I spent a busy day at home preparing for Xmas and reading WCVS papers.
Culture of Fear by Frank Furedi raises two critical questions for the voluntary sector: by what right can we claim to speak for anyone and how can we ensure that our voices add to the common good? Furedi makes clear that the sector as a whole is not doing brilliantly well.
James Gleick’s Faster – the acceleration of just about everything provides a comprehensive description of the many ways in which the world is speeding up. Gleick's conculsion is that boredom is a modern condition that can exist only in the context of a wider mania or glut. Before the 20th century there was no word for "boredom" and Samuel Johnson charmingly referred merely to "the languishment of attention" - although this surely demonstrates that "boredom" did exist but simply lacked a convenient label.
Saturday, 29 November 2008
I finally returned the hire car and collected our fixed Suzuki Wagon-R. The total cost was way more than the car is probably worth. On the way home the engine warning light came on so I now have to take the car back to the garage at 8:00 am Monday morning. In the afternoon, I cleaned out our chicken coop. I appreciate that it's not everyone’s idea of fun but I find it very relaxing.
Friday, 28 November 2008
This morning I was due to have a 7:00 breakfast at Moor Park Manor. This is an historically important country house and was once the seat of Lord Anson who made his fortune capturing the Spanish treasure galleon. Lord Anson searched the Pacific Ocean for his lucrative prize; I couldn't even find his house off the A4145. Just as I was about to give up, I finally saw the postage-stamp sized road-sign. The breakfast meeting was organised by Myers Clark and those gathered enjoyed an extremely entertaining talk on the Budget. But the meeting was heavily geared toward the business sector and there was little of direct interest to charities.
I just made it back to the office for 10:00 to find that both our reserved parking spaces were taken. By the time I had parked, I was late for a training session on stress management taught by my Chair of Trustees Pam Handley (the fact that we could issue the offending vehicles with parking tickets was scant consolation).
After the training event, Pam and I met for my regular supervision meeting and this was as helpful as ever. As a CEO it is essential to work with a Chair of Trustees that you trust and respect – Pam just makes everything so easy. After this, I had a brief meeting with our Youth Connexions advisors, and then headed off to the Town Hall.
Committee Room 2 at the Town Hall was hosting a do to honour Sylvia Harvey who is leaving Watford Borough Council after 32 years of service to the local community - most notably for Watford Women's Centre. There was an excellent turn-out from CVS, the local voluntary sector and from Watford Borough Council including Mayor Dorothy Thornhill. Sylvia Harvey is not leaving Watford and will remain active in the voluntary sector, including as a CVS trustee. Events like this really form the character of Watford.
I just made it back to the office for 10:00 to find that both our reserved parking spaces were taken. By the time I had parked, I was late for a training session on stress management taught by my Chair of Trustees Pam Handley (the fact that we could issue the offending vehicles with parking tickets was scant consolation).
After the training event, Pam and I met for my regular supervision meeting and this was as helpful as ever. As a CEO it is essential to work with a Chair of Trustees that you trust and respect – Pam just makes everything so easy. After this, I had a brief meeting with our Youth Connexions advisors, and then headed off to the Town Hall.
Committee Room 2 at the Town Hall was hosting a do to honour Sylvia Harvey who is leaving Watford Borough Council after 32 years of service to the local community - most notably for Watford Women's Centre. There was an excellent turn-out from CVS, the local voluntary sector and from Watford Borough Council including Mayor Dorothy Thornhill. Sylvia Harvey is not leaving Watford and will remain active in the voluntary sector, including as a CVS trustee. Events like this really form the character of Watford.
Thursday, 27 November 2008
My work now includes regular days at home to catch up on writing and finishing off projects. Today was one such day.
At lunchtime, I met with Godfrey Leak. He is doing some research on possible futures for the Revolving Doors project which seeks to improve the police’s treatment of those with learning difficulties or mental health problems; at present, far too many end up in court and then in prison.
At lunchtime, I met with Godfrey Leak. He is doing some research on possible futures for the Revolving Doors project which seeks to improve the police’s treatment of those with learning difficulties or mental health problems; at present, far too many end up in court and then in prison.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
I started the day meeting with Alison Plant at the Watford Community Housing Trust which is now really starting to establish itself as a key local organisation.
Later, I was called by someone reviewing the ReaLM course that I undertook earlier this year in Cambridge. I referred him to entries in this blog; was that a bit self-important of me?
My workload again comprises a cast field full of various Hares that someone (usually me) has set racing. I must again don my bunny slaughtering attire or I will soon be drowning in a sea of hares. Mixing metaphors is never a good sign.
At present, one of the more attractive hares is the proposed "Good Neighbours" scheme for which we have slowly been identifying issues and exploring options. Today, Vanessa (our Development and Training Officer) introduced me to Sarah Bird (her counterpart in Three Rivers CVS) who explained to me the structure of time banking which seems to offer solutions to most (all?) of the problems we have so far identified. We shall explore further.
Later, I was called by someone reviewing the ReaLM course that I undertook earlier this year in Cambridge. I referred him to entries in this blog; was that a bit self-important of me?
My workload again comprises a cast field full of various Hares that someone (usually me) has set racing. I must again don my bunny slaughtering attire or I will soon be drowning in a sea of hares. Mixing metaphors is never a good sign.
At present, one of the more attractive hares is the proposed "Good Neighbours" scheme for which we have slowly been identifying issues and exploring options. Today, Vanessa (our Development and Training Officer) introduced me to Sarah Bird (her counterpart in Three Rivers CVS) who explained to me the structure of time banking which seems to offer solutions to most (all?) of the problems we have so far identified. We shall explore further.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
I endured a horrible journey to work and after nearly two hours’ driving I arrived to discover that we had five members of staff absent with various ailments and emergencies. Normally, we enjoy an excellent absence record – but clearly not today. I had hoped to get some urgent mails out of the way ahead of my morning meeting. But by the time I had sorted out other people’s calendars, etc I was under-prepared and a little late for WCVS's annual monitoring meeting with Susan Street of HCC.
With this project we are delivering on our targets and everything seems to be going well - but the financial environment is not so good (you may have noticed) and nothing can be taken for granted. The monitoring meeting overran (we started a bit late and we also had to talk about the Herts Compact and so on).
I emerged from the meeting to find one or two minor domestic crises awaiting and suddenly my day was in turmoil and to get things back on track I took the last-minute decision not to attend the Watford Learning Partnership meeting.
With this project we are delivering on our targets and everything seems to be going well - but the financial environment is not so good (you may have noticed) and nothing can be taken for granted. The monitoring meeting overran (we started a bit late and we also had to talk about the Herts Compact and so on).
I emerged from the meeting to find one or two minor domestic crises awaiting and suddenly my day was in turmoil and to get things back on track I took the last-minute decision not to attend the Watford Learning Partnership meeting.
Monday, 24 November 2008
I spent today urgently trying to catch up on e-mails and outstanding tasks, but by the end of the day I still have 100 jobs outstanding: my apologies to anyone waiting for a response from me.
Sunday, 23 November 2008
I spent today at home nursing Jackie: I think I successfully communicate my commitment to the task without actually being very good at anything on the practical side.
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Jackie had her re-scheduled operation today. All went smoothly this time round: Jackie home safely but very groggy.
Friday, 21 November 2008
First thing this morning I met with our WBC Grants Officer Kim Bloomfield to discuss our own performance to exchange news on local groups. Then I had a little flurry of brief meetings with local groups before we had one of our (now regular) WCVS staff meetings.
On my way home, I dropped in for a coffee with Kate Belinis at Hertfordshire CDA. Nothing has been put in writing, but HCC appear to want the Herts BME Partnership to set up a Race Equality Council service for Hertfordshire. The Herts BME Partnership is interested but has recently agreed a strategic plan with a clear focus on capacity building with BME community organisations. Kate (in her capacity as “joint lead” for the BME Partnership) has been the go-between for all communications and lately HCC are now making an offer direct to CDA.
Herts BME Partnership is not a legal entity so any contract would anyway have to be delivered through an organisation such as Herts CDA. But what about capacity building? What about HCC’s commissioning processes and competitive tendering? Where does the money come from? How can anyone run a county-wide equalities scheme on £30k? I wanted to find out what I could and Kate was of course very helpful.
On my way home, I dropped in for a coffee with Kate Belinis at Hertfordshire CDA. Nothing has been put in writing, but HCC appear to want the Herts BME Partnership to set up a Race Equality Council service for Hertfordshire. The Herts BME Partnership is interested but has recently agreed a strategic plan with a clear focus on capacity building with BME community organisations. Kate (in her capacity as “joint lead” for the BME Partnership) has been the go-between for all communications and lately HCC are now making an offer direct to CDA.
Herts BME Partnership is not a legal entity so any contract would anyway have to be delivered through an organisation such as Herts CDA. But what about capacity building? What about HCC’s commissioning processes and competitive tendering? Where does the money come from? How can anyone run a county-wide equalities scheme on £30k? I wanted to find out what I could and Kate was of course very helpful.
Thursday, 20 November 2008
My car has now been in the garage a week and has made zero progress toward being fixed as the new engine (promised for Monday) has still not been delivered. I must stay calm and relaxed.
Nationally, Compact has forced many thousands of voluntary and statutory sector managers to spend many thousand hours together negotiating thousands of Codes of Practice. This process has, arguably, been beneficial in bringing people together: jaw jaw, after all, is better than war war.
But the world has moved on: where relationships are strong they have outgrown the limited scope of Compact; where relationships flounder they require something stronger than Compact to move things forward.
In Watford, I believe relations have moved beyond the ambition of Compact. We are now discussing quite detailed strategies for community development, quality assurance, volunteering, etc. Don't misunderstand me: it’s important to still have Compact, but it needs to underpin relationships not dominate them: if we are discussing Compact, we aren’t discussing more important things.
What we are discussin in Watford is a new approach to Compact. Instead of developing new local Codes of Practice (no-one has the time) we will instead reaffirm our commitment to the "core principles" of the Compact adn to the standards of the national Compact. We will then produce a short annual statement in which statutory and voluntary sector partners will each report on how the Compact has helped shape their work in the past year – and how it will inform their work in the coming year. The Borough Council and the Chief Officers’ Information Network each seem pleased with this approach. The next stage is to identify the core Compact principles! How hard can it be?
In the evening, Jackie and I returned to our folk dancing - such fun.
Nationally, Compact has forced many thousands of voluntary and statutory sector managers to spend many thousand hours together negotiating thousands of Codes of Practice. This process has, arguably, been beneficial in bringing people together: jaw jaw, after all, is better than war war.
But the world has moved on: where relationships are strong they have outgrown the limited scope of Compact; where relationships flounder they require something stronger than Compact to move things forward.
In Watford, I believe relations have moved beyond the ambition of Compact. We are now discussing quite detailed strategies for community development, quality assurance, volunteering, etc. Don't misunderstand me: it’s important to still have Compact, but it needs to underpin relationships not dominate them: if we are discussing Compact, we aren’t discussing more important things.
What we are discussin in Watford is a new approach to Compact. Instead of developing new local Codes of Practice (no-one has the time) we will instead reaffirm our commitment to the "core principles" of the Compact adn to the standards of the national Compact. We will then produce a short annual statement in which statutory and voluntary sector partners will each report on how the Compact has helped shape their work in the past year – and how it will inform their work in the coming year. The Borough Council and the Chief Officers’ Information Network each seem pleased with this approach. The next stage is to identify the core Compact principles! How hard can it be?
In the evening, Jackie and I returned to our folk dancing - such fun.
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
This morning I received a glossy certificate telling me that I have passed the ReaLM course that caused me such grief during the early part of this year. I can’t work up any sense of achievement from this.
The Herts CVS group met this morning in Hertsmere. We were joined by HCC Cllr Richard Roberts, who has a keen interest in the voluntary sector, to discuss Hertfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy. He did a good job of explaining funding constraints and our discussions focused on the quality of relationships. Inevitably in only an hour, the discussion barely rose above the anecdotal but it was a good start to the dialogue.
Otherwise, the CVS group had very discussions on volunteering, fundraising, the Children’s Trust Partnership, Compact, social inclusion, health inequalities, LAA reward monies, and the Herts CVS Chairs’ network.
Hertsmere CVS is in the process of merging with the Hertsmere Community Partnership. The HCP operate a “Community Shop” in Borehamwood and it was here that we met. Too often, charity mergers are about reducing costs rather than long-term sustainability, but this merger is based on a sound analysis of local options and I hope it works well.
Back at Watford, I held discussions about WCVS’s own foray into community buildings: our engagement with the Holywell Centre. There is so much work to undertake and I am talking to people who I think can help us gather together sufficient information and views in order to take some decisions.
In the evening I perused the BNP members list that has mysteriously appeared on the internet and saw maybe 250 members from across Hertfordshire. The membership comprises a predictable mixture of the uniform-obsessed, delusional new age fantasists, thugs, the lost and the lonely. Some commentators have said you need a heart of stone not to laugh. It is difficult to predict the long-term impact this leak might have on far-right organisations: is it possible that the BNP’s middle-class membership will follow Max Moseley and stand resolute perhaps turning the BNP into a “respectable” party under the mantel of martyrdom? I suspect it is more likely that the middle-class membership will leave in droves – but what then for those left behind?
But there are also important questions for the rest of us: how should we react if we learn that our local teacher / school governor / scout master / priest / Green Party candidate is a member of a racist political organisation?
The Herts CVS group met this morning in Hertsmere. We were joined by HCC Cllr Richard Roberts, who has a keen interest in the voluntary sector, to discuss Hertfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy. He did a good job of explaining funding constraints and our discussions focused on the quality of relationships. Inevitably in only an hour, the discussion barely rose above the anecdotal but it was a good start to the dialogue.
Otherwise, the CVS group had very discussions on volunteering, fundraising, the Children’s Trust Partnership, Compact, social inclusion, health inequalities, LAA reward monies, and the Herts CVS Chairs’ network.
Hertsmere CVS is in the process of merging with the Hertsmere Community Partnership. The HCP operate a “Community Shop” in Borehamwood and it was here that we met. Too often, charity mergers are about reducing costs rather than long-term sustainability, but this merger is based on a sound analysis of local options and I hope it works well.
Back at Watford, I held discussions about WCVS’s own foray into community buildings: our engagement with the Holywell Centre. There is so much work to undertake and I am talking to people who I think can help us gather together sufficient information and views in order to take some decisions.
In the evening I perused the BNP members list that has mysteriously appeared on the internet and saw maybe 250 members from across Hertfordshire. The membership comprises a predictable mixture of the uniform-obsessed, delusional new age fantasists, thugs, the lost and the lonely. Some commentators have said you need a heart of stone not to laugh. It is difficult to predict the long-term impact this leak might have on far-right organisations: is it possible that the BNP’s middle-class membership will follow Max Moseley and stand resolute perhaps turning the BNP into a “respectable” party under the mantel of martyrdom? I suspect it is more likely that the middle-class membership will leave in droves – but what then for those left behind?
But there are also important questions for the rest of us: how should we react if we learn that our local teacher / school governor / scout master / priest / Green Party candidate is a member of a racist political organisation?
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
After a horrid journey into work, I hurried off to the Community Housing Trust for a meeting of the Chief Officers' Information Network. This network offers senior charity sector staff an opportunity to contribute to local policy-making. We were joined by Emma Gadsby (who supports the One Watford LSP) and we had a very helpful and positive meeting.
Then I headed straight off to “Apsley 2” (Orwellian in name and design) where I met with the community panel supporting and advising on our BME Advocacy contract. This was another very productive and well-natured meeting. In two days I have now enjoyed four very productive and helpful meetings. What other delights might this week hold?
After previous references to my road accident near St Albans, I have today received an insurance claim from a third person claiming to be suffering from whiplash after the accident - but I was only travelling at about 15 miles an hour and there were only two people in the other car. Sometimes the world is very depressing.
