Thank you for booking for the TAKING ROOT Holiday Club in the Locavore Community Garden. This page will contain all (hopefully!) the information you need so that your child can get the most out of their time at the club!
The Holiday Club will run from 10am to 2pm, Tuesday-Friday on the following dates:
| THEME | ||
| WEEK 1 | 2nd-5th August | LOOK AFTER THE EARTH AND IT WILL LOOK AFTER YOU |
| WEEK 2 | 9th-12th August | GROW IT, SHARE IT, EAT IT |
| WEEK 3 | 16th-19th August | PLAY AND FRIENDSHIP |
| WEEK 4 | 23rd-26th August | GROWING FOOD TOGETHER IS A RADICAL ACT |
PLEASE READ OUR COVID POLICY
LOCATION
The Locavore Community Garden is located within the grounds of Martello Primary School – the entrance is right at the top of Warren Way (CT19 6DT).
PICK UP AND DROP OFF
TO DROP OFF, please come through the pedestrian gate at the school entrance on Warren Way (to the side of the vehicle gate) and walk up the path to the Locavore Garden. There will be a check in table at the garden gate. Please do not leave your child on site before signing them in and handing them over to a staff member.
TO PICK UP: the children will be checked out from the garden gate and the MUGA. PLEASE BE ON TIME so we can keep this system running safely.
TIMETABLE FOR THE DAY
| 10am | Arrival/registration |
| 10-11am | Activity 1 |
| 11am-12pm | Activity 2 |
| 12.00 | Lunch |
| 1pm | Activity 3 |
| 2pm | PICK UP |
WHAT TO BRING
- Your HAF/ReConnect E- Voucher. If you did not provide this at time of booking, bring the voucher code with you or message it to us a.s.a.p.
- A bottle of water with your child’s name on it (there will be water on site for top-ups)
- Any medication your child may need (e.g. asthma inhalers) with a written letter about how this is to be used
N.B. A healthy lunch and snack will be provided as part of the holiday club so it is not necessary to bring food.
Please dress your child appropriately for the weather and outdoor activities (including gardening!). This could include:
- Waterproofs labelled with the child’s name
- Welly boots or waterproof boots/shoes labelled with the child’s name.
- SUNCREAM – please apply before arrival
HEALTH & SAFETY
The Locavore Community Garden is a working space for growing food. It is a ‘real life’ environment, not a playground or classroom. As such, we manage health and safety carefully, with a thorough health and safety policy and we maintain a risk assessment in partnership with Turner Schools estates team and our staff are aware of all the risks on site. As part of the welcome chat, we will outline some of the things children will need to be aware of. If you have any concerns about your child’s awareness of risk and ability to understand hazards and signage, feel free to contact us in advance.
We have a COVID Policy in place and it is mandatory that your observe this policy whilst your child is attending the Holiday Club. Whilst our outdoor setting makes it easy to maintain a good distance and get lots of fresh air, there will be approx 45-50 children on site. In order to avoid unnecessary contact and keep both staff and participants safe, we have carefully considered the risks and procedures that we are managing during this time. Please note that whilst the first priority is avoiding possible serious illness, we are also particularly keen to avoid any contact which might lead to staff or participants needing to isolate as this could mean shutting down of the entire Holiday Club.
SAFEGUARDING
Our designated safeguarding lead is Charlene Jones. If you have any safeguarding concerns or questions, they can be contacted by email at any time – locavore@customfoodlab.org
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What time is drop off and pick up?
– Drop off is at 10am
– Pick up is at 2pm - What happens if I am running late or have to cancel?
– If you know in advance that you are going to be late or have to cancel, please just drop us an email: locavore@customfoodlab.org
– Please try to be on time if at all possible, as lateness will disrupt the session for the whole group. If you cannot avoid being late, please call or text us on 07912039402.
– The gate will be locked if you arrive late, so please call us on the number above for access. - What happens if I or my child feel unwell?
– If you or your child feel unwell, please refer to the latest guidance on COVID symptoms. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms or are in any doubt at all, please DO NOT COME TO THE GARDEN. Please do not return to the garden unless you have had a negative Lateral Flow test. Whilst the garden is a very safe environment, this depends entirely on people taking necessary precautions. Drop us an email to let us know if this happens to you. You will find more information in our COVID Policy.
– If you find that your symptoms are not related to COVID, we would ask that you manage them just as you would on a normal school day and are happy to discuss with you what the most appropriate action to take is. Please email us or (if last minute) call us on 07912039402. - What happens if a staff member has to self-isolate due to COVID?
– Parents/Carers of any children who have been in close contact with the staff member will be contacted immediately
– The staff member will self-isolate for the appropriate time and only return to work after a series of negative LFTs.
– We have put in place as much back-up cover as possible for our staff, but it is impossible to cover every eventuality. In the situation where we cannot offer a safe adult-child ratio for session, we will contact all families at the earliest possible moment to cancel. - What happens if a child attending the Holiday Club has to self-isolate?
– Parents/Carers of any other children who have been in close contact with the child will be contacted immediately. - Can I attend with my child?
– The sessions are designed for children to attend independently and whilst we welcome family involvement and trust that you know what is best for your child, we are not able to manage COVID precautions and safeguarding measures with additional adults on site except at the designated times. - My child has an allergy, additional needs or requires support, what can I do?
– If you have notified us at time of booking, this will be on our system. If we have any queries we will contact you.
– If you didn’t notify us, or aren’t sure, please get in touch and let us know.
– We know that children need extra support for all kinds of reasons and we will do our best to create equal access to the holiday club within the limits of budget and resources. Please feel free to contact us if there is anything you would like to discuss. - What if the weather is awful?
– We will have a large bell tent on site and access to the school hall, so we do not anticipate cancelling any sessions due to weather.