Friday, 15 December 2006

Accreditation achieved

With the morning's post, we learn that the Watford Volunteer Centre has achieved its quality accreditation from Volunteering England. This is excellent news and is some reward for the effort Helen has put in over months to steer us through the accreditation process. Well done Helen!

I had planned to spend the morning reviewing our accounts with Priti (bookkeeper) and Sue (Services Officer). Unfortunately, Priti called in sick and Sue called to say she had been at hospital with her sister since half way through the night.

Frustrated, I instead spent the day beginning to draft out a report on voluntary sector properties rented from WBC. Vanessa tidied up her desk ahead of some well-deserved leave, and Helen was running another of her successful workshops for potential volunteers.

After a sleepless night, Sue arrived at lunchtime and we had a productive hour or so looking through the accounts: everything is entered and the bank accounts are reconciled, but the nominal and project codings need a thorough overhaul. Another job for over Christmas.

Save me from myself

In the afternoon I spent time with our Connexions Personal Advisors showing them the IT network, and then took a call from the new Hertfordshire PCT about their position re: Compact. The caller was very apologetic on behalf of the PCT’s new CEO, but the fact of the matter is that the new PCT hasn’t yet appointed its Directors so no-one at present has responsibility for partnership and Compact issues. We agreed that the new Director would contact me as soon as they were appointed.

I left the office around 6:00 pm. As I promised myself (and my partner!) this has been a peaceful 9-to-5 sort of week after the dramas of the previous few weeks. But already the work is building up again. Most people look forward to Christmas as a break from work; I am beginning to see it as an opportunity to catch up with things while everyone else is away enjoying themselves. On this, as in so much else, I hope and trust that the wonderful Jackie will save me from myself.