Everyone’s safety is of paramount importance to us at this year’s festival. We want to be transparent about everything we’re working hard on to ensure our staff’s, speakers’ and attendees’ health and safety next month.

What are we doing?

We have planned our 2022 festival with the latest knowledge and guidance on coronavirus in mind. Our aim is to ensure that everyone feels as safe as possible, and we’ve brought in multiple measures to help achieve this:

Colour coding system.

This year, we will be adopting a colour coding system that will allow staff, speakers and attendees to signify to one another how comfortable they are with social mixing. We will provide green, yellow and red lanyards which you may choose to wear if you:

• Green: Are comfortable with social mixing as ‘normal’, including contact like handshakes and high fives.

• Yellow: Are comfortable with some social mixing, but would not like physical contact like handshakes and high fives.

• Red: Are not comfortable with physical contact, would prefer to stay socially distanced, and would prefer those around you to wear masks.

We understand the pandemic has affected people differently and that each person at SocialDay will have different boundaries when it comes to returning to the ‘new normal’. There will be absolutely no judgement or pressure regarding which lanyard you choose, and we will ensure our staff and attendees do the utmost to accommodate your preferences and needs.

Vaccination and testing of staff.

Our internal team will all be fully vaccinated before the festival. We’ll also be taking lateral flow tests throughout the event to ensure our staff are covid-free throughout the 3 days.

Hand sanitizing.

The venue will provide sanitizing stations to ensure staff, speakers and attendees are able to sanitize their hands regularly.

Masks.

Though not mandatory, we would encourage attendees to wear masks at our event, particularly when around people wearing red lanyards. This is to ensure everyone is able to feel comfortable, respected and safe throughout the event. There will be plenty of masks provided at the event for those who wish to wear them.

Social distancing.

Though there will be no formal social distancing (i.e. those with green and yellow lanyards will be free to mix with one another), we have taken steps to ensure there is capacity for social distancing for those who would prefer to do so. We will not be filling the venue to its maximum capacity, and there will be enough seats to allow people to space themselves out if they would prefer to.

How can you help?

We’ve taken care of the logistical bits, but it’s important that all attendees respect one another and do their bit to help keep each other and our staff safe during the festival.

Negative test.

We ask that you receive a negative test within 48 hours prior to the event to ensure that you are free from covid and are at no risk to our other attendees, speakers and staff. Lateral flow tests are free to get ahold of from the NHS website or from local pharmacies.

We are still waiting on an official announcement from the government regarding any updates on official rules of entry for event venues. If anything changes, we will update you as soon as we can.

Hand sanitizing.

We ask that you use the hand sanitizer provided when moving in, out and around the festival venue.

Masks.

We kindly ask that you wear a mask if and when it’s advised to do so, and particularly take care to wear one when you’re near people with red lanyards. There will be plenty of masks available at the venue.

Respect the boundaries of all attendees.

The past 18 months have affected people differently, and each attendee, speaker and staff member will have different needs, boundaries, and things they are comfortable with. That is why we have introduced our colour coded lanyard system. 

It’s important to remember that people will have many reasons for wishing to wear a green, yellow or red lanyard, both covid-related and non-covid-related, and that their boundaries should be respected at all times. We therefore ask that you act with kindness, understanding, and courtesy at all times during SocialDay, both at the venue and on social media.

If you have symptoms, please stay at home.

If you feel unwell or are showing any symptoms of coronavirus before the event, please do not attend and stay at home. We will be recording this year’s SocialDay sessions, so even if you cannot attend the festival in person, we will make sure you can get access to this year’s content and are able to join us in 2022.

If you feel unwell or have symptoms at any time during the festival, please do not continue to attend, get a coronavirus test as soon as possible, and let a member of the SocialDay team know.