Then I headed straight off to “Apsley 2” (Orwellian in name and design) where I met with the community panel supporting and advising on our BME Advocacy contract. This was another very productive and well-natured meeting. In two days I have now enjoyed four very productive and helpful meetings. What other delights might this week hold?
After previous references to my road accident near St Albans, I have today received an insurance claim from a third person claiming to be suffering from whiplash after the accident - but I was only travelling at about 15 miles an hour and there were only two people in the other car. Sometimes the world is very depressing.
Monday, 17 November 2008
While I should really have been attending the Annual Conference of the Hertfordshire Community Foundation, I was instead hosting a first meeting of the Watford Community Fund panel. What’s this? This is a new group we have set up to oversee allocations from the Grassroots Grants programme, solicit contributions to the Endowment Challenge, and improve the co-ordination of local grant programmes.
The panel comprises two representatives each from the voluntary sector elected at our AGM (the delightful Althea McLean OBE and Rukhsana Butt); two private sector representatives (chosen by the LSP: Jo Undrell from the John Lewis Partnership and Nicola Ferriday from Myers Clark); and two statutory sector (also chosen by the LSP: Peter Wright from the PCT and Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Watford - or as I wrote on the agenda: Major of Watford).
It was an excellent meeting: I think this panel will be a great asset for Watford's future.
After the meeting, Mayor Dorothy stayed on to meet with myself and Lesley Palumbo (WBC’s new Head of Community Services) about our Basis programme and future co-operation and collaboration. It was another extremely fruitful discussion.
Watford: centre of the world?
Through the day, I had three calls asking is it true that Barack Obama was coming to Watford. Late in October, a well-known London-based Obama campaigner was supposed to come to Watford to talk to our One World forum. The date agreed clashed with the last televised debate between Obama and McCain and our speaker had to cancel to attend a fundraising dinner in London. She was very gracious and I said I would forgive her if she got President Obama to visit Watford. Naturally, I wrote here about this invitation.
Leap forward one month and ... Barack Obama has been elected, Britain is taking over as Chair of the G20 group and the next G20 meeting is announced to be at ... The Grove in Watford. Some people think that I might have had a hand in this. Naturally I have declined to comment.
The panel comprises two representatives each from the voluntary sector elected at our AGM (the delightful Althea McLean OBE and Rukhsana Butt); two private sector representatives (chosen by the LSP: Jo Undrell from the John Lewis Partnership and Nicola Ferriday from Myers Clark); and two statutory sector (also chosen by the LSP: Peter Wright from the PCT and Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Watford - or as I wrote on the agenda: Major of Watford).
It was an excellent meeting: I think this panel will be a great asset for Watford's future.
After the meeting, Mayor Dorothy stayed on to meet with myself and Lesley Palumbo (WBC’s new Head of Community Services) about our Basis programme and future co-operation and collaboration. It was another extremely fruitful discussion.
Watford: centre of the world?
Through the day, I had three calls asking is it true that Barack Obama was coming to Watford. Late in October, a well-known London-based Obama campaigner was supposed to come to Watford to talk to our One World forum. The date agreed clashed with the last televised debate between Obama and McCain and our speaker had to cancel to attend a fundraising dinner in London. She was very gracious and I said I would forgive her if she got President Obama to visit Watford. Naturally, I wrote here about this invitation.
Leap forward one month and ... Barack Obama has been elected, Britain is taking over as Chair of the G20 group and the next G20 meeting is announced to be at ... The Grove in Watford. Some people think that I might have had a hand in this. Naturally I have declined to comment.
Sunday, 16 November 2008
Jackie and I enjoyed a quiet day with family.
The G20 communiqué on the recession from the world’s leaders is a predictably nebulous self-serving crock of ...
Recent reading (I know you’re interested)
Tars – the Men who made Britain Rule the Waves tells the story of the eighteenth century seamen who helped establish Britain’s naval supremacy. Tim Clayton offers a brilliantly researched and masterful account of the Seven Years War and particularly the little-known (by me, anyway) 1762 siege of Havana.
Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner was rather less impressive. It purports to uncover “the hidden side of everything” but does no such thing. The book relies on statistics rather than economics and offers little insight. The book began as six articles in the New York Times magazine and it shows.
CounterKnowledge by Damian Thompson was an analysis of when and how it again became possible to believe in blatant untruths such as creationism or that the CIA destroyed the twin towers. Thompson blames the internet for the re-emergence of conspiracy theories. But this is only part of the story: somewhere along the line it also became acceptable to tell blatant lies and many people now habitually and consistently lie for financial gain, to jump a queue, to gain preferential treatment, or to escape censure.
The G20 communiqué on the recession from the world’s leaders is a predictably nebulous self-serving crock of ...
Recent reading (I know you’re interested)
Tars – the Men who made Britain Rule the Waves tells the story of the eighteenth century seamen who helped establish Britain’s naval supremacy. Tim Clayton offers a brilliantly researched and masterful account of the Seven Years War and particularly the little-known (by me, anyway) 1762 siege of Havana.
Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner was rather less impressive. It purports to uncover “the hidden side of everything” but does no such thing. The book relies on statistics rather than economics and offers little insight. The book began as six articles in the New York Times magazine and it shows.
CounterKnowledge by Damian Thompson was an analysis of when and how it again became possible to believe in blatant untruths such as creationism or that the CIA destroyed the twin towers. Thompson blames the internet for the re-emergence of conspiracy theories. But this is only part of the story: somewhere along the line it also became acceptable to tell blatant lies and many people now habitually and consistently lie for financial gain, to jump a queue, to gain preferential treatment, or to escape censure.
Saturday, 15 November 2008
A week after my first attempt, I drove to Brighton to help my son Bobby move back to London. After the summer, he plans to abandon Blighty for a year or two and live in New York. With the exciting prospect of a change of city and a Barack Obama Presidency, who can blame him?
Friday, 14 November 2008
I spent this morning working at home and at lunchtime journeyed into London for a meeting at the Disability Law Centre. Linda and I agreed to exchange policies: our one on whistleblowing for DLS’s on conflicts of interest.
Back in Hertfordshire, Jackie and I went to the Watford Palace Theatre to see their centenary Milestones production which uses exclusively volunteer performers (including Anne and Vanessa from CVS) to celebrate Watford’s history and diversity. I don’t want to be a craven lovey but the production was absolutely marvellous. Unfortunately, this week’s edition of the Watford Observer brings news that the Palace Theatre faces financial difficulties. But the Theatre seems to be responding positively to the challenge and strengthening its links to the community. Let’s hope the community rallies round.
Back in Hertfordshire, Jackie and I went to the Watford Palace Theatre to see their centenary Milestones production which uses exclusively volunteer performers (including Anne and Vanessa from CVS) to celebrate Watford’s history and diversity. I don’t want to be a craven lovey but the production was absolutely marvellous. Unfortunately, this week’s edition of the Watford Observer brings news that the Palace Theatre faces financial difficulties. But the Theatre seems to be responding positively to the challenge and strengthening its links to the community. Let’s hope the community rallies round.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
At Hatfield’s Fielder Centre this morning, there was a first meeting to establish a statutory-voluntary group to help co-ordinate county-wide activity on National Indicators 4, 6 and 7. But after a week’s absence I had to give priority to returning to Watford and it was good to be back: everything is moving forward but at slightly different speeds and things needed a little tweaking to ensure they don’t start diverging and conflicting.
That old potato
My trustees’ meeting went well. Most helpfully, Phil Willerton of the YMCA was co-opted back onto the Board. We also discussed board development, strategic planning, partnership with other CVSs, fundraising, our engagement with the Holywell Centre, and membership. The notion of membership must cause groans throughout every CVS in the land. It’s not that we don’t like members; we love them. It is just that there are an infinite number of policy options, few of which seem to make much difference to the number of actual members. This time we have tackled the issue by drawing a distinction between “members” (this has a very specific meaning for a limited company) and affiliates. We shall see ...
That old potato
My trustees’ meeting went well. Most helpfully, Phil Willerton of the YMCA was co-opted back onto the Board. We also discussed board development, strategic planning, partnership with other CVSs, fundraising, our engagement with the Holywell Centre, and membership. The notion of membership must cause groans throughout every CVS in the land. It’s not that we don’t like members; we love them. It is just that there are an infinite number of policy options, few of which seem to make much difference to the number of actual members. This time we have tackled the issue by drawing a distinction between “members” (this has a very specific meaning for a limited company) and affiliates. We shall see ...
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
I spent a last day at home collecting a hire car and researching health, public engagement and communications theory.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
My own private hell
With no means of transport, I spent a miserable day at home researching options for buying a car. This was my own private hell: I have no knowledge about cars, no preferences, no interest and no money. In desperation I spoke again to the garage and it appears after all that there may be some way of fixing my current Wagon-R. Thank goodness; now I can stop looking at hateful car adverts.
Instead, I prepared papers for Thursday’s trustees meeting. I have meanwhile heard positive reports from last night’s meeting of the Community Arts Network where there was general support for the idea of a community arts event next summer. But if any event is to take place, this general support quickly needs to resolve itself into a plan of action.
With no means of transport, I spent a miserable day at home researching options for buying a car. This was my own private hell: I have no knowledge about cars, no preferences, no interest and no money. In desperation I spoke again to the garage and it appears after all that there may be some way of fixing my current Wagon-R. Thank goodness; now I can stop looking at hateful car adverts.
Instead, I prepared papers for Thursday’s trustees meeting. I have meanwhile heard positive reports from last night’s meeting of the Community Arts Network where there was general support for the idea of a community arts event next summer. But if any event is to take place, this general support quickly needs to resolve itself into a plan of action.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Instead of driving to Watford, I am stuck at home trying to sort out car problems. After two hours on the telephone to insurers and the AA and garages, the car is delivered into the tender care of mechanics and I get some work done catching up on nearly a week’s e-mails.
At 5:30 pm I received a call from a mechanic who told me that my beautiful Wagon-R is “beyond economic repair”. His brief explanation involved something about an engine block and a drive shaft. There is some small glimmer of hope, but basically it seems as if I will be looking for a new car. Again. Since starting this blog eighteen months ago, I have killed three cars including two in the last month. Is it me?
At 5:30 pm I received a call from a mechanic who told me that my beautiful Wagon-R is “beyond economic repair”. His brief explanation involved something about an engine block and a drive shaft. There is some small glimmer of hope, but basically it seems as if I will be looking for a new car. Again. Since starting this blog eighteen months ago, I have killed three cars including two in the last month. Is it me?
Sunday, 9 November 2008
We are visited by family and friends, who all offer their sympathy for the car that sits uselessly outside our house.
Saturday, 8 November 2008
After an early breakfast, I left Jackie at home and drove to Walthamstow for Angelo’s wedding. It was good to see him without talking about computers.
I excused myself at 12:00 noon as I had to drive to Brighton to pick up Bobby who is moving back to London. Escaping from London is easier said than done and I encountered multiple road works, torrential down pours, flash floods (or very large puddles – where do you draw the line?) and the William Morris Gallery. By 3:30 pm, I was safely on my way down the M23 toward Brighton.
A little while later, the engine cut out. I really don’t have a good history with cars. By 5:00 pm the AA had blamed the problem on a faulty oil pressure switch and offered me a lift home to Hertfordshire. I got home about 7:00 pm having wasted the best part of another day with no benefit. Bobby was very understanding and Jackie tried her best to soothe me but if truth be told I was frustrated and pretty cross.
Then we watched the Festival of Remembrance event at the Royal Albert Hall. It was so beautiful and moving and soon helped put things back in perspective. Only toward the end did I remember that my Mum was at the festival proudly wearing my Dad’s campaign medals.
I excused myself at 12:00 noon as I had to drive to Brighton to pick up Bobby who is moving back to London. Escaping from London is easier said than done and I encountered multiple road works, torrential down pours, flash floods (or very large puddles – where do you draw the line?) and the William Morris Gallery. By 3:30 pm, I was safely on my way down the M23 toward Brighton.
A little while later, the engine cut out. I really don’t have a good history with cars. By 5:00 pm the AA had blamed the problem on a faulty oil pressure switch and offered me a lift home to Hertfordshire. I got home about 7:00 pm having wasted the best part of another day with no benefit. Bobby was very understanding and Jackie tried her best to soothe me but if truth be told I was frustrated and pretty cross.
Then we watched the Festival of Remembrance event at the Royal Albert Hall. It was so beautiful and moving and soon helped put things back in perspective. Only toward the end did I remember that my Mum was at the festival proudly wearing my Dad’s campaign medals.
Friday, 7 November 2008
I spent this morning at Hatfield’s Fielder Centre for the Hertfordshire Forward annual conference. This was all very good.
I spent the afternoon at home working on further papers and policy proposals.
I spent the afternoon at home working on further papers and policy proposals.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Jackie was scheduled to have an operation today and as she wasn’t supposed to eat after 7:00 we rose at 6:00 for breakfast. We arrived at the hospital at 9:00 after which time Jackie was not allowed to drink. At 11:00 she was asked to change into one of those stupid gowns. At 1:00 she was asked to don surgical stockings (very fetching). At 6:00 in the evening we were told the operation was cancelled. Jackie took it remarkably well.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
After the excitement of the US election, David Fitzpatrick arrived at this morning’s meeting with celebratory coffee and cakes. Good chap.
There are also some good people at Capacitybuilders and the ChangeUp programme has some laudable aims. But it is hard to think of a recent government policy initiative where implementation has been more comprehensively botched. New CEO Matt Leach will certainly have his work cut out.
Large sums of money were initially made available with little time to think through sustainable strategies. In Hertfordshire, we had overcome these problems and up to six months ago our consortium was broad, inclusive, growing and beginning to make genuine gains: the step change in quality support that ChangeUp envisaged. But then Capacitybuilders arbitrarily (and as far as I know without consultation) reduced core funding for the Consortium. Then they pooh-poohed our carefully planned programme proposals. The Consortium has been reduced to a shadow of its former self – a barebones consortium comprising a core of groups with a strong commitment to joined-up working and the wherewithal to sustain their engagement. Jacquie Hime (of N Herts CVS, the Lead Body for funding) and Ian Richardson (Consortium Chair) are doing an excellent job try to hold the centre. Capacitybuilders agreed to fund just one project in Hertfordshire – and this transformed from our original proposals. Of course we did bid for the revised project and any funding has to be good, but it is hard to escape the feeling that Capacitybuilders somehow foisted the project on us.
This morning I travelled to Letchworth to discuss how this one project can best be delivered. The project is to support twenty front-line organisations to develop ICT strategies plus a few additional outcomes, and for this we receive £50k pa and Capacitybuilders want this to be sustainable through a new social enterprise. Is it sustainable to expect front-line voluntary organisations to spend £2,500 getting advice on their ICT strategies? We will see.
There are also some good people at Capacitybuilders and the ChangeUp programme has some laudable aims. But it is hard to think of a recent government policy initiative where implementation has been more comprehensively botched. New CEO Matt Leach will certainly have his work cut out.
Large sums of money were initially made available with little time to think through sustainable strategies. In Hertfordshire, we had overcome these problems and up to six months ago our consortium was broad, inclusive, growing and beginning to make genuine gains: the step change in quality support that ChangeUp envisaged. But then Capacitybuilders arbitrarily (and as far as I know without consultation) reduced core funding for the Consortium. Then they pooh-poohed our carefully planned programme proposals. The Consortium has been reduced to a shadow of its former self – a barebones consortium comprising a core of groups with a strong commitment to joined-up working and the wherewithal to sustain their engagement. Jacquie Hime (of N Herts CVS, the Lead Body for funding) and Ian Richardson (Consortium Chair) are doing an excellent job try to hold the centre. Capacitybuilders agreed to fund just one project in Hertfordshire – and this transformed from our original proposals. Of course we did bid for the revised project and any funding has to be good, but it is hard to escape the feeling that Capacitybuilders somehow foisted the project on us.
