St George s Day Parade & Service 2015 Date: Sunday 26 th April Time: 13:30 15:15 Venue: Wimbledon Common & Church of the Sacred Heart, Edge Hill, ondon, SW19 Event Organiser: Richard Marus, District Executive. richardmarus@blueyonder.co.uk 07867 489950 Other Parties: Wimbledon Park Rangers (Angela Evans, PA to Chief Executive) Metropolitan Police (Iain Crawford, SCO22, Events Officer) Event Overview 13:30 District assembles alongside The Causeway 13:50 Parade moves on to The Causeway and heads into High Street, Wimbledon then right into Ridgway, left into Edge Hill and along to Sacred Heart Church 14:20 Parade enters Sacred Heart 14:30 Service commences 15:00 District assembles on Wimbledon College Playing Field 15:15 District dismissed. Event ends Parade Details Distance approximately 1 mile, duration 30 minutes, 13:50 14:20. Expected attendance 700 people Parade Instructions issued to Groups The parade will form up 3 abreast as directed behind the band in The Causeway. Each group to provide 2 adults (approximately 25 total) who will be issued with a high-vis vest and form a 4 th column on the outside (traffic side) of the parade. The Union & St George's flags will be carried at the front of the Parade by Explorers (Empire and Flying Penguins). Groups will form up in numerical order directed by the SASU marshals. Duty Group (8 th Morden) at the front. Other Explorers and Network will all be together at the back of the parade. Any Brownie or Guides attending will parade with their associated Scout Group. The Parade will move off at 1:50pm. The route will be through High Street, Wimbledon From the High Street the Parade will turn right into Ridgway and then left down Edge Hill to Sacred Heart Church. Each group should be led by the GS or eader-in-charge who will call for "eyes left" & "eyes front" outside Wimbledon College where the Mayor of Merton and the District Commissioner will take the salute. The Colours will form up as directed on the approach to the church Parade Supervision The parade will be supported by the Metropolitan Police Merton BOCU - on foot and bicycles Marshals are provided by the District Scout Active Support Unit (SASU). Adults in high-vis vests will form a 4 th column walking on the outside of the parade. SGDP/2015/SGDP 2015 District Briefing v1.0a 3.4.2015.docx Page 1 of 5
Map of Parade Route Event Background Wimbledon & Wandle Scout District covers an area that exactly matches that of the ondon Borough of Merton. We consist of 19 individual groups providing Scouting to the 6 14 age range and 10 Explorer Units catering for the 14 18s. The location of the groups across Merton are shown on the map below. The purpose of the event, and of similar events around the country, is to publicly celebrate St George s Day and provide an opportunity for all members of the Scout Movement to renew their Scout Promise which is an annual requirement. All members of our District are encouraged to join this event and in recent years we have had in the region of 700 attending. The numbers tend to be influenced mainly by the weather but also by the timing of the event in relation to the school holidays and membership of other organisations such as football clubs that meet on Sundays. The intention is to hold the event as close to the actual St George s Day on 23 rd April. The general response to the day is usually very positive as a public display that Scouting is alive and well in Merton and is a chance for the children s families to see them in uniform as part of a large organisation. It is a long tradition within Scouting and is one that we very much hope to keep alive as there has been a decline in such events across the country, particularly in more urban areas where the practicalities of a parade can prove to be an obstacle. Without a parade districts tend to just hold some sort of service for the promise renewal and lose the opportunity for the public visibility and promotion of Scouting, St George s Day and the positive side of youth involvement. SGDP/2015/SGDP 2015 District Briefing v1.0a 3.4.2015.docx Page 2 of 5
The format of our event has changed little since 2004 and has settled into a practiced routine in the last 7 years. We have enjoyed the support of the Mayor of Merton, who traditionally always attends to take a salute on Edge Hill and make a short address to the District within the service. We are also supported by the Wimbledon Common Rangers, Sacred Heart Church on Edge Hill, Wimbledon College School and the Metropolitan Police Events Office where the contact in recent years has been Iain Crawford. We recognise the potential for disruption to the public on the roads & the Common but have always tried to be co-operative with all parties involved and mindful of the safety of all concerned. The location has been carefully chosen for the space available to assemble on the Common and for parents to be able to park around the Common rather than on more congested streets. Sacred Heart Church is one of the few indoor venues with the capacity for our expected numbers. The distance of the parade is manageable by the youngest members and provides for a spectacle that reaches a wide public audience on High Street but then moves on to Ridgway removing us from the main road after 15 minutes. ocation of Scout Groups & Explorer Units SGDP/2015/SGDP 2015 District Briefing v1.0a 3.4.2015.docx Page 3 of 5
Risk Assessment Wimbledon and Wandle District Scouts Risk Assessment Record Event Title / Description District St. George's Day Parade Unit / Section / Group Wimbledon and Wandle District NAME OF ASSESSOR Date of Event 26 th April 2015 DATE OF ASSESSMENT 11th February 2015 POSITION Richard Marus Member, District Executive No HAZARD Risk Describe who might be affected, and how they might be affected Mitigation RISK EVE ACHIEVED HIGH = H MEDIUM = M OW = 1 Passing traffic / horses at assembly point Personal injury Members / eaders / Supporters / Permission sought from Wimbledon and Putney Common Rangers for designated assembly point off main road at The Causeway / High St. Parents to escort their children to the designated point to be supervised by leaders. 2 Road Users (Vehicles and Cycles) Personal injury Members / eaders / Supporters / Application to ocal Authority for Traffic Management Order (TMO). Event supported by uniformed police to allow progress of parade along designated route. SASU members in high visibility vests support parade movement by rolling presence at junctions to guide the parade and inform road users. Each group to be supervised by leaders including at least one in high visibility vest on offside of parade. All to be included in pre-event brief for groups 3 Severe Weather Heat / Exposure Members / eaders / Supporters To be managed in line with weather forecast ensuring suitable protection (sun screen or clothing) available SGDP 2015 District Briefing v1.0a 3.4.2015.docx Page 4 of 5
4 Uneven Terrain Trip / Slip / Fall Members / eaders / Supporters eaders supervise members at form up point where terrain uneven.eaders supervise members along line of route and identify any difficulties with the surface. Extreme weather will prompt consideration of cancellation of parade (not service) appropriate 5 Stability of Flags at Service 6 Post-service movement to Wimbledon College - Exposure to traffic on Edge Hill and in church hall car park 7 Movement of Emergency Vehicles Injury Members / eaders / Supporters Flags will be placed in suitably constructed flag stands to prevent falling. Flags not placed in flag stands will be placed upright against suitable supporting columns Injury Members / eaders Parade participants will be led to the Wimbledon College playing field through church hall car park by group under direct supervision of group leaders assisted by SASU. Following dismissal leaders remain responsible for ensuring members transferred to care of their parents / carers on site unless specific dispensation given. Explorers / Network to assist SASU in facilitating movement to College fields so that cars do not cross the car park and that parents do not collect their children prematurely Injury Members / eaders / Supporters / Parade condenses to nearside of the carriageway allowing Police and SASU marshals to facilitate safe passage Statement of iability Insurance etter from Unity Scout Insurance Services dated January 2015 attached confirming insurance up to 10 million. SGDP 2015 District Briefing v1.0a 3.4.2015.docx Page 5 of 5