1. Our Commitment
 

Creative Heritage is committed to providing safe, welcoming and enjoyable environments for everyone who takes part in our activities.
 

Our work brings children, young people, families, volunteers, artists and community members together through performing arts, creative projects, festivals, community events, sport and wellbeing activities. These experiences should be exciting, creative and sometimes challenging – but they should also be planned and delivered with appropriate consideration for people's health and safety.

We aim to identify and manage risks sensibly and proportionately without creating unnecessary barriers to participation, creativity or community involvement.

Health and safety is a shared responsibility. Everyone involved with Creative Heritage is expected to take reasonable care of themselves and others and to raise concerns when something appears unsafe.

2. Scope
 

This policy applies to Creative Heritage activities, including:

• weekly performing arts classes and rehearsals;

• Bulgarian Choir "Maghiya";

• Young Creator Studio and other creative projects;

• concerts, productions and performances;

• Around the World Festival;

• Christmas and other community events;

• FamOlympics and sporting activities;

• health and wellbeing workshops;

• competitions and external events;

• work experience and youth volunteering;

• meetings and training;

• activities delivered with partners or external professionals.

It applies to Creative Heritage board members, volunteers, participants, contractors, mentors, visiting professionals and others working on behalf of Creative Heritage.

3. Responsibilities

Creative Heritage Board

The Creative Heritage Board has overall responsibility for promoting appropriate health and safety arrangements within the organisation.

The Board will aim to ensure that:

• significant risks associated with our activities are identified and appropriately managed;

• suitable health and safety procedures are in place;

• volunteers understand their responsibilities;

• incidents and concerns are taken seriously;

• health and safety arrangements are reviewed as Creative Heritage's activities develop.

Designated Health & Safety Officer

Health & Safety Officer: Lyubava Drumova
 

The Health & Safety Officer supports the Board in coordinating health and safety arrangements, identifying areas requiring attention, supporting risk assessment and reviewing incidents or concerns.

Health and safety remains a shared responsibility and does not rest solely with the designated officer.
 

Volunteers and Project Leaders

Volunteers and project leaders are expected to:

• take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others;

• follow agreed safety procedures;

• familiarise themselves with relevant arrangements for the activities they support;

• use equipment appropriately;

• report hazards, accidents, incidents and near misses;

• raise concerns where they believe an activity or environment may be unsafe;

• follow emergency instructions.
   

Participants and Families

Participants, parents and carers also play an important role in maintaining safe activities.

We ask participants and families to:

• follow reasonable safety instructions;

• use equipment appropriately;

• provide relevant information about medical, accessibility or other needs where this may affect safe participation;

• tell a Creative Heritage representative if they notice a safety concern.

4. Risk Assessment

Creative Heritage takes a proportionate and practical approach to risk management. Risk assessments will be undertaken where appropriate for our regular activities, projects and significant events.

Risk assessment involves considering:

• what could cause harm;

• who could be affected;

• how serious the risk may be;

• what measures are already in place;

• whether additional reasonable precautions are needed.

Risk assessments may cover areas such as:

• venues and physical environments;

• staging and performance spaces;

• equipment;

• electrical items;

• slips, trips and falls;

• manual handling;

• fire and evacuation;

• first aid;

• supervision;

• children and young people;

• sporting activities;

• outdoor activities and weather;

• food and allergies;

• crowd or audience management;

• contractors and external providers.

Risk assessments will be reviewed where circumstances change significantly, following relevant incidents or where experience indicates that existing arrangements need improvement.

Our aim is not to remove every possible risk. Creative, sporting and performance activities naturally involve some level of risk. Our responsibility is to identify significant foreseeable risks and manage them sensibly.
 

5. Children and Young People

Children and young people are central to Creative Heritage's work. When planning activities involving children, we will consider their age, experience, abilities and the nature of the activity.

Appropriate arrangements may include:

• suitable adult supervision;

• clear arrival and collection arrangements where appropriate;

• age-appropriate instructions;

• safe use of equipment;

• appropriate rehearsal and performance spaces;

• consideration of medical and accessibility information provided by parents or carers;

• emergency contact information;

• suitable breaks during longer activities;

• safe arrangements for costumes, props and performance equipment.

Health and safety arrangements involving children should be considered alongside our Safeguarding Policy.

Where a concern relates to a child's welfare or possible abuse rather than an environmental or activity-related safety risk, safeguarding procedures will take priority.