This morning I travelled to Letchworth to discuss how this one project can best be delivered. The project is to support twenty front-line organisations to develop ICT strategies plus a few additional outcomes, and for this we receive £50k pa and Capacitybuilders want this to be sustainable through a new social enterprise. Is it sustainable to expect front-line voluntary organisations to spend £2,500 getting advice on their ICT strategies? We will see.
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
I earmarked today to compile and mail papers for next week’s trustee meeting. In the morning I met with my Treasurer and then I had to deal with various domestic WCVS matters and only really began compiling the papers late in the afternoon. I finally e-mailed papers off at about 10:30 pm and arrived home in time to watch coverage of the US Presidential election.
Elections have always fascinated me – not least as they are the one time when We The People can hold our political masters to account. It is true that an election is a blunt and heavy weapon rather than a surgically precise instrument. But tonight it was thoroughly exhilarating to see The Will Of The People asserted in such a plain and positive and powerful way.
What next, I wonder?
Elections have always fascinated me – not least as they are the one time when We The People can hold our political masters to account. It is true that an election is a blunt and heavy weapon rather than a surgically precise instrument. But tonight it was thoroughly exhilarating to see The Will Of The People asserted in such a plain and positive and powerful way.
What next, I wonder?
Monday, 3 November 2008
Today was full of bits and pieces: a flurry of meetings and telephone calls and e-mails and discussions and enquiries.
I received a copy of What Makes a Successful Local Compact which includes lots of references to Hertfordshire. I met with the PCT to discuss a project which we are undertaking for them. I wrote to other Herts CVSs forestalling any slight drift toward co-ordinating certain employment terms and conditions: once we start going down that route I know very well where it will end!
I talked with a local group currently beset by conflict. The voluntary sector is indeed a many splendoured thing. But we are human and so occasionally disputes arise; these are very often easily resolved but people have to be ready to resolve them - and sometimes people aren’t quite ready.
I received a copy of What Makes a Successful Local Compact which includes lots of references to Hertfordshire. I met with the PCT to discuss a project which we are undertaking for them. I wrote to other Herts CVSs forestalling any slight drift toward co-ordinating certain employment terms and conditions: once we start going down that route I know very well where it will end!
I talked with a local group currently beset by conflict. The voluntary sector is indeed a many splendoured thing. But we are human and so occasionally disputes arise; these are very often easily resolved but people have to be ready to resolve them - and sometimes people aren’t quite ready.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Jackie and I spent enjoyed another day devoted to pre-Christmas baking - and tasting our Sloe Gin. On television we watched Night Train to Munich with the very funny Charters and Caldicott.
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Jackie and I spent the morning gardening and the afternoon baking together. This was great fun. In the evening, we drove to the Red House (at Longstowe near Wimpole Hall) to hear a friend of ours singing – she still has a lovely and distinctive voice but she needed different backing musicians.
Friday, 31 October 2008
I met this morning with my Chair of Trustees, Pam Handley. CEOs face lots of difficult situations / choices and everyone falters occasionally so it is invaluable to talk things through with someone whose judgment you trust. Today we talked through job evaluations, volunteering, accommodation, membership, funding, networks and governance. Pam listened, considered and advised in perfect proportion – like all good Chairpeople, she is the steady hand on her CEO's occasionally wayward tiller.
In the evening, Jackie and I played Scrabble, enjoyed Have I Got News For You and agreed that Ian Hislop is the Greatest Living Englishman.
In the evening, Jackie and I played Scrabble, enjoyed Have I Got News For You and agreed that Ian Hislop is the Greatest Living Englishman.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
I met with Lyn Telford and Phil Willerton about the forthcoming meeting of the Watford Learning Partnership - we particularly discussed the need to link WLP’s activities more clearly to the LSP.
In the afternoon, I travelled to Apsley to meet with Mohamed Fawzi and Tim Edwards to discuss our Youth Connexions contract. Our previous contract manager left Connexions in the summer since when we have lacked support and direction. This meeting helped nudge us back into the mainstream.
Back at home, Jackie’s delicate ankle meant we had to cancel our evening folk dancing.
In the afternoon, I travelled to Apsley to meet with Mohamed Fawzi and Tim Edwards to discuss our Youth Connexions contract. Our previous contract manager left Connexions in the summer since when we have lacked support and direction. This meeting helped nudge us back into the mainstream.
Back at home, Jackie’s delicate ankle meant we had to cancel our evening folk dancing.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Last night’s weather left our street covered in thick frozen snow. First I saw Jackie in her nightgown and my hat going to scape snow off the chicken coop and feed the chickens before bringing me breakfast in bed. I am horribly spoilt. Then I saw cars slipping and sliding and I worried that I wouldn’t be able to drive to work. But beyond the icy micro-climate of our immediate neighbourhood the roads weren’t so bad.
But nowadays, many people automatically return to bed when they see snow and had today’s county-wide conference not been cancelled, I am sure it would have been a disaster. Perhaps the cancellation was for the best after all. In any event, the cancellation left me with a free day and I spent this with Angelo talking about our current and future IT needs.
World gone mad
On returning home about 8:00 pm, I heard from the passenger of the car I bumped into at about 12 mph last Wednesday. His solicitor claims that his client is suffering from serious stress and whiplash and has accordingly lost substantial earnings. How can people debase and humiliate themselves in this way? I forward everything to my insurance company in the sure knowledge that they will do a deal. One day, people will look back wonder why we let it all happen.
The world faces a huge crisis and trillions of dollars are set aside for banks now become charities while at CABs across the country funding for specialist debt advisors has been cut. Economic orthodoxy is turned on its head and Labour is reluctantly nationalising the commanding heights of the economy. There’s a war in the Middle East, a continuing humanitarian crisis in Africa, and an election in America. Yet politicians and the media focus (solely and gleefully) on the far greater crisis surrounding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. Is it me?
But nowadays, many people automatically return to bed when they see snow and had today’s county-wide conference not been cancelled, I am sure it would have been a disaster. Perhaps the cancellation was for the best after all. In any event, the cancellation left me with a free day and I spent this with Angelo talking about our current and future IT needs.
World gone mad
On returning home about 8:00 pm, I heard from the passenger of the car I bumped into at about 12 mph last Wednesday. His solicitor claims that his client is suffering from serious stress and whiplash and has accordingly lost substantial earnings. How can people debase and humiliate themselves in this way? I forward everything to my insurance company in the sure knowledge that they will do a deal. One day, people will look back wonder why we let it all happen.
The world faces a huge crisis and trillions of dollars are set aside for banks now become charities while at CABs across the country funding for specialist debt advisors has been cut. Economic orthodoxy is turned on its head and Labour is reluctantly nationalising the commanding heights of the economy. There’s a war in the Middle East, a continuing humanitarian crisis in Africa, and an election in America. Yet politicians and the media focus (solely and gleefully) on the far greater crisis surrounding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. Is it me?
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
I met this morning with the Carers in Herts users group and CEO Sue Reeves to discuss user involvement in quality assurance, governance, etc. The meeting was very well organised and there was a high level of understanding and engagement. It was a real pleasure to be involved and I hope I helped ease things along.
After an afternoon at WCVS, I arrived home in Welwyn Garden City as heavy snow started to fall. Poor Aged Ken (our decrepit white cat) already has navigating his way around the garden. Tonight, he looked utterly dejected having to go out in the snow despite being perfectly camouflaged. One look from him said that he found it very undignified and that he held me personally responsible.
After an afternoon at WCVS, I arrived home in Welwyn Garden City as heavy snow started to fall. Poor Aged Ken (our decrepit white cat) already has navigating his way around the garden. Tonight, he looked utterly dejected having to go out in the snow despite being perfectly camouflaged. One look from him said that he found it very undignified and that he held me personally responsible.
Monday, 27 October 2008
This morning, I had a brief discussion with Maria and Sha-Lee about WCVS's marketing and promotion. One of our trustees, the admirable Ian Stageman, has offered to help us think things through and this is an offer we intend to accept with enthusiasm.
Gayle Williams was buried today in Afghanistan. I hold no candle for any religion (interesting choice of words) but it doesn’t matter to me what Gayle believed or what she preached: that some people will kill for the sake of religion seems to me utterly bizarre. In this, and too many other instances around the world and across all faiths, I simply cannot construct a coherent rational model of what the killers thought or believed. This set me thinking about the relationship between fundamentalist faith and mental well-being: someone should do some research.
Gayle Williams was buried today in Afghanistan. I hold no candle for any religion (interesting choice of words) but it doesn’t matter to me what Gayle believed or what she preached: that some people will kill for the sake of religion seems to me utterly bizarre. In this, and too many other instances around the world and across all faiths, I simply cannot construct a coherent rational model of what the killers thought or believed. This set me thinking about the relationship between fundamentalist faith and mental well-being: someone should do some research.
Sunday, 26 October 2009
After cleaning out the chickens, I spent today making Christmas cakes. Of course I washed my hands first and I cooked only under Jackie’s close supervision.
In the evening I completed Crime on Her Mind – an anthology of early female detective writing compiled by Michele B Slung. I also read Kevin Goldstein-Jackson’s 1973 masterpiece Right Joke Right Occasion which provides an excellent snapshot of pre-punk British humour. It's a curious experience reading jokes from your childhood: very few have stood the test of time although I quite enjoyed:
- Mum, there’s a man at the door with a bill.
- Don’t be silly dear, it must be a duck wearing a hat.
I also recently read Of All the Bloody Cheek by Frank McAuliffe, a 1960 parody of the James Bond format with the twist that the central character is just a paid assassin. I think that Tim Dowling’s awkwardly titled novel The Giles Wareing Haters’ Club may have been written as a parody of Bridget Jones, with the twist that the central character is actually a man.
In the evening I completed Crime on Her Mind – an anthology of early female detective writing compiled by Michele B Slung. I also read Kevin Goldstein-Jackson’s 1973 masterpiece Right Joke Right Occasion which provides an excellent snapshot of pre-punk British humour. It's a curious experience reading jokes from your childhood: very few have stood the test of time although I quite enjoyed:
- Mum, there’s a man at the door with a bill.
- Don’t be silly dear, it must be a duck wearing a hat.
I also recently read Of All the Bloody Cheek by Frank McAuliffe, a 1960 parody of the James Bond format with the twist that the central character is just a paid assassin. I think that Tim Dowling’s awkwardly titled novel The Giles Wareing Haters’ Club may have been written as a parody of Bridget Jones, with the twist that the central character is actually a man.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
I heard today from the driver of the car I bumped into at about 12 mph last Wednesday. His paid whore of a solicitor claims that his client’s car suffered substantial damage, and that his client has had to hire another car, is suffering from serious stress and whiplash and has accordingly lost substantial earnings. How can people debase and humiliate themselves in this fashion? I forwarded everything to my insurance company in the melancholic knowledge that they will "do a deal".
More heartening was a visit from my intrepid mum who told us about her recent solo trip to India. And I finally visited the barbers as I was beginning to look a little too much like Worzel Gummidge. And Harry Redknapp took over as manager at Tottenham Hotspur.
More heartening was a visit from my intrepid mum who told us about her recent solo trip to India. And I finally visited the barbers as I was beginning to look a little too much like Worzel Gummidge. And Harry Redknapp took over as manager at Tottenham Hotspur.
Friday, 24 October 2008
I spent the morning slowly ticking off long-outstanding tasks: trawling through several hundred e-mails bearing those little red flags that indicate a reply is needed. In the afternoon I met with our Youth Connexions PAs and talked about future plans for our services.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
After a busy day in the office, I welcomed Michael Lassman of Equality Edge to WCVS to meet with members of the Watford One World forum on their future priorities.
Meanwhile, I attended One Watford’s evening consultation on revisions to the Community Plan. We saw the finished vox pop DVD on Watford and heard various speakers from the One Watford LSP.
Through initial discussions, the One Watford LSP has identified six priority tasks to create: a well-planned town with homes to suit all needs, a safer town, a healthy town, a prosperous and educated town, a town that protects its environment and heritage, a well-informed community where everyone can contribute. I ended up speaking on the theme of a well-planned town.
The event was well attended and there were some lively discussions as people talked through the themes and the individual priorities within the themes. The meeting was hosted by elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill who spoke eloquently on Watford and its people. It is a subject on which she feels great passion and she manages to communicate this passion very well: she can be quite magnificent like a fully rigged galleon running before the trade winds. Tonight she was not even ruffled by the (temporary) loss of her glasses.
I have always admired the raw democracy of the town meetings of ancient Greece or eighteenth century American. Tonight’s meeting felt very egalitarian, honest, charming and human: but it is only one stage in the overall process of revising the local plan.
Taking part in discussions on Watford’s future meant that I once again missed out on folk dancing in Welwyn – a small price to pay for a healthy local democracy.
Meanwhile, I attended One Watford’s evening consultation on revisions to the Community Plan. We saw the finished vox pop DVD on Watford and heard various speakers from the One Watford LSP.
Through initial discussions, the One Watford LSP has identified six priority tasks to create: a well-planned town with homes to suit all needs, a safer town, a healthy town, a prosperous and educated town, a town that protects its environment and heritage, a well-informed community where everyone can contribute. I ended up speaking on the theme of a well-planned town.
The event was well attended and there were some lively discussions as people talked through the themes and the individual priorities within the themes. The meeting was hosted by elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill who spoke eloquently on Watford and its people. It is a subject on which she feels great passion and she manages to communicate this passion very well: she can be quite magnificent like a fully rigged galleon running before the trade winds. Tonight she was not even ruffled by the (temporary) loss of her glasses.
I have always admired the raw democracy of the town meetings of ancient Greece or eighteenth century American. Tonight’s meeting felt very egalitarian, honest, charming and human: but it is only one stage in the overall process of revising the local plan.
Taking part in discussions on Watford’s future meant that I once again missed out on folk dancing in Welwyn – a small price to pay for a healthy local democracy.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
There was a meeting this morning to put the finishing touches to planning for the 29 October conference on NI7: creating the environment for a thriving third sector in Hertfordshire. I had spent some months (off and on, obviously) attending meetings to help organise this, and we had lined up speakers and contributors from the Compact Commission, the Office of the Third Sector, Compact Voice, Compact Advocacy and NAVCA’s excellent Public Law Project. I felt I had contributed about as much as I could to the event and I sent a note to the meeting about the outstanding work while I attended a meeting of the Watford Community Sports Network. A short while after returning from the Sports Network I learned that this morning’s meeting took the decision to pull the plug on the county-wide 29 October conference.
I am not absolutely sure why. It is true that bookings are not quite as high as we would have wished, but there is a good spread of people attending (including from the PCTs who are just beginning to re-engage with Compact) and there is still a week to go and much can be achieved in a week. We are still a speaker short but I cannot imagine many people complaining if the conference ended 30 minutes early. I suspect the real reason behind the decision is a general non-specific feeling that more needs to be done to pave the way for a conference where success is assured. Maybe.
In any event, I had the curious job of writing out to speakers and attendees advising them of the cancellation, without myself properly understanding the reason for the cancellation. It’s surprising how quickly work can be “undone”. It has taken months of quite difficult and painstaking work to put the conference together (such as it was) but it took only about 90 minutes to send out all the e-mails advising everyone of the cancellation.
This done, the day’s shocks were still not over. I met with Sarah Pinnock, WBC’s senior grants officer, to learn that she is considering a move to new pastures. Of course things must change, but it is sad that Watford will lose someone with so much knowledgeable and experience. If she goes, I will miss her hugely.
I am not absolutely sure why. It is true that bookings are not quite as high as we would have wished, but there is a good spread of people attending (including from the PCTs who are just beginning to re-engage with Compact) and there is still a week to go and much can be achieved in a week. We are still a speaker short but I cannot imagine many people complaining if the conference ended 30 minutes early. I suspect the real reason behind the decision is a general non-specific feeling that more needs to be done to pave the way for a conference where success is assured. Maybe.
