Although allotment plots can provide good opportunities for daily exercise this does not mean that allotment holders should spend all day on the site, current recommendations would suggest short visits are the best policy, ideally visiting on your own.
Many allotment holders because of their age, may fall within the vulnerable groups’ categories, and should therefore seriously consider whether it is in their best interest to leave the house to attend the site, government guidance would suggest not.
To assist in ensuring sites can remain open and users are safe, please refer to the National Allotments Society guidelines.
- Keep hand sanitiser in your shed and wash your hands regularly
- Use hand sanitiser before opening and closing any gate locked
- Observe “Social Distancing” with others at 2-3 metres
- Do not share tools
- Minimise the contact with each other, for example no handshakes
- Do not wash your hands in water troughs
- If allotment holders have livestock on the site and must visit twice a day, take a photograph on your phone of your livestock, based on what is happening in other countries you may eventually have to print off a government form to leave the house but if challenged it would be good to be able to show a photograph of where you are going.
- Plan ahead to ensure that you have food and medication delivered to you during this time
- Stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible
- If you display any symptoms of coronavirus stay at home and self-isolate for at least 14 days or until symptoms have passed.
Further advice from the Association can be found at the following link:
https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/covid19-information/
Last Updated 23 July 2020