 

6. Venues

​

Creative Heritage operates from a range of hired and community venues rather than premises controlled solely by our organisation. These may include community halls, theatres, performance spaces, studios, sports facilities, outdoor spaces and venues operated by partner organisations.

Where Creative Heritage uses an external venue, responsibility for health and safety may be shared between Creative Heritage and the venue operator.
 

We will aim to understand relevant venue arrangements, including:

• emergency exits;

• evacuation procedures;

• assembly points;

• fire arrangements;

• first-aid arrangements;

• accessibility;

• toilets and other facilities;

• restrictions on use of the space;

• any significant known hazards.

Creative Heritage volunteers should report venue-related safety concerns to the appropriate venue representative and, where necessary, take reasonable action to prevent people from being exposed to an immediate risk.

7. Events, Performances and Festivals

Larger events may create additional risks compared with regular weekly activities. Creative Heritage will consider appropriate event-specific health and safety arrangements for major events such as Around the World Festival, Christmas productions, community performances and other large gatherings.

Depending on the event, this may include consideration of:

• expected audience numbers;

• venue capacity;

• entrances and exits;

• emergency access;

• stage and performance areas;

• sound and electrical equipment;

• cables and trip hazards;

• props, costumes and scenery;

• setup and breakdown;

• children waiting or preparing backstage;

• performers and visiting groups;

• food provision;

• accessibility;

• first aid;

• weather where relevant;

• responsibilities shared with venues, contractors or partners.

Where several organisations are involved in an event, Creative Heritage will aim to establish who is responsible for relevant aspects of health and safety.
 

8. Equipment
 

Equipment used during Creative Heritage activities should be appropriate for its intended purpose and used responsibly. This may include musical equipment, microphones, speakers, recording equipment, cameras, lighting, props, sports equipment, tables, displays and other materials.
 

Participants should receive appropriate instructions where equipment requires particular care or skill.

Children should not use equipment presenting a significant safety risk without appropriate supervision.

Damaged or unsafe equipment should not continue to be used until it has been appropriately repaired, replaced or assessed.
 

Electrical equipment should be visually checked for obvious damage before use where appropriate, and equipment requiring specialist inspection or maintenance should be managed accordingly.
 

9. Manual Handling and Setup
 

Creative Heritage events can involve moving equipment, tables, chairs, displays, props and other materials.

Volunteers should avoid lifting or moving loads that they cannot safely manage.

Where possible:

• heavy or awkward items should be moved by more than one person;

• suitable equipment should be used to assist movement;

• routes should be cleared before items are moved;

• children should not be asked to carry inappropriate loads;

• volunteers should ask for help rather than risk injury.
   

10. First Aid and Medical Needs
 

Creative Heritage will make appropriate first-aid arrangements according to the nature, size and risk of an activity.

For larger events or activities presenting greater risk, additional first-aid provision may be arranged where appropriate.

Volunteers should know how to access first-aid assistance at the venue or activity they are supporting.

Parents and carers are encouraged to provide relevant information about a child's medical needs where this could affect their participation or require action in an emergency. Medication remains the responsibility of the participant or their parent/carer unless specific arrangements have been agreed in advance.
 

In a medical emergency, the priority is to obtain appropriate help. Emergency services should be contacted on 999 where necessary.
 

11. Fire and Emergency Procedures
 

When using hired venues, Creative Heritage will follow the relevant venue's fire and emergency arrangements.

Volunteers responsible for activities should, where reasonably possible, familiarise themselves with:

• emergency exits;

• evacuation routes;

• assembly points;

• how an alarm is raised;

• any specific venue emergency procedures.
   

Emergency exits and evacuation routes should not be unnecessarily obstructed by equipment, bags, props or furniture.

In an emergency, participants should follow instructions from Creative Heritage representatives, venue staff or emergency services.
 

Where responsibility for fire safety is shared with a venue or partner organisation, Creative Heritage will cooperate with those responsible for the premises.
 

12. Outdoor Activities and FamOlympics

Outdoor and sporting activities may present different risks from our regular arts provision. Activities such as FamOlympics will therefore be considered through an appropriate event-specific risk assessment.

This may include:

• the condition of playing or activity areas;

• suitability of activities for different ages and abilities;

• sports equipment;

• appropriate supervision;

• weather conditions;

• heat and sun exposure;

• hydration;

• slips and falls;

• first-aid arrangements;

• access for emergency services.

Activities may be modified, postponed or cancelled where conditions make proceeding unreasonably unsafe.