In any event, I had the curious job of writing out to speakers and attendees advising them of the cancellation, without myself properly understanding the reason for the cancellation. It’s surprising how quickly work can be “undone”. It has taken months of quite difficult and painstaking work to put the conference together (such as it was) but it took only about 90 minutes to send out all the e-mails advising everyone of the cancellation.
This done, the day’s shocks were still not over. I met with Sarah Pinnock, WBC’s senior grants officer, to learn that she is considering a move to new pastures. Of course things must change, but it is sad that Watford will lose someone with so much knowledgeable and experience. If she goes, I will miss her hugely.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
I did consider attending the AGM of Cover (the regional voluntary sector agency for the East of England) but it is a long journey and I had more local concerns.
Helen Price and I met for a talk about volunteering and the possible creation of a Good Neighbours scheme in Watford. At a national level, the resources for volunteering are few and the future looks increasingly bleak. V-base is the national database solution and I think there are considerable difficulties with this application. The V-base people consulted Volunteer Centres about paying for the software licenses and they found Volunteer Centres predictably opposed to this. V-base are sensitive to this and now say they will instead charge a “V-base membership fee” to cover licensing, support, training and development. It is not clear how Volunteer Centres will notice a difference between the two approaches – or indeed why they were consulted in the first place.
Our local concern is not to prove WB Yeats’s observation that “things fall apart, the centre cannot hold”. Our concern is very specific: how best to deploy our very limited resources in Watford to promote volunteering and support our member organisations. It seems very unlikely that the answer to this will involve paying for the uncertain pleasure of sharing volunteering data with another organisation.
Watford
Watford holds a unique position in post-modernist uber-ironic Britain. Some regard Watford with indifference and scorn as the epitome of suburban small-town middle-England: hard-working, practical, slightly puritanical, minding our own business, rubbing along, muddling through, getting on with our lives. Other’s regard Watford with familiar affection as the epitome of suburban small-town middle-England: hard-working, practical, slightly puritanical, minding our own business, rubbing along, muddling through, getting on with our lives.
There is a narrow path across the no-man’s land between these two opposing world views. Two steps to one side Watford is a national joke. Two steps to the other we are a national icon. I think Watford quietly rejoices in the ambiguity.
This evening I attended a meeting of Watford’s Scrutiny Committee which considered how best to promote civic pride in Watford. The answer is not that we should aspire to be a national icon; teh answer is that we must revel in our ambiguous twi-light status.
Helen Price and I met for a talk about volunteering and the possible creation of a Good Neighbours scheme in Watford. At a national level, the resources for volunteering are few and the future looks increasingly bleak. V-base is the national database solution and I think there are considerable difficulties with this application. The V-base people consulted Volunteer Centres about paying for the software licenses and they found Volunteer Centres predictably opposed to this. V-base are sensitive to this and now say they will instead charge a “V-base membership fee” to cover licensing, support, training and development. It is not clear how Volunteer Centres will notice a difference between the two approaches – or indeed why they were consulted in the first place.
Our local concern is not to prove WB Yeats’s observation that “things fall apart, the centre cannot hold”. Our concern is very specific: how best to deploy our very limited resources in Watford to promote volunteering and support our member organisations. It seems very unlikely that the answer to this will involve paying for the uncertain pleasure of sharing volunteering data with another organisation.
Watford
Watford holds a unique position in post-modernist uber-ironic Britain. Some regard Watford with indifference and scorn as the epitome of suburban small-town middle-England: hard-working, practical, slightly puritanical, minding our own business, rubbing along, muddling through, getting on with our lives. Other’s regard Watford with familiar affection as the epitome of suburban small-town middle-England: hard-working, practical, slightly puritanical, minding our own business, rubbing along, muddling through, getting on with our lives.
There is a narrow path across the no-man’s land between these two opposing world views. Two steps to one side Watford is a national joke. Two steps to the other we are a national icon. I think Watford quietly rejoices in the ambiguity.
This evening I attended a meeting of Watford’s Scrutiny Committee which considered how best to promote civic pride in Watford. The answer is not that we should aspire to be a national icon; teh answer is that we must revel in our ambiguous twi-light status.
Monday, 20 October 2008
Watford CVS has held some very successful networking lunches but numbers are always variable. Today, despite much effort, just 25 of us gathered for a consultation exercise on the Watford Community Plan (which the government now insists we call a "Sustainable Community Strategy").
It is not always possible to influence who turns up; all one can do is ones best for those that do make the effort to turn up at a particular event. Those that came today were rewarded by some very informative talks from Emma Gadsby and Rachel Dawson of WBC and from Ethel Bangwayo (with Herts-wide responsibility for engaging the voluntary sector with the LAA). It was very worthwhile to give people a chance to contribute to the shaping of plans for Watford.
One welcome attendee was our Mayor Dorothy Thornhill. She is genuinely and truly committed to community events and whenever she attends, I instinctively think “how lovely, but I mustn’t take advantage of her by making her give a talk”. I think of this as being considerate, courteous, even gallant. But of course everyone expects their Mayor to “say a few words”; and indeed she does it so supremely well that I think secretly she might rather enjoy it.
It is not always possible to influence who turns up; all one can do is ones best for those that do make the effort to turn up at a particular event. Those that came today were rewarded by some very informative talks from Emma Gadsby and Rachel Dawson of WBC and from Ethel Bangwayo (with Herts-wide responsibility for engaging the voluntary sector with the LAA). It was very worthwhile to give people a chance to contribute to the shaping of plans for Watford.
One welcome attendee was our Mayor Dorothy Thornhill. She is genuinely and truly committed to community events and whenever she attends, I instinctively think “how lovely, but I mustn’t take advantage of her by making her give a talk”. I think of this as being considerate, courteous, even gallant. But of course everyone expects their Mayor to “say a few words”; and indeed she does it so supremely well that I think secretly she might rather enjoy it.
Sunday, 19 October 2008
Birthday boy
I started my birthday mucking out the chickens. This isn't as unpleasant as it sounds; Chicken Ethelreda clucked happily around me and almost purred when I gave her an occasional stroke. But on the minus side, Chicken Audrey flapped and squawked horribly. I took Bobby to Barnet to start his journey home, bumped into Jackie’s daughter and family, visited her parents, and we were home resting by 5:00 pm.
My birthday treats included a fetching Barack Obama baseball cap and a trip to teh Bayfordbury Observatory. I thought after a dismal start to the season, Tottenham Hotspur would make the effort to win on my birthday. But no. They stumbled from the sublime to the ridiculous, gave away two penalties, had two players sent off, one concussed, and lost 2-1 away to Stoke City. Perhaps no-one told them it was my birthday? Thankfully I know it's only a game and I don't take it too seriously. Grrrrr.
I started my birthday mucking out the chickens. This isn't as unpleasant as it sounds; Chicken Ethelreda clucked happily around me and almost purred when I gave her an occasional stroke. But on the minus side, Chicken Audrey flapped and squawked horribly. I took Bobby to Barnet to start his journey home, bumped into Jackie’s daughter and family, visited her parents, and we were home resting by 5:00 pm.
My birthday treats included a fetching Barack Obama baseball cap and a trip to teh Bayfordbury Observatory. I thought after a dismal start to the season, Tottenham Hotspur would make the effort to win on my birthday. But no. They stumbled from the sublime to the ridiculous, gave away two penalties, had two players sent off, one concussed, and lost 2-1 away to Stoke City. Perhaps no-one told them it was my birthday? Thankfully I know it's only a game and I don't take it too seriously. Grrrrr.
Saturday, 18 October 2008
I spent the day visiting my sister in Ampthill and the evening with Jackie over a glass of cider.
Friday, 17 October 2008
I have (I think) pretty much completed the new Sunflower website, and passed it on for their direct management. My charming volunteer from yesterday didn’t turn up today; I do worry that I might sometimes alarm people. But I finished off the October payroll, completed a funding proposal and finalised our half-yearly BIG Lottery fund report.
I also held a staff meeting beginning “promptly at 12:00”. This was our first semi-formal staff meeting – on which see my thoughts here. As my birthday is approaching, I was presented with a birthday card and someone had gone to great lengths to procure a large tray of sticky buns. I was rather embarrassed. The meeting went well but I am ashamed to say I did 90% of the talking as there is so much happening that people need to know about. Hopefully I will talk less at future meetings.
My son Bobby arrived from Brighton and we joined Jackie and Bryan for an evening meal at the excellent China Sky.
I also held a staff meeting beginning “promptly at 12:00”. This was our first semi-formal staff meeting – on which see my thoughts here. As my birthday is approaching, I was presented with a birthday card and someone had gone to great lengths to procure a large tray of sticky buns. I was rather embarrassed. The meeting went well but I am ashamed to say I did 90% of the talking as there is so much happening that people need to know about. Hopefully I will talk less at future meetings.
My son Bobby arrived from Brighton and we joined Jackie and Bryan for an evening meal at the excellent China Sky.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
At Watford, I met with a charming new volunteer and drafted our first half yearly report to the Big Lottery Fund (or rather added my bits to a draft prepared by Anne Boyd and Vanessa Levy).
In the afternoon I travelled to Whitechapel for the Disability Law Service’s AGM. This is a superb organisation superbly managed by Linda Clark and her team – for once I even managed to arrive a little early. The AGM went well and I was pleased to continue as a trustee. But I really don't want to remain as Treasurer as I know I can't devote the necessary time to this additional role. The AGM agreed to delegate the decision to the next Trustees meeting, and each side retired to plan its next move.
In the afternoon I travelled to Whitechapel for the Disability Law Service’s AGM. This is a superb organisation superbly managed by Linda Clark and her team – for once I even managed to arrive a little early. The AGM went well and I was pleased to continue as a trustee. But I really don't want to remain as Treasurer as I know I can't devote the necessary time to this additional role. The AGM agreed to delegate the decision to the next Trustees meeting, and each side retired to plan its next move.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
After yesterday’s car accident, I took Jackie to work in her own car and then drove on to Watford. I was late for my 8:00 meeting about the Sunflower Centre website and found my visitors in the doorway sheltering from the rain. The meeting went well and I think the site is now much simpler and more accessible.
I learned that Mohamed Fawzi will be the new manager for our Youth Connexions contract. This is Good News: he understands the work and will be a great champion for it.
I took a call from Ange Jones of the Women's Resource Centre in London. She had seen my comments on social exclusion and kindly called me to say that the Women's Resource Centre will soon arrange a course in the East of England on Human Rights - tackling inequality and social exclusion. This was of course very pleasing. Thank you, Ange; I do hope the event is near Watford and not miles away in Ipswich or Norwich.
Spurred on by Eliud Matindi of the Herts BME Partnership, I again investigated The Mystery of the Community Cohesion Monies. Watford has been awarded monies from the Government’s stupidly-named Tackling Violent Extremism fund (who thought that up?). We have heard persistent rumours that Watford has also been allocated a sum of money to spend on “Community Cohesion”. But no-one in Watford seems to know anything about any such allocation, and no-one outside Watford seems able to provide details on how much has been allocated to Watford, how it will be paid and what the money is for exactly. Today, thanks to Eliud, we achieved a breakthrough. The money is approximately £150,000 over three years, allocated by the DCLG and the contact in Watford is my good friend Emma Gadsby. I spoke to Emma and she knows nothing whatsoever about it. But still, it’s progress of a sort.
I tried to track down Karin Robinson (Barack Obama’s “Regional Campaign Organiser” for London) as she was to address a meeting of the Watford One World forum this evening but hadn’t been in touch for a few weeks. I eventually put Sha-Lee Worrell-Miller on the job and she used her magic to establish contact but the news was disappointing … Of course Karin was very apologetic and had tried to find a replacement and juggle things but people had flu and it is the day of the final Presidential Candidates’ Televised Debate and Karin is hosting a big fundraising event in London and ... she promised to try and make it up to us.
Part of my afternoon I spent issuing (rather embarrassing) e-mails announcing the cancellation of our high profile meeting. Fortunately we hadn’t invited the TV cameras.
In an uncharacteristically political moment I said I would forgive Karin if she helped get Barack Obama elected. As an afterthought I suggested that when President Obama visits England, it might be nice if he paid a visit to Watford. One never knows …
Although he is very impressive, I am not completely sold on Barack Obama – my cynicism runs deep and although that sort of sincerity is hard to fake (just ask Tony Blair) it can be done. What most attracts me to the Obama campaign is the alternative: McCain seems pretty decent but his running mate is the embodiment of: everything I detest / gung-ho fundamentalist stupidity / pure evil (delete to taste).
I learned that Mohamed Fawzi will be the new manager for our Youth Connexions contract. This is Good News: he understands the work and will be a great champion for it.
I took a call from Ange Jones of the Women's Resource Centre in London. She had seen my comments on social exclusion and kindly called me to say that the Women's Resource Centre will soon arrange a course in the East of England on Human Rights - tackling inequality and social exclusion. This was of course very pleasing. Thank you, Ange; I do hope the event is near Watford and not miles away in Ipswich or Norwich.
Spurred on by Eliud Matindi of the Herts BME Partnership, I again investigated The Mystery of the Community Cohesion Monies. Watford has been awarded monies from the Government’s stupidly-named Tackling Violent Extremism fund (who thought that up?). We have heard persistent rumours that Watford has also been allocated a sum of money to spend on “Community Cohesion”. But no-one in Watford seems to know anything about any such allocation, and no-one outside Watford seems able to provide details on how much has been allocated to Watford, how it will be paid and what the money is for exactly. Today, thanks to Eliud, we achieved a breakthrough. The money is approximately £150,000 over three years, allocated by the DCLG and the contact in Watford is my good friend Emma Gadsby. I spoke to Emma and she knows nothing whatsoever about it. But still, it’s progress of a sort.
I tried to track down Karin Robinson (Barack Obama’s “Regional Campaign Organiser” for London) as she was to address a meeting of the Watford One World forum this evening but hadn’t been in touch for a few weeks. I eventually put Sha-Lee Worrell-Miller on the job and she used her magic to establish contact but the news was disappointing … Of course Karin was very apologetic and had tried to find a replacement and juggle things but people had flu and it is the day of the final Presidential Candidates’ Televised Debate and Karin is hosting a big fundraising event in London and ... she promised to try and make it up to us.
Part of my afternoon I spent issuing (rather embarrassing) e-mails announcing the cancellation of our high profile meeting. Fortunately we hadn’t invited the TV cameras.
In an uncharacteristically political moment I said I would forgive Karin if she helped get Barack Obama elected. As an afterthought I suggested that when President Obama visits England, it might be nice if he paid a visit to Watford. One never knows …
Although he is very impressive, I am not completely sold on Barack Obama – my cynicism runs deep and although that sort of sincerity is hard to fake (just ask Tony Blair) it can be done. What most attracts me to the Obama campaign is the alternative: McCain seems pretty decent but his running mate is the embodiment of: everything I detest / gung-ho fundamentalist stupidity / pure evil (delete to taste).
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Hertfordshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (affectionately known as "hickviss) and Hertfordshire Association for Young People have now merged to form a new organisation called pro:action. This morning I was visited by Nicole Williamson who is pro:action's new local development worker for youth services. She has a tough role supporting youth organisations throughout the western part of Hertfordshire but she is very impressive and I hope the CVSs can support her.
In the evening I paid a brief visit to Watford Chess Club. In my youth I played competitive chess and I still enjoy an occasional social game of chess – usually at home or in the garden of some suitable hostelry. I haven’t played regularly for years and thought Watford Chess Club might provide an occasional companionable game. I was wrong. Watford Chess Club is very welcoming but it is a serious chess club. Imagine turning up at Saracens and saying, “I haven’t played for twenty years and thought I’d pop along for a game”. I don’t understand the modern openings and the social etiquette. Picture a lamb off to slaughter and committing some awful faux pas – perhaps wearing “yellow stockings cross garter’d” or something.
