“Return to Pools” - Update – 26th May 2021

Dear Otters

“RETURN TO POOLS” - MASTERS SWIMMING

Further to our update note of the 6th May, the Committee has agreed that the 3 training sessions per week attendance limit can be lifted with immediate effect.

We will continue to monitor the attendance v pool time availability equation and reintroduce attendance limits if necessary in the interests of fair access for all members.

The need to make a prior booking for each training session you attend remains – NO BOOKING – NO SWIM.

And finally, if you are attending training sessions please make sure that your subscription payments are up to date.

Thanks for all your co-operation.

Happy Swimming and Stay Safe

On behalf of the Otter Committee

Paul Hindle

President

“Return to Pools” and Otter Subscription Payments - Update – 6th May 2021

Dear Otters

The reopening of society after Lockdown #3 feels much more sustainable than previous attempts. Hopefully, this one will be for good!

“RETURN TO POOLS” - MASTERS SWIMMING

The Committee is now focused on getting the Master Swimming section back in the pool starting from Monday 17th May. We are working hard to ensure that we can retain as many as possible of our pre-Covid training sessions and to that end, we are already engaging with the pool owners/operators.

We will let everyone know all the details in due course.

SESSION BOOKING SYSTEM

Covid restrictions have meant that pool operators are required to impose maximum number limits on all indoor Club training sessions. We expect this policy will continue for some time and possibly beyond the June 21st target date for a full reopening of society.

The Booking System we put in place for previous “Return to the Pool” episodes will be reinstated and as before all session participants will need to have made a booking for each training session they attend. NO BOOKING - NO SWIM.

In the interests of fairness to all, we will initially be asking everyone to limit their bookings to not more than 3 sessions per week. Members who abuse this simple request will be denied access to the Booking System. We will keep this booking limitation under review and will relax it as soon as we feel we are able to do so.

The Booking System requires you to have a set of personal log-in credentials. If do not have those log-in details or need a reminder then please email otterbookingsystem@gmail.com.

OTTER SUBSCRIPTIONS – MASTERS SWIMMING

We expect all returning Masters Swimmers to continue to pay or to reinstate their Otter subscriptions prior to attending their first Otter swim training session after Lockdown #3 as follows:

  1. IF YOU CONTINUED TO PAY NORMAL SUBS
    Thank you.
    We will have automatically registered you with Swim England as Category 1 (an active member who does not compete externally) or Category 3 (volunteers, coaches etc), as appropriate.
    However, if you wish to wish to retain/change your Swim England registration at Category 2 (i.e. an active member of the club who competes externally) and have not already done so, please pay an additional one off payment of £20 (this being the cost differential between Category 2 and Category 1 SE registration); this approach is in line with the policy adopted by the Club in recent years.

  2. IF YOU PAUSED PAYING NORMAL SUBS BUT PAID A £35 FEE IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY
    Please subtract £35 from your 1st reinstated Subscriptions payment, and then pay in full from the 2nd reinstated Subscriptions payment onwards.
    We will have automatically registered you with Swim England as Category 1 (an active member who does not compete externally) or Category 3 (volunteers, coaches etc), as appropriate.
    However, if you wish to wish to retain/change your Swim England registration at Category 2 (i.e. an active member of the club who competes externally) and have not already done so, please pay an additional one-off payment of £20 (this being the cost differential between Category 2 and Category 1 registration); this approach is in line with the policy adopted by the Club in recent years.

  3. IF YOU PAUSED PAYING NORMAL SUBS AND PAID NOTHING MORE
    Please reinstate your Subscriptions payments in full.
    Once your 1st reinstatement payment has been received we will automatically register you with Swim England as Category 1 (an active member who does not compete externally) or Category 3 (volunteers, coaches etc), as appropriate.
    However, if you wish to wish to retain/change your Swim England registration at Category 2 (i.e. an active member of the club who competes externally) please pay an additional one-off payment of £20 (this being the cost differential between Category 2 and Category 1 registration); this approach is in line with the policy adopted by the Club in recent years

FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT WISH TO RETURN TO TRAINING IMMEDIATELY

In normal circumstances anyone who leaves the Club, i.e. stops paying subscriptions, and then wishes to rejoin at a later date has to pay another joining fee. In today’s circumstances, the Committee has decided that for all existing members we will waive the re-joining fee providing you rejoin the club and commence paying subscriptions before the end of 2021. If you wish to rejoin after that date you will be expected to pay a new joining fee.

OTTER SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Are available on the admin page of the Otter Swimming Club website.

We look forward to seeing you all back in the pool very soon, and in the meantime please stay safe.

On behalf of the Otter Committee

Paul Hindle

President

“Return to Pools” - Update – 30th November 2020

Dear Otters

I am pleased to announce that our Master Swimming training venues will start to reopen again on Wednesday 2nd December. Initially, this will be QMSC only, however, for the foreseeable future, this will NOT include the Sunday afternoon nor the early morning Monday sessions. Hopefully, other venues will follow very soon; we will keep you informed as they do.

