Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your football is going to look a little different for a while. In order for grassroots football to restart, the FA had to agree a set of guidelines to create, as far as possible, a safe environment for playing football while the virus is still present in the community. The AFC (Men’s league), WLVFL (Vets' league) and the GLWFL (Women's league) have made it a precondition of participation that each club must prepare a COVID risk assessment and management strategy, setting out how the guidelines will be implemented in the club.

As such, we have produced this strategy. This sets out how we will be operating for the foreseeable future, and applies to the whole club across all our training and match play activity. Please read this document carefully and make sure that you are aware of your responsibility to keep yourself and others safe.

Probably the most noticeable of the changes will be:

• there will be no changing rooms or showers at any facilities, including at Richardson Evans. You will therefore have to change by the side of the pitch or in your car. This is obviously seriously disruptive but this is an explicit instruction from the government and the FA;
• there will be no post-match hospitality at Richmond Golf Course;
• kick-offs may be staggered to reduce congestion at facilities.

You are also asked to provide your own hand-sanitizer, and use it as advised in the strategy document.

Obviously these restrictions will interfere with your enjoyment, but it’s important we do everything we can to stay safe and protect others.