COVID-19 related measures for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Gold Expeditions with TrekCo

TrekCo are an Approved Activity Provider for DofE expeditions, and it is our aim that all participants are as safe as they can be when on our expeditions. These measures are also balanced with outdoor safety management to produce the measures outlined below.

These measures are informed by:

Pre-expedition and arrival

Participants should monitor their health in the lead up to their expedition, and should not take part if they have any symptoms related to COVID-19. You should notify TrekCo by calling us on 01273 487509 or emailing info@trekco.com as soon as you know you will not be coming and we will make other arrangements for your expedition or issue a refund as appropriate.

You will need to confirm to us that you have not had any symptoms of COVID-19 in the previous 14 days before you can join the expedition; nor anyone in your household.

At this time clinically vulnerable individuals must consider whether they should be taking part in such activities, and must inform us beforehand – the NYA recommends that companies provide access to activities with extra measures where possible, but you should seek medical advice if you are in this category.

Should anyone develop symptoms during the expedition, they must notify the supervisor. The expedition will be cancelled, and everyone advised to isolate for 14 days. Everyone will be advised to contact the NHS Test and Trace system.

You should travel to the expedition ideally by car with your own family only as a preference; or if using public transport please follow government advice about using public transport and face coverings. This period of your trip must be organised by yourselves according to Government guidelines on the use of public transport if you are unable to come by car.

The Expedition

General

A 2m distance should be maintained where ever possible from other participants and staff. Where this is not possible the 1m+ rule should be observed. Participants are requested to see Government advice regarding distancing here

Equipment

We will issue pocket-sized bottles of hand sanitiser and will keep plenty of reserves to refill these. Please use the sanitiser as frequently as possible. You may of course wish to bring your own.

We will also issue face masks; it is expected that many participants will have face masks but we also have a stock of these so that everyone can definitely have one available at all times.

Participants will each be issued with an individual tent. The only people permitted to share would be members of the same household. During the day, the participant will carry a portion of their tent (as they would if they had been sharing a tent) and the remainder will be transported to the campsite by the supervisor.
 After the expedition the tent will be quarantined for 72 hours.

There will be no indoor accommodation on expeditions; we do not use this in any event. However, should extremely bad weather necessitate retreating indoors then face coverings, strict 2m social distancing, side-by-side working and covid-secure hygiene will be enforced. We would still sleep in tents outside unless impossible. It must be stressed that this would be highly unusual and is not generally expected.

Each participant will be issued with their own laminated map, and a compass. At the end of each expedition these will be quarantined for 72 hours.

As you will be cooking individually, food cannot be shared and therefore you may be compelled to have more weight of food than would normally be the case. Any extra food over and above what you would normally have to carry will be transported to the campsite by the supervisor; you will be able to access this at agreed intervals.

First Aid – Where possible participants will carry out first aid on themselves. Practicing Covid-safe First Aid will be discussed on day one. Please see also the advice from St John’s Ambulance: https://www.sja.org.uk/get-advice/first-aid-advice/covid-19-advice-for-first-aiders/

You will be issued with a mask and gloves for emergency use should you need to perform First Aid on someone else.

Quarantine of group equipment – All equipment provided by TrekCo will be quarantined for 72 hours between expeditions

Notes regarding COVID-19 measures

It is incumbent on all organisers of activities for youth groups to make the decision as to whether activities can be offered safely. There is no such thing as 100% safe, and ‘Organisations have a duty to reduce risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level by taking preventative measures’ (National Youth Agency).

It is our opinion, and that of the DofE, that expeditions can be made sufficiently safe – not least because these take place entirely out of doors which is the safest environment for preventing transmission of a virus.

Given the benefits of the DofE and of outdoor activity overall to young people’s health and physical and mental wellbeing, it is considered that the risk level is far outweighed by the benefits of proceeding with DofE expeditions.

Overall principles involve:

  • Delivering everything outdoors
  • Reducing contact between people and practising social distancing wherever possible
  • Stressing frequent hand washing and use of sanitiser
  • Reducing or eliminating the need to share any equipment
  • Isolation and cleaning of equipment between users

References

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ‘Running expeditions during the Covid crisis’ https://www.dofe.org/thelatest/running-expeditions-july2020/