2. Welcome Proposed Agenda 10:30am Refreshments 11:00am Introductions & Objectives 11:25am Key Topics – to include Building & Premises issues Food Handling Insurance Protecting vulnerable people Working with Volunteers Transport 12:25pm Summary & further actions
3. Introductions Isobel Collyer - Empowering West Berkshire Sarah Ward - Community Council for Berkshire Wendy Dacey – Community Buildings Advisor, CCB Garry Poulson - Volunteer Centre, West Berkshire Jo Naylor - WBC, Community Planning Nigel Owen - WBC, Adult Social Care George Lawrence - WBC, Environmental Health Pam Darroch - WBC, Care Quality
4. Premises Wendy Dacey – Community Buildings Advice Service Village and community halls can subscribe for advice and information from CBAS Do lunch clubs hire the hall, with a hiring agreement? Unlikely that the hall is registered with local authority for food hygiene purposes All halls are required to carry out fire safety assessment [find it out from hall committee] – you need to know what to do if there is a fire Accidents need to be reported in accident “book” Entertainment requires performance licence (for the venue) – or you can get a “temporary event licence”, and TV licence would be required Sale of alcohol requires a licence. If people bring their own, a licence would not be required. Make sure someone can contact emergency services via mobile phone, etc
5. Food Handling George Lawrence – Principal Environmental Health Officer, Food Safety team, WBC See http://www.food.gov.uk/ for the Food Standards Agency (including national food handling rules) Local information: http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=845 Questions: E-mail: glawrence@westberks.gov.uk Are you a food business? Lunch Clubs probably are. Need to register as a Food Business Operator Even if No [and you don’t have to register], see the good advice on above websites. No formal training required – you can train staff/volunteers yourself – see Food Standards Agency training pack: available free from Food Standards Agency West Berks Council provide Levels 1, 2, and 3 training [at a cost]
6. Food handling, continued Common sense approach – eg: if people have had a tummy bug, expect not to be involved in food preparation for (say) 48 hours Taking food to people’s homes? Issues: – maintaining temperature, avoiding contact with contamination Be proportionate to the risk Free training books available from Food Standards Agency Consider wearing gloves for food preparation Training opportunities – see handout from WBC Staff Training team
7. Insurance Nigel Owen – WBC, Adult Social Care See handout from WBC insurance team If you have specific queries, contact nowen@westberks.gov.uk in the first instance, who will ask the Council’s insurance team Shop around – premium costs vary enormously You may need Employers liability insurance, if you have more than 5 volunteers
8. Protecting Vulnerable People Pam Darroch –Care Quality Officer, WBC Adult Social Care service Berkshire Safeguarding Adults policy is the local joined up procedures – available on the West Berkshire Council website at: http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=733 WBC produce a Flowchart – what to do if you suspect abuse of a vulnerable person Safeguarding Co-ordinator in Adult Social Care at West Berkshire Council can give advice Questions about Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks – WBC charge £15 admin fee per check; Vol Ctr will do it free, for drivers West Berkshire Council have lots of policies and procedures – available via website Confidentiality – protect information which could allow other people to take advantage of vulnerable people
9. Working with Volunteers Garry Poulson –Volunteer Centre, West Berkshire 01635 49004 Keep a record of the skills and training given Take up references – and keep on file Encourage clubs to register with the Volunteer Centre as a volunteering opportunity Garry offered to work with specific communities to help recruit and maintain volunteering in your area
10. Transport Contact: Volunteer Centre, West Berks Possibility of further seminar, to address transport issues – but this is probably best done at local, community levels, rather than across different patches Offer from Garry Poulson to come out to localities, and work to support campaign to recruit volunteers
11. Further actions Is there a national network of lunch club providers? - Sarah checking with Action for Communities in Rural England Any ideas for further similar seminars – contact Jo, Sarah or Isobel