I left the Club about 8:00 and my day declined further on the way home. As I navigated the big round-a-bout at the bottom of St Albans, another car missed its exit and performed an emergency stop. The car behind it managed to stop with inches to spare but my reactions weren’t quite quick enough and I tail-ended the car in front of me. The impact was not very violent but sufficient to shatter my headlight and crumple my bumper and bonnet. Thankfully no-one was hurt and there was virtually no damage to the car I hit. The emergency stopping car did a near u-turn on the round-a-bout and shot off to St Albans never to be seen again. In any event my No Claims Bonus is likely to be lost. Jackie took the news remarkably calmly.
In the evening I paid a brief visit to Watford Chess Club. In my youth I played competitive chess and I still enjoy an occasional social game of chess – usually at home or in the garden of some suitable hostelry. I haven’t played regularly for years and thought Watford Chess Club might provide an occasional companionable game. I was wrong. Watford Chess Club is very welcoming but it is a serious chess club. Imagine turning up at Saracens and saying, “I haven’t played for twenty years and thought I’d pop along for a game”. I don’t understand the modern openings and the social etiquette. Picture a lamb off to slaughter and committing some awful faux pas – perhaps wearing “yellow stockings cross garter’d” or something.
I left the Club about 8:00 and my day declined further on the way home. As I navigated the big round-a-bout at the bottom of St Albans, another car missed its exit and performed an emergency stop. The car behind it managed to stop with inches to spare but my reactions weren’t quite quick enough and I tail-ended the car in front of me. The impact was not very violent but sufficient to shatter my headlight and crumple my bumper and bonnet. Thankfully no-one was hurt and there was virtually no damage to the car I hit. The emergency stopping car did a near u-turn on the round-a-bout and shot off to St Albans never to be seen again. In any event my No Claims Bonus is likely to be lost. Jackie took the news remarkably calmly.
Monday, 13 October 2008
No-one wishes for either role of course, but most of us will be carers or cared for at some stage in our lives. At any given time, Britain has an invisible army of around 6 million carers providing much-needed help and support to a partner, relative, friend or neighbour. Carers in Herts provides help and support to those providing help and support.
Today it was my pleasure to deliver a short course on Implementing PQASSO to a group of managers from Carers in Herts. It was very rewarding to see the participants get to grips with PQASSO and identify how they could use it to support their work and deliver improvements to their service users. I thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Today it was my pleasure to deliver a short course on Implementing PQASSO to a group of managers from Carers in Herts. It was very rewarding to see the participants get to grips with PQASSO and identify how they could use it to support their work and deliver improvements to their service users. I thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Sunday, 12 October 2008
Today was another beautiful balmy day. Jackie and I did some gardening but mostly I moved books into my new office – and then spent the evening preparing for Monday’s workshop on PQASSO for Carers in Herts.
Saturday, 11 October 2008
Today was unseasonally and delightfully warm. With Bobby now safely installed in Brighton, Jackie and Bryan have kindly spent the past fortnight redecorating his room so that I can have my own private study (except during Bobby's occasional visits) rather than a cubby hole under the stairs. Today I hobbled about on my sore ankle putting up shelves and preparing to take up occupation of my new domain: it was hot work but very satisfying.
In the evening I finished reading RE Pritchard's Shakespeare's England: Life in Elizabethan and Jacobean Times which is an illuminating collection of contemporary social commentaries on England around 1600.
In the evening I finished reading RE Pritchard's Shakespeare's England: Life in Elizabethan and Jacobean Times which is an illuminating collection of contemporary social commentaries on England around 1600.
Friday, 10 October 2008
After the drama of yesterday I was amazed this morning that my ankle was much recovered: I couldn’t attempt any gymnastics but it was perfectly serviceable for normal activities.
I started the day visiting the PCT to talk about community engagement and finished it with Hema at HCC talking about our advocacy project. All in all I coped rather well with my sore ankle but I was pleased to get back home and put my foot up.
I started the day visiting the PCT to talk about community engagement and finished it with Hema at HCC talking about our advocacy project. All in all I coped rather well with my sore ankle but I was pleased to get back home and put my foot up.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Hop skip and jump
Today we had a rubbish skip delivered to Watford CVS. I hate skips: they signify a failure to recycle and scream out “landfill!” I hated this skip even more as it was in my car parking space and it was largely down to me to fill the damn thing.
At first, I did pretty well filling the skip with 1960s-style meeting-room chairs and 1950s-style filing cabinets. I also binned lots of paper files and the archivist in me worried that they contained important information for future local historians. As I carried out large boxes of these old files, I consoled myself with the (pleasingly pompous) thought that CVSs are not funded to document history but to create history. But the Gods were alert to such signs of Hubris and a savage pain shook through my body. I jumped in agony, swore loudly and sat down very quickly clutching my ankle. I may even have shed a tear; luckily there were no witnesses. Twenty minutes later, the pain had subsided sufficiently for me to stand up and limp pathetically. Shortly, a volunteer materialised to help out with the dumping (thanks James!) and I briefly took things easy. An hour or so later I was on my own again with a skip still to fill and three large cupboards to manoeuvre through the office.
My colleagues were of course exceedingly solicitous of my good health and treated me with great kindness offering teas and herbal remedies and an accident book. But only Des Reid could actually help with the manly work of lifting and shifting and he got stuck in like a real trooper. Meanwhile, I was trying to co-ordinate the preparation of papers for tomorrow’s meeting to review our BME Advocacy project (in which endeavour Sha-Lee played a starring role).
I eventually limped from the office about 6:00 pm and had a very uncomfortable drive home. I just managed to hop into the house and collapse on the sofa. Jackie carefully removed my shoe and sock and I was rather relieved to see that the damage to my ankle was all too apparent and it was swollen very badly. All hopes of folk dancing were long gone, but Jackie nursed me beautifully and soon made things ok.
Today we had a rubbish skip delivered to Watford CVS. I hate skips: they signify a failure to recycle and scream out “landfill!” I hated this skip even more as it was in my car parking space and it was largely down to me to fill the damn thing.
At first, I did pretty well filling the skip with 1960s-style meeting-room chairs and 1950s-style filing cabinets. I also binned lots of paper files and the archivist in me worried that they contained important information for future local historians. As I carried out large boxes of these old files, I consoled myself with the (pleasingly pompous) thought that CVSs are not funded to document history but to create history. But the Gods were alert to such signs of Hubris and a savage pain shook through my body. I jumped in agony, swore loudly and sat down very quickly clutching my ankle. I may even have shed a tear; luckily there were no witnesses. Twenty minutes later, the pain had subsided sufficiently for me to stand up and limp pathetically. Shortly, a volunteer materialised to help out with the dumping (thanks James!) and I briefly took things easy. An hour or so later I was on my own again with a skip still to fill and three large cupboards to manoeuvre through the office.
My colleagues were of course exceedingly solicitous of my good health and treated me with great kindness offering teas and herbal remedies and an accident book. But only Des Reid could actually help with the manly work of lifting and shifting and he got stuck in like a real trooper. Meanwhile, I was trying to co-ordinate the preparation of papers for tomorrow’s meeting to review our BME Advocacy project (in which endeavour Sha-Lee played a starring role).
I eventually limped from the office about 6:00 pm and had a very uncomfortable drive home. I just managed to hop into the house and collapse on the sofa. Jackie carefully removed my shoe and sock and I was rather relieved to see that the damage to my ankle was all too apparent and it was swollen very badly. All hopes of folk dancing were long gone, but Jackie nursed me beautifully and soon made things ok.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
This morning I returned to the Watford Community Housing Trust – this time for a meeting of the Community Development network. WCHT are still going through the process of appointing a new Community Director, but Lesley Palumbo was present as Watford Borough Council’s new Director and I was very impressed. There were some very constructive and forward-looking discussions and unanimity on The Way Forward.
There were still some tricky issues back at the office. WCVS’s staff work in difficult areas with some very vulnerable clients facing big challenges, so it is not surprising that there are occasional difficulties.
One of my favourite Golden Rules is that in networks and forums you work with whoever turns up. At today’s (rather small) meeting of the Community Arts Network I followed the rule and as often happens it paid great dividends: it now looks possible that next summer Watford will enjoy a proper broad community-wide arts event. Of course it is very early days and there is a vast amount of work to be done but if anyone can pull it off it is Marv and Amy.
There were still some tricky issues back at the office. WCVS’s staff work in difficult areas with some very vulnerable clients facing big challenges, so it is not surprising that there are occasional difficulties.
One of my favourite Golden Rules is that in networks and forums you work with whoever turns up. At today’s (rather small) meeting of the Community Arts Network I followed the rule and as often happens it paid great dividends: it now looks possible that next summer Watford will enjoy a proper broad community-wide arts event. Of course it is very early days and there is a vast amount of work to be done but if anyone can pull it off it is Marv and Amy.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Today I went to the Watford Community Housing Trust to attend the latest meeting of One Watford, the Local Strategic Partnership. WCHT are a very good organisation with excellent accommodation but for their tea cups they use the thickest china I have ever encountered.
The LSP is reviewing the Watford Community Strategy and is setting down a comprehensive series of local consultations. Consultation events I am involved in include a community networking lunch, an evening consultation, a meeting of the Watford Community Development network, and a meeting of the Chief Officers’ Information Network. At today’s One Watford meeting I was confirmed as Vice Chair of the LSP so it is perhaps just as well that I am being so industrious.
In the WCVS office, I have had to support staff who are dealing with some thorny little problems. In the afternoon I took calls from local groups seeking trustees and visited a local group that is facing a significant drop in income and possible closure. More pleasantly, I spoke with a charming young lady called Kyungae Kim who is studying marketing and is doing a marketing project on Watford CVS: I fear we will make a very challenging case study!
The LSP is reviewing the Watford Community Strategy and is setting down a comprehensive series of local consultations. Consultation events I am involved in include a community networking lunch, an evening consultation, a meeting of the Watford Community Development network, and a meeting of the Chief Officers’ Information Network. At today’s One Watford meeting I was confirmed as Vice Chair of the LSP so it is perhaps just as well that I am being so industrious.
In the WCVS office, I have had to support staff who are dealing with some thorny little problems. In the afternoon I took calls from local groups seeking trustees and visited a local group that is facing a significant drop in income and possible closure. More pleasantly, I spoke with a charming young lady called Kyungae Kim who is studying marketing and is doing a marketing project on Watford CVS: I fear we will make a very challenging case study!
Monday, 6 October 2008
This morning I had a shock from one of my favourite initiatives Charity Technology Exchange. This is a fabulous way for charities to get properly licensed software from major companies like Microsoft and Symantec. I understood that the terms and conditions allowed us to buy software once in each twelve month period running July – June. But I had not read the clause that says there must also be twelve full months between purchases. Today I realised my mistake and offer it up here as an object lesson to others.
With HCC's Andrew Burt I juggled around the agenda for the forthcoming 29 October conference, I met with our excellent auditors, dealt with some “domestic office issues” (I hope that’s vague enough), started drafting a new policy on Conflicts of Interest, and received a plea for help from a local almshouse charity. It was indeed a day of bits and pieces.
With HCC's Andrew Burt I juggled around the agenda for the forthcoming 29 October conference, I met with our excellent auditors, dealt with some “domestic office issues” (I hope that’s vague enough), started drafting a new policy on Conflicts of Interest, and received a plea for help from a local almshouse charity. It was indeed a day of bits and pieces.
Saturday, 4 October 2008
Jackie and I spent a lovely day babysitting our granddaughter Beth and visiting the Mill Green museum in Hatfield (I'd like to know what my old school blazer is doing in a museum!). In the evening, we visited Jackie’s brother for a barbecue.
Friday, 3 October 2008
All indications are that last night’s launch of the Charity Trustees Network was a great success.
At lunchtime, I met with a few colleagues here to talk about CRM and (particularly) a system for classifying voluntary groups. I think we made great progress broadly adopting the Charity Commission’s approach of asking: Who do you aim to help? What is the focus of your work? How do you operate? Plus a few ancillary questions: Do you offer meeting / function rooms to rent? Do you offer equipment for hire? Do you use volunteers? Are you a charity shop / social enterprise?
I also held a meeting with our Connexions PAs, and on my way home dropped by the LSC to look at some furniture they are offering free to charities.
At lunchtime, I met with a few colleagues here to talk about CRM and (particularly) a system for classifying voluntary groups. I think we made great progress broadly adopting the Charity Commission’s approach of asking: Who do you aim to help? What is the focus of your work? How do you operate? Plus a few ancillary questions: Do you offer meeting / function rooms to rent? Do you offer equipment for hire? Do you use volunteers? Are you a charity shop / social enterprise?
I also held a meeting with our Connexions PAs, and on my way home dropped by the LSC to look at some furniture they are offering free to charities.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
I have now received polite “thanks but no thanks” letters from two of the local firms invited to nominate someone to the new Watford Community Fund – some firms are clearly just too busy surviving the great “credit crunch”.
I met with two member groups about the new website. In the early evening, there was a meeting of the Watford One World forum to finalise arrangements for a steering group to consider the forum’s future activities: there are some exciting possibilities.
I also (at last!) sent out invitations to our 29 October conference in Stevenage: Creating the environment for a thriving third sector in Hertfordshire.
About 8:00 pm I left for home. By this time, Vanessa (our Training and Development Officer) and Pam (our Chair of Trustees) were hosting the launch of Watford’s Charity Trustees Network. I would like to have been present for the launch, but there are few people I trust more than Vanessa and Pam and with forty trustees booked to attend it is difficult to see what I could have added to the evening.
I met with two member groups about the new website. In the early evening, there was a meeting of the Watford One World forum to finalise arrangements for a steering group to consider the forum’s future activities: there are some exciting possibilities.
I also (at last!) sent out invitations to our 29 October conference in Stevenage: Creating the environment for a thriving third sector in Hertfordshire.
About 8:00 pm I left for home. By this time, Vanessa (our Training and Development Officer) and Pam (our Chair of Trustees) were hosting the launch of Watford’s Charity Trustees Network. I would like to have been present for the launch, but there are few people I trust more than Vanessa and Pam and with forty trustees booked to attend it is difficult to see what I could have added to the evening.
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
We have received disappointing news from Capacitybuilders that they have turned down two of the three projects put forward by HIC for funding. They have declined to fund a project to raise the profile of the voluntary sector and support engagement with the LAA, and they have declined to fund a project looking to strengthen and extend the voluntary sector’s work on equalities. On a more positive note, they have agreed to fund a “Circuit Riders” project to provide IT support to voluntary groups - although I can't help thinking this is just to pander to the current vogue for social enterprise.
My biggest concern is that these (and other recent funding decisions) mean that the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium, rather than stepping up its programme and its presence, now looks more like the Bare Bones Parliament. Those of us committed to co-ordination in the County must rally round, but I sense the forces of reaction around us.
Elsewhere during the day I spoke with Caroline Tippin, Watford’s new supremo for Youth Connexions.
Our new website is beginning to take shape: we have finished designing the template site and we have identified a first tranche of 120-odd sites to create. The launch date is now only weeks away – but I seem to have been saying this for months.
In the evening, we had a meeting of the local Community Arts Network – a network which has brought together disparate people from Watford’s arts scene, but which has always lacked a clear focus. Although this was a (particularly) small meeting, I think the network has finally identified a focus for its activities: an annual community-based arts festival embracing all forms of the arts and loosely based on the Eisteddfod format. Marv and Amy from Inspiral Arts have agreed to push things forward and I am now very positive about the network’s future.
