Dear Associate / Group Member,

Please see the email below from IAM RoadSmart. To conform to the request the St. Helens Group is cancelling all of its activities for the time being - no observed runs, social events, committee or other meetings (including our AGM planned for the 4th June). No advanced driving tests are going to be conducted until further notice.

If you are an Associate and have any questions then could you contact Alan Prescott our Associate Co-ordinator.

Kind Regards

Tom Field (Group Chairman)
St Helens Group of Advanced Motorists

Message from Mike Quinton, CEO, IAM RoadSmart

Following the significant change in Government advice about Coronavirus (Covid-19), IAM RoadSmart’s senior management team has met and agreed the following advice and guidance for groups, observers and examiners.

We appreciate that all groups are independent charities however the priority must be for IAM RoadSmart to contribute fully to efforts to minimise the spread of the virus nationwide and maintain the health and safety of all staff, members, associates, examiners and customers.

Therefore with immediate effect, groups are advised to:

• Stop observed runs for associates, unless the observer and associate both agree they wish to go ahead
• Stop all meetings and social gatherings, including AGMs and recruitment activity

In addition, advanced driving and riding tests and assessments are suspended until further notice. All re-qualifications for Local and National Observers, Fellows and Masters are also suspended until further notice.

In light of these recommendations and actions, where an associate's membership expires, we will extend it, at no additional cost, for up to a further six months to enable all associates to complete their coaching and take their test without disadvantage. We will not be providing refunds of course fees. 

Groups are required to hold an AGM once every calendar year and within 18 months of the previous AGM. You may wish to consider holding your AGM via video or phone conference call. Proxy and postal voting can also still take place and be used for resolutions.

Additional advice on AGMs is available at gov.uk and from the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and the Scottish Charity Regulator.

IAM RoadSmart staff have been advised today, in line with current government advice, to work from home wherever possible. They will be withdrawing from any external event, exhibition or conference until further notice.

By working from home we believe we can maintain the service to our members and customers and we will continue to operate our Customer Care phone lines from 8.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday.

You may have to wait a little longer than usual for a response to your call or email but we thank you in advance for your patience and will answer your query as quickly as we can.

Our ASDMs are available by phone and email. Please contact them if you have any questions.

All groups are advised to continue to monitor and follow the Government advice, which you can find on gov.uk and NHS Direct, and on Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland,  the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland and Public Health Wales.

The senior management team is meeting daily by conference call and we will continue to update you regularly, through Inform, as the situation and government advice develops.

Stay safe, stay well.

Mike Quinton, CEO
17th March 2020