Session Booking System

The Session Booking System will be re-opened from 8:00 am tomorrow (Tuesday 1st December).

When you make a booking please make sure that you have read the Pre-training Covid-19 Health Survey and then tick the box to confirm that you are symptom-free, will only attend training if you remain symptom-free, you are not self-isolating and are returning to training fully aware of the risks associated with the Covid‑19 virus. You will not be able to make a booking unless you do so.

Please also note, as before:

  • If you turn up to an Otter training session without having made a Booking you will NOT be allowed in the water.

  • There is a cut off time for all Bookings, as follows:

  • Morning sessions – 9:00 pm the evening before

  • Evening sessions – 12 noon on that day.

  • The Booking and Attendance Register that we set up for every training session will be prepared shortly after the above cut off times – any Bookings made after the cut off times will be considered void and omitted.

Otter Subscriptions

If you are intending to restart Masters Swimming training with Otter for the first time after the Covid lockdowns, please reinstate your subscription standing order before attending any Otter training sessions. You will also need to get some personal login credentials to access the Session Booking System – please email otterbookingsystem@gmail.com.

If you paused your Otter subscription standing order for the duration of the 2nd lockdown please reinstate it before you attend any further Otter training sessions. We are aware that timing issues may mean that some of you will have paid for November and then subsequently found that the Otter training sessions were being cancelled because of the new Lockdown. If you would like to carry your November payment over to cover December then please discuss with our Hon. Treasurer (Chris Eden); he can be contacted by email at otter.hon.treasurer@gmail.com.

The Otter Committee will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated on new developments. In the meantime please all stay safe and look after yourselves and your families.

Thank you for all your help, understanding and co-operation during these difficult times.

On behalf of the Otter Committee

Paul Hindle

President

Return to Pools - Update – 3rd November 2020

Dear Otters

And our” Return to Pools” was going so well! Most of our Master Swimming venues back in action with all training sessions close to capacity, and even some Junior Water Polo about to restart.

However, and I imagine you will all have heard by now, over the weekend the Government announced a 2nd nationwide lockdown starting on 5th November through to 2nd December, during which time all swimming pools and leisure centres will be closed.

Read More

Return to Training Declaration

Dear Otters,

This is a challenging time for us all and Otter very much needs the cooperation of our members to enable us to operate safely. We are therefore asking all members to confirm their fitness to return to training, before they attend any Otter training session or Otter event after the lockdown, by acknowledging that they have read and understood the attached Return to Training declaration form. Initially, the acknowledgement will be made via a “tick box” on the electronic booking form for each training session.

Read More

Coronavirus - All Sessions Cancelled

Following Government announcements on Monday concerning Corona Virus (Covid–19) and now yesterday evenings announcement from Swim England that they are “strongly advising clubs to consider cancelling or postponing activity – including events – until the end of May” (https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/coronavirus-statement/) the Otter Committee has decided that for the time being all Otter training sessions should be CANCELLED with immediate effect.

Read More

Q2 Saturday Sessions

Please see below second quarter dates for Saturday sessions.

April:

CP 4th- 9:30-11

CP 11th- 11-12:30

CP 25th- 9:30-11

May:

CP 2nd- 9:30-11

CP 9th- 9:30-11

CP 16th- 9:30-11

LAC 23rd- 11-12:30

LAC 30th- 11-12:30

June:

CP 6th- 9:30-11

LAC 13th- 11-12:30

LAC 20th- 11-12:30

CP 27th- 9:30-11

2020 Q1 Saturday Training Sessions

The following Saturday training sessions have been confirmed for this quarter:

  • 4th January: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 11th January: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 18th January: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 25th January: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 1st February: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 8th February: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 15th February: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 22nd February: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 29th February: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 7th March: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 21st March: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

  • 28th March: 9.00am-10.30am @ Crystal Palace

2019 Q4 Saturday Training Sessions

The following Saturday training sessions have so far been confirmed for this quarter:

  • 5th October: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 19th October: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 26th October: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 9th November: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace

  • 16th November: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace

  • 23rd November: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace

  • 30th November: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace

  • 7th December: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace

  • 14th December: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace

  • 21st December: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

2019 Q3 Saturday Training Sessions

The following Saturday training sessions have been confirmed for this quarter:

  • 13th July: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 20th July: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 27th July: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

  • 3rd August: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 10th August: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

  • 17th August: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 24th August: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

  • 31st August: 11.00am-12.30pm @ London Aquatics Centre

  • 7th September: 10.30am-12.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

  • 14th September: 12.30pm-2.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

  • 21st September: 12.30pm-2.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

  • 28th September: 12.30pm-2.00pm @ Crystal Palace National Sports Centre