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The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) has published the attached ‘recovery plan’ to recommend to public bodies a phased approach that should be taken to re-introduce climbing and hillwalking activity as quickly and safely as possible once the Covid-19 lockdown eases. Other National Governing Bodies are working on similar plans…

Bounce Back Loans The new ‘Bounce Back Loan‘ is a UK fast-track finance scheme providing loans with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders, for Small businesses (including sole traders); which should help to bolster the existing package of support available to the smallest businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses will be able to borrow … Read more

Just in case any of you are wondering why you receive the same message(s) several times from SWOAPG, here’s a brief explanation of how our e-mailing system works: We post messages on our website blog as they occur. If messages are important / urgent enough for wide circulation (to all our paid-up Members and ‘free’ … Read more

IOL, BAPA and AHOEC have met with NCS Trust (NCST) in recent weeks regarding the future provision of the NCS scheme, in particular for the Autumn of 2020 and the Summer of 2021. As a result, they have issued the following advice relating to contractual commitments during the Covid-19 crisis, which may be relevant to … Read more

Most Outdoor Provider businesses will already be well-aware of the impact of Covid-19 on school visits, but the Institute for Outdoor Learning has helpfully summarised this in the following statement. NB the comments relating to DfE advice refer only to schools in England, but the situation for schools in Wales is, of course, similar. “We … Read more

More impact surveys, this time specifically aimed at the UK-wide Outdoor Sector and therefore relevant for all SWOAPG Members to complete. From the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL): “After a period of significant and necessary change, now is the time for taking stock of the impact of the current situation on Organisations and Professionals involved … Read more

The Westminster All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hospitality and Tourism is launching ‘Pathways to Recovery,’ an urgent inquiry into the measures that businesses in these two vital sectors of the UK’s economy will need in order to successfully reopen, recover and thrive in the aftermath of the COVID19 crisis. The key focus of this inquiry will … Read more

The Welsh Government has now responded formally to the Outdoor Alliance’s letter expressing concerns about closures to paths and access land. The full response, which reiterates the earlier advice to landowners on footpaths and access land closures, is attached:

Despite Welsh Government having recently opened its new Economic Resilience Fund to support micro-businesses through the Covid-19 crisis, it seems that one-man-band Limited Companies will still fall through the gap between this fund and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. Representatives from WATO will be raising their concerns about this gap – and more generally about … Read more

Get your applications in quickly for the newly-opened Welsh Economic Resilience Funds: Welsh Economic Resilience Fund – Microbusinesses (1-9 Employees). Welsh Economic Resilience Fund – SMEs and Large Businesses (10-249 Employees). Refer to the Guidance notes for further information. We recommend that, before submitting an application, you visit the Welsh Economic Resilience Fund Checker to … Read more