NCMD Statement on MD Rallies/Covid-19.

[JCMaloney]

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR METAL DETECTING STATEMENT REGARDING CURRENT COVID 19 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC*

In light of the current sanctions and advice given by the British government we feel it appropriate to offer our own advice to our members.

To help stop the spread of coronavirus it is vitally important to avoid unnecessary interaction with others. Most rallies and organised digs have, as a result, been cancelled. Some sadly haven’t. We strongly urge you to look after your health, and the health of others, by avoiding large groups of people.

However, if you have permissions, getting out on your own or with your detecting partner is positively encouraged. Just be sensible, don’t share a car and keep your distance from each other and members of the public.

Continue to follow the British Governments and health organisations steps to help yourself, your family and your friends.

CoronaVirus (COVID19) Update - News - National Council for Metal Detecting

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR METAL DETECTING STATEMENT REGARDING CURRENT COVID 19 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC* In light of the current sanctions and advice given by the

www.ncmd.co.uk

 

[JCMaloney]

Bit of an update after the Government change of tack.
People can exercise "solo" or with people from their house including metal detecting.
"From the Sports and Recreation Alliance (SARA). The NCMD are members of this organisation and their guidance comes from official sources.
The source article and further infomation can be found here: https://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/news/covid-19/latest-government-guidance

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) has issued the following update:
Key messages We are increasing people’s access to local, outdoor physical activity for the purpose of wellbeing. This includes outdoors sports courts and facilities. People will only be able to use these facilities with people from their own households though or by themselves or, as long as they stay 2 metres apart, with one other person from outside their household. You can only exercise in groups of no more than two, unless you are exclusively with members of your household. This means that you cannot have five people from one household plus one person from outside the household playing sport together.
But you can have two people, from two different households, as long as they are staying two metres apart. It is for individual facilities and organisations to develop their own guidance on reopening, to best fit their own situation, in line with the Government's advice. Key messages for those wishing to exercise: You can take part in exercise or activity alone or with your household.

1. You can also now meet one person outside of your household to exercise but you must stay two metres apart.
2. There is a two person limit on gathering to exercise or take part in activity unless you are exercising with your household.
3. Check in advance if the facilities you want to use have reopened.
4. If exercising in the countryside remember to follow the countryside code and act responsibly.
5. Once you are home remember to wash your hands.

Personally I would say "Check with the landowner first" as they may have enough on their plate.

 

[Paul Barford]

"Once you are home remember to wash your hands"
But why only when home? If people outside their homes have been touching things (gates, stiles) or picking things up from the dirt, that's where they pick up contamination. If a landowner enter an agreement that allows people onto their property where they may pick up contamination, it is obviously their obligation to provide facilities for decontamination BEFORE somebody leaves the premises and spreads it further (like going to a petrol station) before arriving home.

Landowners should remember that on admitting artefact hunters to seek Treasure and coins on their land, they are responsible for them while they are on his or her land, just the same as any of his employees. There should be hand washing opportunities and hand sanitisers at entry and exit points for authorised people entering a workplace such as a farm.

Also when meeting artefact hunters after each session to examine what they've found and sign the protocols assigning title and agreeing fair payment for anything they remove, social distancing must be maintained, and obviously masks and gloves should be worn by both parties as a minimum precaution.

Otherwise claims could be bought by anyone affected by a landowner's failure to 'be alert' and make adequate protection available. Given the costs of this infection to lives and livelihoods, I feel there are going to be a lot of lawyers around in the next few years pursuing CV-related compensation claims, and landowners should secure themselves against any such potential future claims resulting from allowing people they have entered agreements with to make use of their land for whatever purpose.

 

[Paul Barford]

Also it is worth landowners checking first for themselves before agreeing to entry to their land for artefact hunting that the local offices of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) are now open for normal business. Many of them are based in museums and council offices that are either closed, or have restrictions on non-employees entering and/or employees are working from home. In both cases the PAS staff are unable to meet finders to complete the paperwork and there will be long delays before you see a copy.

As the Code of Best Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales (agreed with landowners' and farming organisations), makes clear, responsible detecting means recording with the PAS all finds whether or not they are intended for personal collection or sale. If the local PAS office is not open due to the pandemic, this cannot be done, so therefore it would be irresponsible to carry out this activity if there are not yet the possibilities of doing so responsibly (the same goes for processing any eventual Treasure claims).

It is in everybody's interests that landowners do not encourage irresponsible artefact hunting, as its the beginning of a slippery slope to so-called 'nighthawking' (property theft). Get a written agreement with metal detectorists, setting out their full obligations concerning paperwork, payment and commitment to responsible behaviour before you agree to anyone coming onto your property during this pandemic. Many of them are currently NOT recording artefacts they find, simply walking off with them, and adding them to their own collections, or selling them online: www.ebay.co.uk British antiquities (a few of these soon add up)