My biggest concern is that these (and other recent funding decisions) mean that the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium, rather than stepping up its programme and its presence, now looks more like the Bare Bones Parliament. Those of us committed to co-ordination in the County must rally round, but I sense the forces of reaction around us.
Elsewhere during the day I spoke with Caroline Tippin, Watford’s new supremo for Youth Connexions.
Our new website is beginning to take shape: we have finished designing the template site and we have identified a first tranche of 120-odd sites to create. The launch date is now only weeks away – but I seem to have been saying this for months.
In the evening, we had a meeting of the local Community Arts Network – a network which has brought together disparate people from Watford’s arts scene, but which has always lacked a clear focus. Although this was a (particularly) small meeting, I think the network has finally identified a focus for its activities: an annual community-based arts festival embracing all forms of the arts and loosely based on the Eisteddfod format. Marv and Amy from Inspiral Arts have agreed to push things forward and I am now very positive about the network’s future.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
It is hard delivering an independent advocacy service. Every day forces new decisions: when do we speak for the client and when do we let the client speak for them self? what is in the client’s best interest? when do we reserve our counsel and when do we assert our independence? when do we offer options and when do we advise? There is a constant stream of close-call value judgments to be made and when so much hangs on each call it is essential that we get everything exactly right. But things can be very subjective depending on expectations and perspective and this makes for a challenging environment.
I sent out an agenda for the 8 October meeting of the Community Development Network – hopefully we can sustain this group as it could play a very important role in helping to shape community work in Watford.
I sent out an agenda for the 8 October meeting of the Community Development Network – hopefully we can sustain this group as it could play a very important role in helping to shape community work in Watford.
Monday, 29 September 2008
I had a succession of meetings today talking with some of our member organisations: this is one of the most immediately rewarding aspects of this job. It is of course very satisfying to help people identify their needs and move toward practical solutions. But one must always be on guard against "creeping arrogance" and keep in mind that one does not know everything. Or is that just me?
Sunday, 28 September 2008
After the exhilaration of yesterday’s walk, Jackie and I spent a very quiet day pottering around the house and reading. I recently read the very Welsh Mabinogion, and a very blokish book of the Strangest Football Games.
I am always disappointed when I read dramatised or “imagined” histories but I was seduced into reading Jorge Volpi’s In Search of Klingsor by the its heady mixture of detective story, history, quantum physics, love interest, and classical allusions. There were some clever references and some nice imagery but something was lost in translation (the writer was Mexican) for the characters were barely two dimensional, the plot creaked at the seams and no important questions were addressed. Unless the whole thing was a metaphor for the vain search for logic and moral purpose in the Nazi psyche. But a moral equivalence between the holocaust and Hiroshima? Humbug! Why did I fall for it again? Note to self: always avoid dramatised histories.
I am always disappointed when I read dramatised or “imagined” histories but I was seduced into reading Jorge Volpi’s In Search of Klingsor by the its heady mixture of detective story, history, quantum physics, love interest, and classical allusions. There were some clever references and some nice imagery but something was lost in translation (the writer was Mexican) for the characters were barely two dimensional, the plot creaked at the seams and no important questions were addressed. Unless the whole thing was a metaphor for the vain search for logic and moral purpose in the Nazi psyche. But a moral equivalence between the holocaust and Hiroshima? Humbug! Why did I fall for it again? Note to self: always avoid dramatised histories.
Saturday, 27 September 2008
A memorable day
The early morning was foggy and the mist rose slowly as Jackie and I took our breakfast. As the sun broke through the mist, we decided on a whim that we would spend the day walking in Hatfield Great Park. We arrived there shortly after 10:00, paid our £5 entrance fee and parked near the never-quite-as-beautiful-as-it-should-be Hatfield House. As everyone else entered the house, we donned our walking boots and strode off into the woods. As usual, we said “there used to be a tank there” and “there used to be an oak tree there”.
We walked for a couple of miles through the ancient oak forest, now invaded by alien Rhododendron. Then we came to the River Lea, so much more broad and beautiful than I ever remember it. The sun was high and warm and there was barely a cloud in the sky nor a stirring of wind and not another soul around save for Jackie and I. A heron perched on top of a tree on the opposite bank. As I told Jackie of my boyhood visits to this exact spot, a kingfisher emerged from right under our feet and shot across the river to the far bank. A little later, another kingfisher appeared. This one flew across the surface of the water describing 320 degrees of a near-perfect circle and never rising more than two inches from the water.
I've seen kingfishers in books and on the television, but nothing prepared me for how exhilarating they are in real life - their electric blue brilliance is simply breath-taking.
We became slightly intoxicated I think and walked for hours and miles, carried forward by the memory of the kingfishers. We eventually arrived home tired and exhausted and extremely happy. The best £5 I have spent for a very long time.
The early morning was foggy and the mist rose slowly as Jackie and I took our breakfast. As the sun broke through the mist, we decided on a whim that we would spend the day walking in Hatfield Great Park. We arrived there shortly after 10:00, paid our £5 entrance fee and parked near the never-quite-as-beautiful-as-it-should-be Hatfield House. As everyone else entered the house, we donned our walking boots and strode off into the woods. As usual, we said “there used to be a tank there” and “there used to be an oak tree there”.
We walked for a couple of miles through the ancient oak forest, now invaded by alien Rhododendron. Then we came to the River Lea, so much more broad and beautiful than I ever remember it. The sun was high and warm and there was barely a cloud in the sky nor a stirring of wind and not another soul around save for Jackie and I. A heron perched on top of a tree on the opposite bank. As I told Jackie of my boyhood visits to this exact spot, a kingfisher emerged from right under our feet and shot across the river to the far bank. A little later, another kingfisher appeared. This one flew across the surface of the water describing 320 degrees of a near-perfect circle and never rising more than two inches from the water.
I've seen kingfishers in books and on the television, but nothing prepared me for how exhilarating they are in real life - their electric blue brilliance is simply breath-taking.
We became slightly intoxicated I think and walked for hours and miles, carried forward by the memory of the kingfishers. We eventually arrived home tired and exhausted and extremely happy. The best £5 I have spent for a very long time.
Friday, 26 September 2008
My Chair of Trustees, Pam Handley, visited this morning for my monthly supervision meeting and I was well prepared with an agenda of requests and queries. Pam rose wonderfully to the challenge and on each issue dispensed clear and helpful advice.
Later, I reviewed where we are with contacts for the Hertfordshire Compact Working Group. Across the ten second tier LSPs, we now have contacts for just over half.
For the rest of the day, I worked on preparing the distributing WCVS News # 132. There is always so much information to fit into one small newsletter - the work and the discipline is to distil everything into just four pages.
Later, I reviewed where we are with contacts for the Hertfordshire Compact Working Group. Across the ten second tier LSPs, we now have contacts for just over half.
For the rest of the day, I worked on preparing the distributing WCVS News # 132. There is always so much information to fit into one small newsletter - the work and the discipline is to distil everything into just four pages.
Thursday, 25 September 2008
Stand still and be counted
Part of today I spent addressing a long-standing problem we have had to find a satisfactory way of classifying our member groups. Every funder and government agency it seems has its own system of classification, and Herts CVSs have adopted another method. But none seems to come close meeting our needs at Watford CVS.
I also sent out some invitations to private companies to see if we could get a commercial organisation to sit on our Watford Community Fund Panel overseeing the Grassroots Grants programme. We shall see what response we get.
We are beginning to feel a few pressures on our space at 149 The Parade and on my way home I visited some possible new offices for some of our staff. They weren’t absolutely ideal, but then what could be? I await further details.
When I returned home, I found that Jackie had tweaked her ankle so we cried off our dancing and relaxed at home.
Part of today I spent addressing a long-standing problem we have had to find a satisfactory way of classifying our member groups. Every funder and government agency it seems has its own system of classification, and Herts CVSs have adopted another method. But none seems to come close meeting our needs at Watford CVS.
I also sent out some invitations to private companies to see if we could get a commercial organisation to sit on our Watford Community Fund Panel overseeing the Grassroots Grants programme. We shall see what response we get.
We are beginning to feel a few pressures on our space at 149 The Parade and on my way home I visited some possible new offices for some of our staff. They weren’t absolutely ideal, but then what could be? I await further details.
When I returned home, I found that Jackie had tweaked her ankle so we cried off our dancing and relaxed at home.
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Another day of pleasantly dull administration
I don’t want anyone to think I didn’t work hard, but it is very pleasant to have time to catch up on work that has been piling up for weeks. I won’t catch up on everything of course, but today I sorted out several future meetings and events and finalised the month’s salaries. I also (briefly) attended a steering group meeting for an initiative being launched by two of our members.
A surrender to formality
I also finally took the decision to timetable regular monthly staff meetings. Originally I resisted this: we were a small staff team of six and I felt that a “formal” monthly meeting was simply unnecessary (or maybe even pretentious) and would only lead to trouble. For the last two years we have only had irregular staff meetings when there has been something particular to discuss. But in this time, we have grown to be a staff team of thirteen. Most of the additional staff members are part-time, but this just exacerbates the challenges for team building and communication. So today I finally succumbed and scheduled regular monthly staff meetings. I can't shake off the feeling that this is a concession to bureaucracy and formality and that somewhere a fairy has died.
I don’t want anyone to think I didn’t work hard, but it is very pleasant to have time to catch up on work that has been piling up for weeks. I won’t catch up on everything of course, but today I sorted out several future meetings and events and finalised the month’s salaries. I also (briefly) attended a steering group meeting for an initiative being launched by two of our members.
A surrender to formality
I also finally took the decision to timetable regular monthly staff meetings. Originally I resisted this: we were a small staff team of six and I felt that a “formal” monthly meeting was simply unnecessary (or maybe even pretentious) and would only lead to trouble. For the last two years we have only had irregular staff meetings when there has been something particular to discuss. But in this time, we have grown to be a staff team of thirteen. Most of the additional staff members are part-time, but this just exacerbates the challenges for team building and communication. So today I finally succumbed and scheduled regular monthly staff meetings. I can't shake off the feeling that this is a concession to bureaucracy and formality and that somewhere a fairy has died.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
I have an unprecedented stretch of five work days with no out-of-office meetings and I intend to extract full value from this opportunity.
First this morning, I attended to preparations for our 29 October Herts wide conference on partnership. I designed and prepared a website for the event. The problem we still have is the final 3:20 session which still says “HCC speaker tba”. I fear if we don’t get this slot filled soon it will be too late.
From the Women’s Resource Centre, I receive an invitation to a conference: Human rights – tackling inequality and social exclusion. There are a series of conferences all over the English regions - everywhere but the East of England region. I don’t want to seem ungracious but this seems a bit of a faux pas – we in the East of England region are learning a thing or two about social exclusion.
In the evening, I attended Watford Chess Club. I had thought to join Welwyn Chess Club, but then they changed their meetings to Thursdays and Thursdays are now reserved for folk dancing. So Welwyn’s loss is Watford’s gain; or not: tonight was the first time I have played for more than twenty years and I lost - badly and repeatedly.
First this morning, I attended to preparations for our 29 October Herts wide conference on partnership. I designed and prepared a website for the event. The problem we still have is the final 3:20 session which still says “HCC speaker tba”. I fear if we don’t get this slot filled soon it will be too late.
From the Women’s Resource Centre, I receive an invitation to a conference: Human rights – tackling inequality and social exclusion. There are a series of conferences all over the English regions - everywhere but the East of England region. I don’t want to seem ungracious but this seems a bit of a faux pas – we in the East of England region are learning a thing or two about social exclusion.
In the evening, I attended Watford Chess Club. I had thought to join Welwyn Chess Club, but then they changed their meetings to Thursdays and Thursdays are now reserved for folk dancing. So Welwyn’s loss is Watford’s gain; or not: tonight was the first time I have played for more than twenty years and I lost - badly and repeatedly.
Monday, 22 September 2008
I had expected this morning to go to St Albans for a Herts CVS meeting. But I woke feeling dreadful and Jackie put me back to bed with a cup of tea. I slept for another couple of hours, drank a cold cup of tea, called in my apologies to St Albans and then went back to sleep. I eventually roused myself at lunchtime and went to the office. I didn’t achieve too much (talked to people, wrote some e-mails, shuffled some papers) but I felt better for having made the effort.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
After a relaxing day at home, Jackie and I saw Under Milk Wood at the Campus West Theatre - an engaging solo performance by Guy Masterson.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
Good chicken, bad chicken
Jackie and I enjoyed another warm sunny day in the garden, allowing the chickens out to explore and scratch around.
Our chickens have developed a strange double act. Ethelreda (yes, we’ve named them) is a lovely affeectionate chicken: she comes when she’s called and she seems to enjoy being picked up and carried or stroked. Audrey seems to hate all humankind: she runs away in panic when anyone comes near her, she struggles ferociously whenever she has to be picked up, and she squawks and flaps with great energy at the slightest provocation.
As far as I can tell both chickens have had similar life experiences so their disparate behaviour seems to be a powerful argument for Nature over Nurture.
Since the arrival of our chickens, I worry that Aged Ken (our decrepit white cat) is feeling neglected. He is wary of the chickens. Occasionally he follows us up to the chicken run to watch them being fed. It is clear that he cannot understand why so much attention is being lavished on things whose only real purpose is to provide a flavour of cat food.
Jackie and I enjoyed another warm sunny day in the garden, allowing the chickens out to explore and scratch around.
Our chickens have developed a strange double act. Ethelreda (yes, we’ve named them) is a lovely affeectionate chicken: she comes when she’s called and she seems to enjoy being picked up and carried or stroked. Audrey seems to hate all humankind: she runs away in panic when anyone comes near her, she struggles ferociously whenever she has to be picked up, and she squawks and flaps with great energy at the slightest provocation.
As far as I can tell both chickens have had similar life experiences so their disparate behaviour seems to be a powerful argument for Nature over Nurture.
Since the arrival of our chickens, I worry that Aged Ken (our decrepit white cat) is feeling neglected. He is wary of the chickens. Occasionally he follows us up to the chicken run to watch them being fed. It is clear that he cannot understand why so much attention is being lavished on things whose only real purpose is to provide a flavour of cat food.
Friday, 19 September 2008
Today I finally finished cross-checking the data in our CRM database: our A-Z of local voluntary groups. There are still one or two queries as it is often difficult to discern whether a small group is a charity, a community group, a social enterprise, or a commercial entity. But apart from a handful of these queries, we are now up to date.
Phew! Now we can concentrate on getting the software to actually work and we will begin by transferring our maillists and so on over to CRM.
Phew! Now we can concentrate on getting the software to actually work and we will begin by transferring our maillists and so on over to CRM.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
I enjoyed a gentle start to the day, travelling to central Welwyn Garden City for the second Learning Together conference staged by the Hertfordshire Training and Development Consortium. This is a project of the Hertfordshire Community Foundation, funded by the Learning and Skills Council and operating broadly under the umbrella of the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium. Sarah Elliott has done remarkably well to move the Consortium forward, get agreement on an action plan and secure funding.
But there is little to connect those providers engaged in workforce development within the voluntary sector and those engaged in delivering community education. And of course there are still precious few resources available for workforce development in the voluntary sector. Today's conference provided a welcome opportunity to talk through these questions.
In the afternoon, there was appended a meeting on the operation of the Grassroots Grants programme. The Hertfordshire Community Foundation have taken a bold and imaginative step of working in close partnership with the CVSs to deliver this programme. We are all supposed to be allocating grants already and in fact the funding is front loaded toward the start of the programme. But we have had no time to get structures in place, guidance is almost non-existent, and no money has yet been actually released. The Foundation, under their CEO David Fitzpatrick, have been working hard to get things in place, and they deserve huge plaudits for this. But nevertheless, the programme has the usual critical failings of central government initiatives.
But there is little to connect those providers engaged in workforce development within the voluntary sector and those engaged in delivering community education. And of course there are still precious few resources available for workforce development in the voluntary sector. Today's conference provided a welcome opportunity to talk through these questions.
