Coronavirus notice – Centre closure
[Updated 30th March 2020]
In order to limit undue risk of exposure to the coronavirus we are following the government’s advice to reduce social contact wherever possible and ask you to avoid visiting St Nicks unless it’s for exercise. Green spaces like St Nicks can help us all get through this difficult time but we need to look after each other without compromising safety. We are taking the following steps to ensure the safety of our community of staff, volunteers, Ecotherapy participants, members and visitors:
- The Environment Centre is closed to the public until further notice, and all events and group activities are suspended. We’re continually assessing the situation and looking at creative ways to carry on our projects – for example by staging online events.
- Management work on St Nicks Local Nature Reserve and other sites we manage including Heworth Holme and Millennium Fields Grassland is currently limited (for an initial 3 weeks started on 23rd March) to essential tasks that are critical for things such as public safety and animal welfare. We will update this as necessary as we review and refine our work, and as the situation changes. We are still looking after these green spaces nature reserve so that they can be safely enjoyed as we strongly believe in the wellbeing benefits of being outside in nature. St Nicks as a nature reserve is open all year round, free to explore and there are many other green spaces in York to exercise in. Nature can be a great source of comfort and calming influence in difficult times such as these, which will pass. Please do be mindful of the need to protect others from the virus spreading and only visit the green spaces you live close to in order to get your daily exercise. We ask all green space visitors to follow the government’s advice – minimise your travel from home and keep at least a 2-metre distance from others. Please stay at home if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature or a new, continuous cough) or if you have been in contact with someone who has those symptoms.
- We have stopped collecting TerraCycle items for recycling at the Environment Centre – please help keep our staff safe by not leaving any items at the gate. Other collection points may still be open but please check before travelling. Please do not post items to us. If you can, store them at home until collections resume.
- We continue to provide our statutory kerbside recycling service while taking extra health and safety measures to protect our staff, such as not emptying any boxes with used tissues inside. Tissues don’t recycle well anyway so it’s generally best to bin them but particularly now, when we need to keep ourselves and others safe.
We hope that you will understand the necessity of taking these actions. We very much regret this and hope we will be able to resume normal service in the not too distant future. We will keep you updated via our website, newsletters and social media. We are continuing to work towards making York better for nature, people and planet – no less an urgent task than before this unprecedented situation. We just need to be a bit more creative about it all until the danger passes – keep in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more online content, inspiration and support.
All our team send you best wishes and hope that we all stay safe and well. Kind regards,
Tom Waring
Chief Officer
At all times, please follow the public health guideline:
- Please stay at home if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 (a high temperature or a new, continuous cough) or if you have been in contact with someone who has those symptoms.
- Keep at least a 2-metre distance from others.
- Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Alternatively, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
- Always carry tissues with you to catch all coughs and sneezes, and bin the tissues after use. Then wash your hands or use a sanitiser. If tissues aren’t available, cough and sneeze in your elbow.
- Avoid touching your face – in particular eyes, nose and mouth.
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
The latest Government advice is available here.
