Joining Instructions

Course Joining Instructions

Welcome to your course joining instructions. This page contains all the essential details you need to prepare for your training day, including what to wear, what to bring, local parking rules, and public transport connections.

The vast majority of our compliance courses are designed for candidates with no previous subject knowledge. If you are starting fresh, please do not worry. For those returning to refresh their skills, we look forward to building on your existing expertise.

Please review the core details below before your course begins. If you have any questions or require any clarification, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Knutsford team.

Who?

Identification

Please bring either 1 form of photographic identification OR 2 forms of non-photographic identification from the approved lists below:

Approved Photographic ID (Bring 1):

• Signed UK photocard driving licence
• Valid passport (any nationality)
• Proof of Age card accredited by the PASS Scheme
• Valid EU photo identity card
• Official employee photo identification card
• SIA security licence
• Current and valid warrant card issued by HM Forces or UK Police
• Valid Prison Service photo identity card
• Official UK firearms licence

Approved Non-Photographic ID (Bring 2):

• Current driving licence (paper version)
• Official birth certificate
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate
• Mortgage statement (issued within past 12 months)
• Bank or building society statement (issued within last 3 months)
• Bank or building society account opening confirmation letter (issued within last 3 months)
• Credit card statement (issued within last 3 months)
• Pension or endowment financial statement (issued within last 12 months)
• P45 or P60 statement (issued within last 12 months)
• Council tax statement (issued within last 12 months)
• Valid UK work permit or visa issued by the UK Government
• Utility bill (excluding mobile phone bills, issued within last 3 months)
• Official benefit statement, such as Child Benefit or State Pension (issued within last 3 months)

Where to Find Chris Garland Training

While we operate nationwide, Chris Garland Training is headquartered in Knutsford, Cheshire. Conveniently situated just off Junction 19 of the M6, our central location is highly accessible: we are just a 3-minute walk from the bus station and a 6-minute walk from Knutsford railway station on the Manchester Piccadilly-Chester line. This ensures we remain responsive and easy to reach for clients across the UK.

Training Centre Information

Unless otherwise advised in your confirmation email, all face-to-face training courses are held at our main centre:

• Address: Community Centre, Knutsford Methodist Church, Princess Street, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6BY
• What3Words Address: ///masters.rejoiced.router
• Accessibility: Excellent. Our facility offers a step-free entrance ramp, flat thresholds, and passenger lift access.
• Centre Parking: No general parking is available directly at the training centre (reserved strictly for blue badge holders). Please see local parking recommendations below.
• Trains: Knutsford Train Station is a brief 4-minute walk from our front door (view walking map).

Transport Connections

Parking

As there is no general parking at our training centre, we advise candidates to plan ahead. Please note that the main road directly outside our venue has a strict 1-hour parking limit, and local wardens patrol the area regularly. To avoid fines, please utilize local parking facilities.

Cheshire East Council provides detailed local car park locations, pricing, and maximum stay restrictions near our venue: Find a Car Park in Knutsford.

Our local council car parks utilize the RingGo app for cash-free payments. If you prefer to pay digitally, we highly recommend registering and downloading the app before your course day to save time on arrival: Download the RingGo App.

Car Sharing

Whenever you are attending our courses alongside other candidates from your business, we strongly recommend car sharing. Not only does this reduce team expenses and ease parking demand in Knutsford, but it also supports our collective effort to reduce our corporate carbon footprint.

Trains

Knutsford Train Station is on the Manchester Piccadilly–Chester line. The platform is accessible via stairs from Toft Road, or step-free via vehicles from Bottom Street (King Street) & Adams Hill. To plan your train journey, you can use the Trainline booking portal.

What?

Clothing Guidelines

Our courses are highly practical and active. Please review our clothing recommendations to ensure your comfort and safety:

• Comfortable Everyday Wear: Sweatshirts, t-shirts, sweaters, and trousers are ideal.
• Warm Layers: A fleece or warm sweater (our training rooms can occasionally feel cool).
• Practical Active Clothes: For First Aid courses, wear clothes you don’t mind getting slightly dusty, as you will be performing techniques on the floor.
• Outdoor Gear: For outdoor wilderness courses, please bring sturdy outdoor boots, a waterproof coat, and waterproof trousers.
• Sturdy Footwear: For Evacuation Chair or Sledge courses, flat-soled, supportive shoes or safety boots are mandatory.

• Immodest Clothing: Avoid short skirts, dresses, pencil skirts, loose blouses, or leggings that may stretch thin, as these can cause discomfort during active floor work.
• Unsuitable Footwear: High heels, open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, Crocs, or soft fashion boots (like Ugg boots) are not allowed during outdoor or evacuation chair exercises due to safety risks.

