Managers as part of our health & safety risk assessment procedures. Any necessary repairs or maintenance are duly noted and carried out as needed. If you see anything faulty or a breakage occurs during your stay please inform them as soon as possible.
Issues that you need to be aware of when staying in either of the houses at the Centre are as follows:
Fire regulations
Both houses are fully equipped with a fire alarm system, emergency lighting, smoke detectors and the appropriate number of fire extinguishers.
In his introductory talk the Centre Manager will inform you of the procedure to follow should there be a fire in either of the houses and a fire action certificate is on display on the notice board in the kitchen of both Castree and Bazley House to remind you of these points.
It is important that group leaders have a full list of names and addresses of all members of their group so that they can be checked off during a fire practice.
The fire assembly point is the front lawn of Bazley House.
Each group must appoint a fire marshall to supervise the evacuation of the building should it be necessary.
Smoking is not allowed in the bedrooms and the alarm system will be activated if anyone does smoke in the bedrooms.
First Aid
Both houses have first aid kits but each group should have their own first aid kit that is available for when they leave the Centre. The Centre Manager (Richard Wilkinson) has a qualification in first aid at work however he is not always available and we advise each group to have their own qualified first aider within their staff team. If medical treatment is necessary then there is a doctors surgery in Fairford and Accident & Emergency departments in the hospitals at Cirencester (daytime hours only) Swindon and Cheltenham. Details are on the notice boards in both buildings.
Any medication brought to the Centre for individual group members should be stored safely in an appropriate place. Group leaders should be fully aware of the medication needs of individuals under their supervision and ensure that they have brought adequate supplies with them.
Living & working at the Centre
Every effort is made to ensure that the houses are clean and tidy when you arrive. We are a small organisation with only two members of staff and have a large turnover of groups in the summer months. It is your responsibility to maintain the building in a clean and safe manner throughout your stay and to leave the building in the same clean and tidy conditions as you found it. Basic household cleaning materials are provided. Certain cleaning materials i.e. bleach and ammonia based products are not left in the store cupboards as they are covered by COSHH legislation (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Please keep all cleaning materials out of reach if you have very young children in your group. The kitchen will be clean and tidy when you arrive and a few guidelines as provided by the Food Safety Act 1990 may be of help in ensuring that any risk to health from unsafe food is avoided.
· ALWAYS wash your hands before handling food and after using the toilet and after touching or feeding any of the animals at the Centre
· DO NOT handle food if you have any skin, nose, throat or bowel problems.
· ENSURE cuts and sores are covered with water proof dressings
· KEEP yourself clean and wear clean clothing
· DO NOT SMOKE in a food room. Never cough or sneeze over food.
· CLEAN as you go. Keep all equipment and surfaces clean.
· PREPARE raw and cooked food in separate areas. Keep food covered and either refrigerated or piping hot.
· KEEP your hands off food as far as possible
· ENSURE waste food is disposed of properly. Empty the dustbin regularly and wash your hands after putting waste in it.
Gas appliances are serviced annually and Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture holds a Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate. Electrical appliances are serviced annually by the appropriate authority and any defects/breakages in equipment should be reported to the Centre Managers as they happen.
All electrical equipment in the Centre is P.A.T. tested annually. We cannot be responsible for the electrical worthiness of any equipment brought to the Centre for personal use.
Damages
Please notify the Centre Managers of any damage to the buildings or equipment that happens during your stay at the Centre. If we feel that the damage was deliberately incurred then we may bill you for the cost of replacement or repair.
Noah’s Ark Children’s Venture has a policy of risk assessment that includes the regular maintenance of all equipment. Please remember that the play equipment is in constant use when groups are staying at the Centre and that this is often 7 days per week from Easter to September. This is particularly important in regard to the BMX bikes. They are checked and given a thorough service on a weekly basis but are in constant heavy use and if a bike is faulty please do not use it or allow any members of your group to do so. If you notice any damage to property or equipment please report it to the Centre Managers immediately.
