The Wallington Village Community Association (WVCA) wishes to ensure a safe environment for those attending the Village Hall or events organised by the WVCA and to this end:

  1. General 
    One named trustee will be nominated to lead on safeguarding and the chair of the Hall Committee will lead on Health and Safety of the hall.
  2.  Safeguarding and Risk Assessment 
    1.  WVCA events   
      Those organising WVCA events will complete a General Risk Assessment using the appropriate WVCA templates and provide copies for the Hall Administrator to keep on file. Where children, young people or vulnerable persons are involved, special attention will be given to their safeguarding. In such cases the Risk Assessment will be reviewed and countersigned by the nominated Trustee for Safeguarding. Any concerns about the safeguarding of such persons must be reported to the Safeguarding Lead Trustee or the Secretary of the WVCA, if the lead trustee is unavailable (see procedure below). For regular events, one risk assessment per year will suffice. If the activity involves children / young people / vulnerable adults and occurs on a regular basis (once per week or more or on four or more days in a 30-day period) the organiser will be required to have an appropriate safeguarding policy or procedures.
    2.  Events organised by outside bodies   
      Outside bodies, commercial hirers and those organisations who have to provide their own insurance who use the Hall will be made aware of this statement and be expected to complete Risk Assessments using the WVCA templates or their own. For regular events, one assessment per year will suffice. If the activity involves children / young people / vulnerable adults and occurs on a regular basis (once per week or more or on four or more days in a 30-day period) the organiser / hirer will be required to have an appropriate safeguarding policy or procedures.
    3. Hall Health and Safety   
      The Hall will be maintained in a safe condition and regular checks will be made by the Hall team who will report to the chair of the Hall Committee. A General Risk Assessment and a Fire Risk Assessment have been carried out. An annual check is undertaken, using the Health and Safety Executive Checklist for Village and Community Halls. The check will be undertaken by the Chair of the Hall Committee together with the Hall Caretaker and the report will be circulated to the Executive, together with a copy to be retained by the Secretary.  A defibrillator, registered with the emergency services, is located outside the main entrance and a First Aid Box is kept in the kitchen.
  3. Photographic images   
    Appropriate consent will be sought for the taking and use of photographic images of both young people and adults by the WVCA (OIAW) and the images will be securely stored.
  4. Procedure to report and record safeguarding concerns Any safeguarding concern should be reported to the Safeguarding Lead Trustee at safeguarding@wvca.co.uk
    1.  If the person is deemed to be at immediate risk, children or adult social services will be informed by the Safeguarding Lead who will record the action taken.
    2.  If criminality is involved the police will be informed by the Safeguarding Lead who will record the action taken.
    3.  If the concern is deemed not to put the individual at immediate risk, the concern will be investigated by the Safeguarding Lead who will record the action taken.
    4.  If the concern raised involves the conduct of a WVCA volunteer or contractor, the concern must be sent to the Safeguarding Lead who will investigate to determine if the matter is of low-level concern or an allegation. Should it be deemed to be a high-level concern this will be further investigated by the chair.  All actions will be recorded.
    5.  The Chair of the WVCA will be informed of all safeguarding concerns raised and the action that has been taken.
    6.  All safeguarding issues will be treated as confidential and only disclosed to the relevant statutory agencies.
  5. Procedure to report and record health and safety concerns 
    1.  An accident book is located under the First Aid box in the kitchen and all accidents should be recorded in the book which will be checked regularly by the Hall team.
    2.  Serious accidents should, in addition, be reported immediately to the Hall team who will inform the chair of the Hall Committee.
    3.  A blue folder is kept next to the accident book for hall users to record comments, complements and concerns. This will be checked regularly by the Hall team who will inform the chair of the Hall Committee of any serious concerns that have been raised and remedial action will be recorded.
  6.  Review   
    This document will be annually reviewed by the WVCA Executive.