Assessments & Reasonable Adjustments

• Assessment Methods: Your instructor will outline the exact syllabus requirements at the start of your course. To pass and receive your accredited certificate, you must successfully complete all practical and written tests.
• Required Scores: Practical assessments require a 100% correct demonstration. Written multiple-choice tests require a minimum score of 70% to pass.
• Reasonable Adjustments: If you require adjustments for physical impairments, learning needs, allergies, or if English is your second language, please let us know as soon as possible. Because we need to register these adjustments with our Awarding Organisations, we often require several weeks’ notice before your course date.

Food & Drink

• Hot Drinks: Complimentary tea, coffee, and semi-skimmed milk are available in our kitchen area. Candidates are welcome to bring their own drinks if preferred.
• Lunch & Snacks: Please bring your own lunch and daytime snacks. If you prefer, our central Knutsford location is just a short walk from multiple excellent cafés, bakeries, and sandwich shops.

Allergies & Medications

• Allergies: If you suffer from severe food or contact allergies, please notify our team at the time of your booking. We will communicate any necessary adjustments to the class and instructor to keep the environment safe.
• Medications: Please ensure you bring your personal emergency medication (such as inhalers or adrenaline auto-injectors) with you on the day. Your safety in our classroom is our top priority.

Equipment

• Course Materials: All essential training books, reference manuals, and practical learning materials are provided on the day.
• Personal Notes: We recommend bringing a notepad and pen along with you for taking notes during the session.

When?

Course Duration: Please consult your original booking confirmation email to verify your exact course start time (usually 9:00 AM) and estimated finish time. Occasionally, practical assessments can run slightly over; we suggest keeping your travel arrangements flexible.

Blended Learning Courses

Blended learning courses combine digital pre-study with hands-on, face-to-face training. Shortly after booking your seat, you will receive your e-learning credentials via email. Please note that these credentials are generated manually by our Knutsford administrative team; although we process them as quickly as possible, they may take a few hours to reach your inbox.

We require you to complete your online e-learning modules a minimum of 2 days before your face-to-face training. Because delegates learn at different rates, we suggest starting early. Don’t worry about the technology side of things; our modern e-learning platform runs smoothly on any laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Webinar Courses

We are committed to delivering dynamic remote education, utilising Microsoft Teams to run our live webinar training courses.

Preparing for Your Webinar Course

Technology & Requirements

• Hardware: All you need is a reliable laptop, desktop, or tablet equipped with a working webcam and microphone. Standard smartphone earphones with an inline microphone work excellently.
• Software: We host our webinars on Microsoft Teams. If you have the desktop app installed, that’s perfect. If not, you can join directly via your web browser without downloading any software.
• Joining: Simply click the joining link sent in your booking confirmation email to enter the virtual classroom.
• Testing: Please log on at least 30 minutes before your webinar begins to test your camera, microphone, and internet connection. Teams allows you to run a device diagnostic test before entering the main room.

Setting Up Your Workspace

To get the most value out of your online training, please prepare your physical environment before logging in:

• Quiet Environment: Choose a well-lit, private room free from background noise, loud appliances, or family distractions.
• Professional Space: Ensure you are in a quiet, private space free from domestic distractions (such as pets or childcare responsibilities) so you can focus and participate fully.
• Webcam Setup: Position your webcam at eye level and verify that your workspace is clearly illuminated.
• Audio: A dedicated, noise-cancelling headset is highly recommended to prevent echo and pick up your voice clearly.

Equipment & Couriers

• Punctuality: Because our live webinars are highly structured and time-sensitive, we cannot delay the start of the course. Late arrivals will be locked out of the virtual room; if you run into technical issues, please email us immediately to coordinate rescheduling.
• Practical Training Kits: For webinar courses that require physical equipment, we will dispatch a training kit via courier to arrive at least 72 hours before your course date.
• Refundable Deposit: We secure a refundable equipment deposit at the time of your booking. Once your training equipment is returned to our Knutsford centre in a clean, serviceable condition, this deposit is promptly refunded to your original payment card.

On the Day of Your Course

• Self Check-In: Please log into the webinar link yourself. Our system will not call you.
• Support: If you experience any technical difficulties joining the session, please contact our administrative team directly by emailing [email protected].
• Enjoy your interactive online learning experience!

Anything Else?

If there is any detail you feel we missed from our course joining instructions, or if you have specific questions about our Knutsford facilities, please ask us below or contact our team directly.