As we start to experience a gradual opening up of lockdown, it is timely to update you on BASW services.

BASW Council is immeasurably grateful to our staff for their swift, proactive and highly professional response to the pandemic. Our Covid-19 pages show the range and depth of work. We are also hugely grateful to all our members for your voice, input, engagement and response.

As we move from the initial phase of the pandemic, we are finding that the emphasis is shifting to recovery, care and ongoing campaigning. The launch of our Working Conditions toolkit and plans for our new Professional Support Service, are examples of these.

Over the summer, Council is encouraging our executive team to enable all staff to take much needed leave. BASW will always provide its full service to members, however I hope you will understand if less urgent responses take a little longer.

I also trust that members will find some moments to rest and recover, and to see loved ones.

BASW Council has agreed a medium-term plan to keep risk to our staff and members to a minimum. We will not be opening our buildings or having face-to-face meetings until the end of September. At that point, we will consider some managed access to buildings or essential face-to-face activities based on risk assessments. We will continue to deliver all of our services virtually until January 2021.

Feedback from members has been positive about the shift to virtual activities and how responsive these have been. We have learned a lot from this about how to engage and support more widely and in more diverse ways. However there are things that members miss, and we will be planning to reintroduce what we can, when we can.

Thank you to everyone for your support and continued membership. I hope to see many of you at our virtual Annual General Meeting on 15 September and in person as soon as possible.