In the afternoon, there was appended a meeting on the operation of the Grassroots Grants programme. The Hertfordshire Community Foundation have taken a bold and imaginative step of working in close partnership with the CVSs to deliver this programme. We are all supposed to be allocating grants already and in fact the funding is front loaded toward the start of the programme. But we have had no time to get structures in place, guidance is almost non-existent, and no money has yet been actually released. The Foundation, under their CEO David Fitzpatrick, have been working hard to get things in place, and they deserve huge plaudits for this. But nevertheless, the programme has the usual critical failings of central government initiatives.
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
I left home this morning rather before the crack of dawn to drive to the East Midland Conference Centre where NAVCA were holding their AGM. One purpose for my journey was to collect Watford CVS’s NAVCA quality award, but of course I also hoped to see a bit of the conference. Unsurprisingly, the business of actually receiving the award was a little underwhelming - despite the very best efforts of NAVCA’s CEO (Kevin Curley) and Chair (Mike Martin).
After this, I heard Andrew Robinson of CCLA talk on the subject Does my bum look big in this? He spoke with some eloquence on the need for support agencies continuously to demonstrate their value, quoting several views from front-line organisations to the effect that support agencies (CVSs) contributed nothing and were simply an unwanted competitor that sucked up scarce resources. This was very sobering stuff.
Before leaving, I joined a workshop on working with faith organisations. Watford has many fine examples of voluntary groups that have emerged from the faith sector and there will be more to come. Faith can be a powerful impetus for social and community action. But many people also have secular or rationalist motives. I cannot see that faith groups per se deserve (or would want) support from a CVS.
I arrived back in Watford in the mid afternoon and caught up with a few things. At 7:00 pm I gave a short talk on WCVS to the Community Gateway committee of the Watford Community Housing Trust and then at 8:00 attended a meeting of the Centre Point Community Centre to discuss options for their incorporation.
I arrived home about 10:00 pm, very pleased to get some sleep.
After this, I heard Andrew Robinson of CCLA talk on the subject Does my bum look big in this? He spoke with some eloquence on the need for support agencies continuously to demonstrate their value, quoting several views from front-line organisations to the effect that support agencies (CVSs) contributed nothing and were simply an unwanted competitor that sucked up scarce resources. This was very sobering stuff.
Before leaving, I joined a workshop on working with faith organisations. Watford has many fine examples of voluntary groups that have emerged from the faith sector and there will be more to come. Faith can be a powerful impetus for social and community action. But many people also have secular or rationalist motives. I cannot see that faith groups per se deserve (or would want) support from a CVS.
I arrived back in Watford in the mid afternoon and caught up with a few things. At 7:00 pm I gave a short talk on WCVS to the Community Gateway committee of the Watford Community Housing Trust and then at 8:00 attended a meeting of the Centre Point Community Centre to discuss options for their incorporation.
I arrived home about 10:00 pm, very pleased to get some sleep.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
I tried to arrive early for work, but the traffic was awful and I arrived only at 9:00. When I finally entered the office, I found that I had two members of staff off sick, that I had therefore inherited a meeting, and that I also had to make teas and coffees for a meeting in the our conference room. What fun.
As others arrived and things returned to a “state of normalcy”, I managed to finalise the new venue for our 2 October trustee network. Thanks to Phil Willerton, we will now be meeting at the YMCA in Watford. Invitations highlighting the change of venue were soon issued: we are running out of time to secure the success of the event.
I also issues invitations for the next meeting of the loal Chief Officers’ Information Network: we will be meeting on 18 November at the Watford Community Housing Trust to discuss the local strategic plan.
By the time I left the office in the evening, I had almost completed checking through our A-Z of 400 voluntary local groups. All except the letter W for Watford.
As others arrived and things returned to a “state of normalcy”, I managed to finalise the new venue for our 2 October trustee network. Thanks to Phil Willerton, we will now be meeting at the YMCA in Watford. Invitations highlighting the change of venue were soon issued: we are running out of time to secure the success of the event.
I also issues invitations for the next meeting of the loal Chief Officers’ Information Network: we will be meeting on 18 November at the Watford Community Housing Trust to discuss the local strategic plan.
By the time I left the office in the evening, I had almost completed checking through our A-Z of 400 voluntary local groups. All except the letter W for Watford.
Monday, 15 September 2008
Today I had a good meeting with Sarah Pinnock and Andy McBean about WCVS’s possible future involvement in the management of the Holywell Community Centre. These are still very much initial discussions to identify the range of issues that might need to be considered to set an agenda for a more formal preliminary meeting at some future date. If you’ve ever watched Yes Minister you will understand the general point.
After this, I met with George Nortey, the interim Community Services Director at the Watford Community Housing Trust.
I also looked at the Charity Commission’s current report of local charities who are late with their Annual Returns. This is rather worrying reading. But perhaps this report might be monitored as part of an annual review of trhe local sector? Food for thought …
After this, I met with George Nortey, the interim Community Services Director at the Watford Community Housing Trust.
I also looked at the Charity Commission’s current report of local charities who are late with their Annual Returns. This is rather worrying reading. But perhaps this report might be monitored as part of an annual review of trhe local sector? Food for thought …
Sunday, 14 September 2008
Jackie and I had promised ourselves that we would do nothing today but rest and read. But the sun shone gloriously and the garden drew us like moths to the flame.
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Jackie and I spent the morning at a charity fete at Ampthill. We drove home in the lovely sunshine and spent the afternoon in the garden laying the concrete for our new water feature.
Friday, 12 September 2008
Our IT chap Angelo came to the office today to sort out some refinements to our network. Meanwhile, I forged ahead with the final checks on our local groups database.
When we decided to build our own management information system, it seemed easiest to adopt the classification system used by other CVSs in Hertfordshire; after all, it has been in place for several years and no-one has raised any problems. But the more I actually use the data, the weaker this classification system seems to be.
Ahead of a further meeting I have planned with Helen (our Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator), Angelo and I talked through the possibility of using Microsoft CRM to run our Volunteer Centre’s operations. At the moment, everything goes through V-base, but this means we have to maintain duplicate records on local organisations (in V-base and in CRM).
There is also something fundamentally wrong about the process that the Volunteer Centre follows. At present if an organisation wants to promote a volunteering opportunity through the Volunteer Centre, it must be sent a form to complete, and it must complete and return the form which is then checked and the details are entered onto V-base. Most organisations are already registered, of course. The organisation also has to complete a form giving details of the volunteering opportunity, after which the form is checked and the details are entered onto V-base. Then V-base is uploaded to the Do-It website. Then anyone seeing the opportunity must complete a form to register their interest with the Volunteer Centre. Then the Volunteer Centre must forward their details to the host organisation. Finally the host organisation may make contact with the potential volunteer to discuss the volunteering opportunity.
Assuming everything goes to plan, there are 8-9 steps to complete. I have tried to understand the strength and purpose of this process, but I struggle. What does it achieve? What value does it add? The process creates distance between voluntary organisations and potential volunteers - and who benefits from that?
It should be possible for voluntary groups to post details of opportunities directly onto a recognised website, and for interested people to contact them direct. Why isn’t it? how can we speed up the contact while still providing support? These are questions that Helen and I have explored and will continue to explore.
After talking this through now with Angelo, I headed off to Rickmansworth to meet my new counterpart there, Jeanette Harvey. She is settling in well and we spoke about future work together.
When we decided to build our own management information system, it seemed easiest to adopt the classification system used by other CVSs in Hertfordshire; after all, it has been in place for several years and no-one has raised any problems. But the more I actually use the data, the weaker this classification system seems to be.
Ahead of a further meeting I have planned with Helen (our Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator), Angelo and I talked through the possibility of using Microsoft CRM to run our Volunteer Centre’s operations. At the moment, everything goes through V-base, but this means we have to maintain duplicate records on local organisations (in V-base and in CRM).
There is also something fundamentally wrong about the process that the Volunteer Centre follows. At present if an organisation wants to promote a volunteering opportunity through the Volunteer Centre, it must be sent a form to complete, and it must complete and return the form which is then checked and the details are entered onto V-base. Most organisations are already registered, of course. The organisation also has to complete a form giving details of the volunteering opportunity, after which the form is checked and the details are entered onto V-base. Then V-base is uploaded to the Do-It website. Then anyone seeing the opportunity must complete a form to register their interest with the Volunteer Centre. Then the Volunteer Centre must forward their details to the host organisation. Finally the host organisation may make contact with the potential volunteer to discuss the volunteering opportunity.
Assuming everything goes to plan, there are 8-9 steps to complete. I have tried to understand the strength and purpose of this process, but I struggle. What does it achieve? What value does it add? The process creates distance between voluntary organisations and potential volunteers - and who benefits from that?
It should be possible for voluntary groups to post details of opportunities directly onto a recognised website, and for interested people to contact them direct. Why isn’t it? how can we speed up the contact while still providing support? These are questions that Helen and I have explored and will continue to explore.
After talking this through now with Angelo, I headed off to Rickmansworth to meet my new counterpart there, Jeanette Harvey. She is settling in well and we spoke about future work together.
Thursday, 11 September 2008
My first engagement for the day was at the new Hertfordshire Development Centre in Stevenage - where the offices seem to be extremely flexible and very well planned. My meeting was to agree protocols for the operation of the Herts BME Advocacy service with Hema (our Advocate) and Karin Hutchinson and Bernie Dunne of HCC.
After this, I attended a meeting of the Herts Compact Working Group in the Mayor’s Parlour at Hertford Castle. We (me, Jacquie Hime and Andrew Burt) cautiously consulted the Working Group over the emerging plans for the 29 October conference. I felt a growing sense of horror as everything we had agreed was gradually taken apart before me. In the nick of time, I remembered that I was chairing the meeting and I managed to move us on to the next agenda item before we teetered over into the abyss.
With Hertfordshire (and others) now committed to creating “the environment for a thriving Third Sector” it is essential to place Compact at the heart of this agenda. I can’t believe there is so little national discussion on this.
In the evening, Jackie and I returned to our folk dancing at the local Free Church. We still haven't told anyone about these secretive outings and I wonder why; perhaps it's just not the sort of thing that crops up in conversation.
After this, I attended a meeting of the Herts Compact Working Group in the Mayor’s Parlour at Hertford Castle. We (me, Jacquie Hime and Andrew Burt) cautiously consulted the Working Group over the emerging plans for the 29 October conference. I felt a growing sense of horror as everything we had agreed was gradually taken apart before me. In the nick of time, I remembered that I was chairing the meeting and I managed to move us on to the next agenda item before we teetered over into the abyss.
With Hertfordshire (and others) now committed to creating “the environment for a thriving Third Sector” it is essential to place Compact at the heart of this agenda. I can’t believe there is so little national discussion on this.
In the evening, Jackie and I returned to our folk dancing at the local Free Church. We still haven't told anyone about these secretive outings and I wonder why; perhaps it's just not the sort of thing that crops up in conversation.
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
Today we had a trustees meeting and (more excitingly) we held our AGM.
The trustees meeting went well. They carefully considered options for the 2 October launch of the Trustees Network and decided to proceed and each undertook to bring along at least 3 trustees from their own group.
Although I say so myself, our AGM was superb: all the arrangements went swimmingly; my usual concerns about an empty room proved unfounded and we had a good turnout; the excellent Pam Handley and Althea MacLean OBE were returned unopposed as Chair and Vice Chair; Andrea Allez (NAVCA’s Performance Improvement director) talked on quality assurance - wonderfully well-prepared with lots of local references; we elected two great representatives to the new Watford Community Fund panel: Althea MacLean OBE and Rukhsana Butt; Pam chaired with the good humour and elan she brings to everything; our Mayor Dorothy Thornhill spoke warmly in her engaging and distinctive style; and the food was very good.
But there was a fly in the ointment. There were seven candidates for five vacant seats on the Board of Trustees and there had to be two losers. We lost as trustees Lincoln Beckford (an exceptional youth worker) and Phil Willerton (who is amongst the most knowledgeable and best connected voluntary sector people in Hertfordshire).
The trustees meeting went well. They carefully considered options for the 2 October launch of the Trustees Network and decided to proceed and each undertook to bring along at least 3 trustees from their own group.
Although I say so myself, our AGM was superb: all the arrangements went swimmingly; my usual concerns about an empty room proved unfounded and we had a good turnout; the excellent Pam Handley and Althea MacLean OBE were returned unopposed as Chair and Vice Chair; Andrea Allez (NAVCA’s Performance Improvement director) talked on quality assurance - wonderfully well-prepared with lots of local references; we elected two great representatives to the new Watford Community Fund panel: Althea MacLean OBE and Rukhsana Butt; Pam chaired with the good humour and elan she brings to everything; our Mayor Dorothy Thornhill spoke warmly in her engaging and distinctive style; and the food was very good.
But there was a fly in the ointment. There were seven candidates for five vacant seats on the Board of Trustees and there had to be two losers. We lost as trustees Lincoln Beckford (an exceptional youth worker) and Phil Willerton (who is amongst the most knowledgeable and best connected voluntary sector people in Hertfordshire).
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
I started this morning at Hatfield Fire Station for a meeting of the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium which faces some tough challenges: core funding is reduced, project funding is reduced, and many members are now only partially engaged (unsurprisingly as no-one is paid for being engaged, of course). The Consortium will survive because at its heart is a solid group of a dozen or so individuals fully committed to working in partnership to support voluntary groups to fight poverty and inequality - but we need to find the right structure for things to move forward.
After the meeting, I talked with the new Director of Three Rivers CVS. Our CVSs have been working to launch a Trustee Network for Watford and Three Rivers. We have arranged the speaker (the ever popular Alan Clarkin from the Charity Commission) and Three Rivers CVS have arranged the venue. But with the change of Director at Three Rivers CVS they have not yet actually promoted the event to their members. Jeanette (brand new in post) is worried that it is now too late for her to start promoting an event that takes place in less than a month and she wants to withdraw from the initiative. It's not what I wanted to hear, but what can I do?
Back in Watford, I fussed over last minute arrangements for tomorrow’s AGM and trustees meeting.
Recent reading (I know you're interested)
A Book of Common Birds (a 1940 book by Edmund Sanders) contained two startling facts: Great Tits will kill any smaller bird he can master and then feast on its brains and when Starlings have used the same wood for two or three years their droppings make it so filthy that not even a fox will enter it and all the trees die. Were birds really so badly behaved in the 1940s? Or was it all part of some complex propaganda initiative to trick the Nazis?
PG Wodehouse’s Pigs have Wings was completely predictable and completely enjoyable.
Forgotten English by Jeffrey Kacirk was written for Americans and Kacirk displayed only a tenuous grasp of etymology. But The Complete Plain Words by Sir Ernest Gowers was a pedant’s joy.
After the meeting, I talked with the new Director of Three Rivers CVS. Our CVSs have been working to launch a Trustee Network for Watford and Three Rivers. We have arranged the speaker (the ever popular Alan Clarkin from the Charity Commission) and Three Rivers CVS have arranged the venue. But with the change of Director at Three Rivers CVS they have not yet actually promoted the event to their members. Jeanette (brand new in post) is worried that it is now too late for her to start promoting an event that takes place in less than a month and she wants to withdraw from the initiative. It's not what I wanted to hear, but what can I do?
Back in Watford, I fussed over last minute arrangements for tomorrow’s AGM and trustees meeting.
Recent reading (I know you're interested)
A Book of Common Birds (a 1940 book by Edmund Sanders) contained two startling facts: Great Tits will kill any smaller bird he can master and then feast on its brains and when Starlings have used the same wood for two or three years their droppings make it so filthy that not even a fox will enter it and all the trees die. Were birds really so badly behaved in the 1940s? Or was it all part of some complex propaganda initiative to trick the Nazis?
PG Wodehouse’s Pigs have Wings was completely predictable and completely enjoyable.