Adventure playground area
It is the group leaders’ responsibility to ensure that there is adequate adult supervision of children and young people when they are playing on the rope swings, the play structures and any other equipment e.g. the trampoline.
Do not allow overcrowding or excessive horseplay on the swings and structures.
Make sure that children are aware of the dangers of passing too close to the swings when they are being used.
Trampoline
The trampoline needs to be supervised at all times by a member of your staff. It is advised that supervision of the trampoline is by a person qualified to Instructor Level 1. Use of the trampoline comes under the public liability insurance of your organisation. Please ensure that only one person at a time uses the trampoline and that those using it do not attempt somersaults or any other dangerous manoeuvres. It must not be used during the hours of darkness or under the influence of alcohol or other substances. Shoes must not be worn.
BMX bikes and track
Helmets are provided by the Centre and should be used by everyone. It is the group leaders’ responsibility to ensure that they are worn.
Young people must not leave Macaroni Wood on bike rides unless they are supervised by at least two responsible adults – one at the front and one at the rear of the party. If group leaders choose to take young people on supervised bike rides away from the Centre they should:-
a) ensure they have adequate insurance cover in place
b) inform the centre managers of their intentions
c) always carry a mobile phone and the Centre number – 01367 850356 –
with them in case of an emergency.
BMX bikes are available for the children and young people and the mountain bikes are for adult use only. The mountain bikes must not be taken on the BMX track. The tricycles are primarily for the use of Castree House visitors but can be used by Bazley House users who are unable to ride a two wheel cycle.
Commonsense must be applied in using the bikes near the swings, near the horses and on the BMX track. Be aware that the BMX track can be slippery after prolonged periods of rain and in fact may be roped off if the Centre Managers feel it is appropriate to do so.
All bikes must be stored away at dusk every day and the bike shed closed and locked.
It is the group leaders' responsibility to ensure that all members of their group are aware of the no-go areas in the wood as defined in this booklet and by the Centre Manager in his introductory talk.
Canoeing
The Centre Manager is a qualified canoeing instructor and can take small groups for canoeing sessions at the South Cerney Outdoor Activities Centre. He has to work within the Outdoor Activities Licensing Authority guidelines and these are:
· all participants must be able to swim 50 metres
· written parent/guardian consent must be obtained
· all participants must wear buoyancy aids
The Animals
Please note that at present (September 2005) the Centre does not have any ponies but we hope to introduce a new pony in the future.
Chickens, Geese Guinea pigs etc.
Please make sure that your group members are aware of the following points:
· Ask permission from the Centre Managers before you go into any of the runs
· Don’t chase any animal
· Only collect eggs if you have permission and make sure you close all gates in the runs
· Don’t pick up or hold any of the guinea-pigs unless an adult is present
And most importantly:
WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER TOUCHING OR FEEDING ANY OF THE ANIMALS
You are allowed to drive our minibus under our Department of Transport and the Regions section 19 permit.
The minibus carries full comprehensive insurance. In the event of a claim the user will bear responsibility for the excess on the policy which is currently £150 unless you are told otherwise.
It has regular ten week vehicle inspections undertaken by a Ministry of Transport approved garage.
It is MOT’d each year to Ministry of Transport Section 5 level.
All drivers who want to use our minibus will have to fulfil the following requirements.
Have passed
a MIDAS test (can be organised through Lewisham Community Transport Association)
or
a local authority driving test
or
can demonstrate experience of driving large vehicles through their work i.e. a HGV or PSV license holder
All drivers must bring with them their clean driving licenses in order that a photocopy can be taken for our records.
All organisations who want to use the minibus must be a member organisation of Noah's Ark Children's Venture.
Using the minibus
All group leaders and drivers of the vehicle must read the drivers manual that is kept in the minibus and contains all the information relevant for using the vehicle and driving safely.