Participants should be encouraged to take part at a level appropriate to their ability and should not be pressured to continue an activity if they are unwell, injured or uncomfortable.

13. Food and Allergies
 

Food may occasionally be provided, sold or shared during Creative Heritage activities and community events.

Where Creative Heritage is responsible for food provision, reasonable steps will be taken to consider food hygiene and allergen information.

Where external caterers, food businesses or community partners provide food, they remain responsible for meeting the legal requirements applicable to their provision.

Parents and participants should inform Creative Heritage of relevant allergies or medical dietary requirements where these may affect participation in an activity.
 

Creative Heritage cannot guarantee that community venues or events will be completely free from particular allergens.

14. Accessibility and Individual Needs

We recognise that people's health, disabilities or individual circumstances may affect how they participate safely in an activity. Participants and families are encouraged to tell us about relevant accessibility, medical or support requirements so that reasonable arrangements can be considered.

We will not make assumptions about what someone can or cannot do because of a disability or health condition.

Where relevant, health and safety considerations will be addressed alongside our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy.

15. Work Experience and Young Volunteers
 

Creative Heritage provides opportunities for young people to gain work experience and contribute to projects. Young volunteers and work-experience participants will receive appropriate guidance and supervision for the tasks they undertake. Tasks should be appropriate to their age, experience and abilities.

Young people should not be expected to:

• undertake activities presenting risks they are not equipped to manage;

• use hazardous equipment without appropriate instruction and supervision;

• carry inappropriate loads;

• take responsibility for health and safety matters beyond their role.

Young volunteers are encouraged to ask questions and raise concerns if they are unsure whether something is safe.

16. Contractors, Partners and Visiting Professionals
 

Creative Heritage works with external professionals, artists, venues, contractors and community organisations.

People and organisations providing specialist services are expected to take appropriate responsibility for the safety of the activities, equipment or services they provide.
 

Where responsibilities are shared, Creative Heritage will aim to establish clear arrangements and cooperate with partners to manage relevant risks.
 

17. Accidents, Incidents and Near Misses
 

Accidents, significant incidents and relevant near misses should be reported to an appropriate Creative Heritage representative.

Details should be recorded where appropriate, including:

• what happened;

• when and where it happened;

• who was affected;

• any injury or immediate consequences;

• action taken.

Incidents will be reviewed where appropriate to understand whether additional precautions or changes are needed.

Where an accident or dangerous occurrence meets statutory reporting requirements, Creative Heritage will ensure that the appropriate reporting process is followed.

Not every accident or incident is legally reportable, and reporting requirements will be considered according to the circumstances.
 

18. Health and Wellbeing
 

Creative Heritage recognises that physical and emotional wellbeing can affect people's ability to participate safely and positively. We encourage participants, families and volunteers to raise relevant concerns or support needs where these may affect participation. Activities should be planned with reasonable consideration for factors such as breaks, workload, physical demands and the age and needs of participants.
 

Creative Heritage is not a healthcare provider. Where someone requires professional medical or mental health support, appropriate external services should be sought.
 

19. Training and Information
 

Creative Heritage will provide volunteers with health and safety information appropriate to their responsibilities.

This may include:

• activity-specific safety arrangements;

• emergency procedures;

• first-aid information;

• venue arrangements;

• equipment instructions;

• risk assessment information;

• safeguarding responsibilities.

Volunteers should ask for guidance where they are unsure how to carry out a task safely.
 

20. Raising a Health & Safety Concern
 

Anyone involved with Creative Heritage is encouraged to raise a health and safety concern if they believe an activity, environment or piece of equipment may present an unreasonable risk. Concerns can be raised with the activity or project leader, the Health & Safety Officer or another Creative Heritage board member.

Creative Heritage
Email: creativeheritageuk@gmail.com
 

Immediate hazards should be raised straight away so that reasonable action can be taken before someone is harmed.

No volunteer, participant or family should feel discouraged from raising a genuine safety concern.
 

21. Review and Continuous Improvement
 

Health and safety is an ongoing responsibility. Creative Heritage will review this policy at least annually and sooner where:

• our activities change significantly;

• a serious incident occurs;

• experience identifies an area requiring improvement;

• relevant legislation or guidance changes;

• a new type of activity introduces different risks.

As a small volunteer-led organisation, our approach will remain proportionate to our activities and resources while prioritising the safety of the children, families, volunteers and communities who take part in our work.

Policy approved: September 2026
Next scheduled review: September 2027