Forgotten English by Jeffrey Kacirk was written for Americans and Kacirk displayed only a tenuous grasp of etymology. But The Complete Plain Words by Sir Ernest Gowers was a pedant’s joy.
Monday, 8 September 2008
This was my first day back at the office after a week’s leave and I returned to a very quiet office as so many staff are unwell, on leave or at external meetings. Apart from myself there were only three other members of staff in. One of these was Syed Ahmed, our Community Accountant, arriving for his first day at work and he seems very intelligent and personable.
Inevitably I spent most of the day reading through e-mails and achieving little more than sorting out the wheat from the chaff. I dread to think how many of my e-mails now carry little red flags to tell me they need answers, responses or consideration. I just checked and it's 179. Time management manuals say “only open an e-mail once” (like they used to say “only touch a piece of paper once”). But on returning from a week’s absence I first need to skim read every e-mail to see whether any great crisis has arisen and to halve the size of the problem by deleting the 200-odd spam mails that my filters failed to detect. This approach also serves the useful purpose of providing an almost sub-conscious overview or summary of some of the week’s developments. It is also the case that few e-mails stand alone (requests are withdrawn, meeting dates changed, and priorities transformed) so reading one e-mail in isolation rarely makes sense.
By late afternoon I was sufficiently up to speed to concentrate on my next priority: preparing for Wednesday’s trustees meeting and AGM. For the AGM we have received seven nominations for five vacant positions and Maria Waszkis organised a ballot paper for the necessary vote. Everything else seems well in hand for the AGM.
For our trustees meeting, however, I need to prepare an agenda and write a couple of short papers and prepare the financial report. These tasks all took far longer than I expected - particularly the finance report as I first needed to process the final audit journals. I finally left the office about 11:00 pm.
It’s nice to be back.
Inevitably I spent most of the day reading through e-mails and achieving little more than sorting out the wheat from the chaff. I dread to think how many of my e-mails now carry little red flags to tell me they need answers, responses or consideration. I just checked and it's 179. Time management manuals say “only open an e-mail once” (like they used to say “only touch a piece of paper once”). But on returning from a week’s absence I first need to skim read every e-mail to see whether any great crisis has arisen and to halve the size of the problem by deleting the 200-odd spam mails that my filters failed to detect. This approach also serves the useful purpose of providing an almost sub-conscious overview or summary of some of the week’s developments. It is also the case that few e-mails stand alone (requests are withdrawn, meeting dates changed, and priorities transformed) so reading one e-mail in isolation rarely makes sense.
By late afternoon I was sufficiently up to speed to concentrate on my next priority: preparing for Wednesday’s trustees meeting and AGM. For the AGM we have received seven nominations for five vacant positions and Maria Waszkis organised a ballot paper for the necessary vote. Everything else seems well in hand for the AGM.
For our trustees meeting, however, I need to prepare an agenda and write a couple of short papers and prepare the financial report. These tasks all took far longer than I expected - particularly the finance report as I first needed to process the final audit journals. I finally left the office about 11:00 pm.
It’s nice to be back.
Sunday, 7 September 2008
While I slept through a haze of painkillers, Jackie was busy calling dentists and hospitals and the PCT. She woke me about 9:00 am with a cup of tea, a fistful of drugs, and the welcome news that we were going to Borehamwood to see a dentist. It was a traumatic few hours, but Jackie was determined to save me, and the dentist (the talented Alan Lightstone) was equally determined to save the good name of his profession.
When the errant tooth was finally removed, my joy knew no bounds. How did people cope before modern medicine? Even now, how would I have coped without Jackie? Not well.
All in all, not the most pleasant week off I have ever taken - but without Jackie it would have been far worse!
When the errant tooth was finally removed, my joy knew no bounds. How did people cope before modern medicine? Even now, how would I have coped without Jackie? Not well.
All in all, not the most pleasant week off I have ever taken - but without Jackie it would have been far worse!
Saturday, 6 September 2008
I didn’t sleep well. Mostly the pain was so intense I could think of nothing else. Occasionally the pain subsided a little so I could think that maybe the pain would disappear completely if I amputated my head. Once the pain subsided sufficiently for me to wonder what would happen to next week’s AGM if I had no head.
Jackie had sorted out a drugs regime including a heady mixture of co-codamol, paracetomol, ibuprofen and amoxycilin. I completely lost track of which drugs I had taken and which I hadn’t. I do hope the Watford Senior Citizens’ Forum have some success with their campaign for improved labelling. Meanwhile, I relied completely on Jackie.
Around midnight, Jackie decided I needed pain relief from the A&E at the local hospital. I don’t remember much about the visit but when we returned home I was able to sleep properly for the first time since Wednesday night.
Jackie had sorted out a drugs regime including a heady mixture of co-codamol, paracetomol, ibuprofen and amoxycilin. I completely lost track of which drugs I had taken and which I hadn’t. I do hope the Watford Senior Citizens’ Forum have some success with their campaign for improved labelling. Meanwhile, I relied completely on Jackie.
Around midnight, Jackie decided I needed pain relief from the A&E at the local hospital. I don’t remember much about the visit but when we returned home I was able to sleep properly for the first time since Wednesday night.
Friday, 5 September 2008
Oh dear
I spent a horrible sleepless night wracked with pain from my foul tooth. My morning was complete agony. Fortunately I had an appointment booked at my dentist so had (I thought) only a short wait for relief.
Unfortunately, my dentist had other ideas. Perhaps remembering his previous futile efforts to extract my tooth and muttering darkly about the position of nerve endings, he referred me to a “spercialist” practice in north London. When we returned home, Jackie called them and learned that they could see me “in a couple of months” - unless we paid privately in which case it may only be "a few days". I don’t think they understood of the seriousness of the situation.
My dentist had prescribed some painkillers - but it turned out he wasn’t authorised to dispense that particular brand of painkiller so Jackie had to sort out the confusion as I was in no fit state to do anything. We canceled our plans to go to a fundraiser for Herts Society for the Blind. I managed to survive the night only with a lot of TLC and lots of drugs.
I spent a horrible sleepless night wracked with pain from my foul tooth. My morning was complete agony. Fortunately I had an appointment booked at my dentist so had (I thought) only a short wait for relief.
Unfortunately, my dentist had other ideas. Perhaps remembering his previous futile efforts to extract my tooth and muttering darkly about the position of nerve endings, he referred me to a “spercialist” practice in north London. When we returned home, Jackie called them and learned that they could see me “in a couple of months” - unless we paid privately in which case it may only be "a few days". I don’t think they understood of the seriousness of the situation.
My dentist had prescribed some painkillers - but it turned out he wasn’t authorised to dispense that particular brand of painkiller so Jackie had to sort out the confusion as I was in no fit state to do anything. We canceled our plans to go to a fundraiser for Herts Society for the Blind. I managed to survive the night only with a lot of TLC and lots of drugs.
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Today’s gardening was completely rained off. This was just as well as my toothache was steadily worsening.
In the evening, I managed to get my mind off the toothache for a bit as Jackie and I went to join the Welwyn Garden City Folk Dancing Club and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
In the evening, I managed to get my mind off the toothache for a bit as Jackie and I went to join the Welwyn Garden City Folk Dancing Club and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Thank goodness we decided not to go camping! Today we spent yet another wet day gardening after which our water feature now just awaits the concrete. And my toothache is getting worse.
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Same old, same old
After yet another damp day in the garden, I went off in the evening to join the local Chess Club. I was made to feel very welcome, but with typical bad timing I chose the night of their AGM. I did make the point that their website gave little help to potential new members, but I was clearly wrong on this. I spent two hours listening to the members address and resolve the issues of the day: attracting new members, meeting the costs of accommodation, improving the website, balancing engagement in formal structures against more informal activities. These questions must be addressed perennially by thousands of voluntary groups across the country.
Perhaps I’ll get a game of chess next week.
After yet another damp day in the garden, I went off in the evening to join the local Chess Club. I was made to feel very welcome, but with typical bad timing I chose the night of their AGM. I did make the point that their website gave little help to potential new members, but I was clearly wrong on this. I spent two hours listening to the members address and resolve the issues of the day: attracting new members, meeting the costs of accommodation, improving the website, balancing engagement in formal structures against more informal activities. These questions must be addressed perennially by thousands of voluntary groups across the country.
Perhaps I’ll get a game of chess next week.
Monday, 1 September 2008
Jackie and I spent another day in the garden dodging the rain - but at least our water feature is beginning to take shape.
Sunday, 31 August 2008
I spent another relaxing day with Jackie, starting to build our new water feature - a natural-looking cascade flowing down our rockery and into a small pond.
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Jackie and I had said we would go off walking this coming week. But the weather forecast looks so horrible, we decided instead to take the next week to build a new water feature in our garden. We spent most of today buying pumps and concrete and stuff. We know this isn't the most ecological of things to tackle, but our reasoning is that the water will attract frogs and they will be a natural antidote to slugs.
Friday, 29 August 2008
Andrea Allez of NAVCA spent the day with us reviewing our submission for the NAVCA quality award. Over the years, I have worked on several quality awards and these NAVCA standards and evidence requirements are pretty tough. But the process has also been extremely helpful in identifying strengths and weaknesses. Thankfully, Vanessa Levy (our Development and Training Officer) was here and she was tremendous – along with other staff and trustees who contributed. At the end of the day, Andrea gave some very helpful feedback. We wait with bated breath.
While Vanessa was taking the lead on QA, I was wrestling with some thorny IT problems – Connexions have changed their on-line database and our Connexions staff can’t get past the new security. I finally managed to resolve things at about 7:00 pm and headed off for a week’s leave.
While Vanessa was taking the lead on QA, I was wrestling with some thorny IT problems – Connexions have changed their on-line database and our Connexions staff can’t get past the new security. I finally managed to resolve things at about 7:00 pm and headed off for a week’s leave.
Thursday, 28 August 2008
I went to the Cover offices at Great Chesterton for a meeting of Trustees Together – the regional grouping looking at the needs of trustees. As our Trustee Network is scheduled for launch on 2 October, this was very timely.
On the return journey I dropped by at County Hall to meet with Andrew Burt to move toward finalising arrangements for the 29 October conference on LAA2, NI7, Compact, Partnership and Public Law. For those that don’t speak local government jargon, this is a conference about Local Area Agreements (the strategic plans for each local authority area). The Hertfordshire LAA incorporates National Indicator 7 (“creating an environment for a thriving third sector”). The Hertfordshire Compact Working Group (of which I am co-chair, with the lovely Jacquie Hime) sees this as a great opportunity to reinvigorate the Compact agenda, building effective partnerships between the statutory and voluntary sectors. And it seems sensible for this opportunity to also incorporate a better understanding of Public Law.
The plans are progressing a little too slowly for my liking, but they will doubtless come together soon.
On the return journey I dropped by at County Hall to meet with Andrew Burt to move toward finalising arrangements for the 29 October conference on LAA2, NI7, Compact, Partnership and Public Law. For those that don’t speak local government jargon, this is a conference about Local Area Agreements (the strategic plans for each local authority area). The Hertfordshire LAA incorporates National Indicator 7 (“creating an environment for a thriving third sector”). The Hertfordshire Compact Working Group (of which I am co-chair, with the lovely Jacquie Hime) sees this as a great opportunity to reinvigorate the Compact agenda, building effective partnerships between the statutory and voluntary sectors. And it seems sensible for this opportunity to also incorporate a better understanding of Public Law.
The plans are progressing a little too slowly for my liking, but they will doubtless come together soon.
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
After a day tackling IT problems (we had five new PCs installed) and looking to develop the Sunflower website, this evening we held the second AGM of the Watford One World forum. We enjoyed a very good presentation from Laura Cronshaw (of St Albans CVS) talking about the Representation Toolkit and from Michael Lassman (of EqualityEdge) talking about Working with Difference.
We had hoped to elect new officers for WOWf but after some very interesting discussions, we decided instead to ask a small working group to set up a short-term plan for the forum.
We had hoped to elect new officers for WOWf but after some very interesting discussions, we decided instead to ask a small working group to set up a short-term plan for the forum.
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
I devoted most of my day to drawing up a detailed letter to Watford Borough Council on our hopes / expectations / requirements re: a possible relocation to the Holywell Centre.
Monday, 25 August 2008
A fete worse then death?
Jackie and I today drove to the Essendon Great Fete. Essendon is the first village east of Welwyn Garden City (perhaps 3 miles away) but it took us half an hour to get there as everyone else had also decided to attend the Fete. The organisers were overwhelmed and the tailback stretched past Welwyn and half way back to Hertford. The car-parking attendants were ill-prepared and tried to micro-manage every individual vehicle resulting in yet further unnecessary delays.
I have many fond memories of Hertfordshire’s village fetes, but this was frantic: there were queues everywhere and for everything and there are few spectacles less edifying than upper middle-class English families determined to ensure that their children will have a good time.
As society becomes less cohesive and more manic, there is a mania for "traditional" events - which of course lose their relevance and become merely over-managed opportunities to raise money at all costs. It wasn't a fete worse than death, I am just too weak-willed to resist an obvious pun. But it wasn't pleasant: I don’t feel that I took part in a traditional relaxed rural celebration of cohesion and togetherness. Rather, I feel like I have had a glimpse of society on the edge.
Jackie and I today drove to the Essendon Great Fete. Essendon is the first village east of Welwyn Garden City (perhaps 3 miles away) but it took us half an hour to get there as everyone else had also decided to attend the Fete. The organisers were overwhelmed and the tailback stretched past Welwyn and half way back to Hertford. The car-parking attendants were ill-prepared and tried to micro-manage every individual vehicle resulting in yet further unnecessary delays.
I have many fond memories of Hertfordshire’s village fetes, but this was frantic: there were queues everywhere and for everything and there are few spectacles less edifying than upper middle-class English families determined to ensure that their children will have a good time.
As society becomes less cohesive and more manic, there is a mania for "traditional" events - which of course lose their relevance and become merely over-managed opportunities to raise money at all costs. It wasn't a fete worse than death, I am just too weak-willed to resist an obvious pun. But it wasn't pleasant: I don’t feel that I took part in a traditional relaxed rural celebration of cohesion and togetherness. Rather, I feel like I have had a glimpse of society on the edge.
Sunday, 24 August 2008
I drove Bobby to Brighton, buying a bed en route. On the return journey I listened to a very good Radio 4 programme about Hate Crime directed against disabled people and then to an equally good (but less harrowing) programme on Noel Coward's poetry.
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Jackie and Bobby and I drove to Ampthill to visit my sister and had a thoroughly good time. On the return journey we dropped by for an uproarious meal with my Mum and nephew. All great fun.
Friday, 22 August 2008
I met in the morning with my Chair of trustees, and we discussed WCVS’s accommodation, our forthcoming AGM and our forthcoming NAVCA inspection.
As Pam left, Angelo arrived to install some new PCs, while I left for Hatfield to give a presentation to colleagues from the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium on the new mywatford.net system at the splendid new offices of the Hertfordshire Community Foundation. Even allowing for my (let’s be charitable) idiosyncratic presentation style, I was struck by the range of very different reactions to the demonstration: some enthusiastic, some keenly interested, some cool, some wary or even slightly cynical. People do have these very private adn personal reactions to ICT: which is what makes ICT so endlessly difficult and endlessly fascinating.
As Pam left, Angelo arrived to install some new PCs, while I left for Hatfield to give a presentation to colleagues from the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium on the new mywatford.net system at the splendid new offices of the Hertfordshire Community Foundation. Even allowing for my (let’s be charitable) idiosyncratic presentation style, I was struck by the range of very different reactions to the demonstration: some enthusiastic, some keenly interested, some cool, some wary or even slightly cynical. People do have these very private adn personal reactions to ICT: which is what makes ICT so endlessly difficult and endlessly fascinating.
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