Before my evening trustees’ meeting, I had some other interesting meetings. First, I finally met with Carina Page to talk about how the Community Sports Partnership can make use of mywatford.net, then I met with people from the Ratala Welfare Organization to hear about their work supporting this area of North West Pakistan, and finally I met with people from the THITA translation service to discuss their plans for the future.
The trustees’ meeting went very well. Most of the papers were tabled on the evening but everyone was very kind and forgiving and we had some very good discussions – particularly on our possible move to the Holywell Community Centre. As ever, my Chair Pam delivered a masterclass on how meetings can be open, deliberative, calm, purposeful, democratic - and still finish on schedule.
After the trustees’ meeting, I stayed late at the office preparing a report on the work of our Youth Connexions workers. A very pleasing day’s work.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Today I met with WCVS colleagues planning the final stages before we fully launch Microsoft CRM as our main contact system. It all looks pretty good, but the system is so large that we are still discovering new features – and occasionally new problems.
I then worked late preparing the final papers for tomorrow’s trustees’ meeting.
I then worked late preparing the final papers for tomorrow’s trustees’ meeting.
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
After last night’s trauma of changing a tyre in the freezing rain, it was good this morning to attend a meeting of the One Watford local strategic partnership. As ever, there were some intelligent discussions. I gave a short talk on our discussions towards setting up a Community Assembly in Watford, and this was well received.
It is dangerous to have “pet projects”, but this is a subject very dear to me. I have always had a fascination for the town- and village- based “democracies” of the ancient Greeks, Vikings, Saxons, and early British settlers in America. Most people naturally offer their first and strongest allegiance to their local community and it seems to me that this scale offers the best basis for a truly open and equal democracy. Naturally in Watford we shall try and emulate only the best aspects of these older communities: our neighbours in Rickmansworth should not fear Watfordian raiding parties crossing the River Colne.
I left Watford for the day and travelled into London for a DLS trustees’ meeting in Whitechapel. At first, my journey went smoothly and I arrived at Kings Cross in ample time. But as I approached the barriers for the underground, the barriers closed, and an alarm sounded with an announcement that Kings Cross was closed until further notice due to a security alert. Kings Cross staff explained that for “maybe three hours” there would be no trains to Whitechapel and no trains back to Hertfordshire.
I wasn’t too worried as I fancy myself a pretty seasoned walker - its only about five miles to Whitechapel and I had plenty of time. I strode away from Kings Cross thinking I would surely find a bus or a train at some point. No. I walked the whole distance to Whitechapel, fuelled by sheer stubborn bloody-mindedness. I arrived at my meeting half an hour late, feeling very unwell, and my feet were aching painfully – all my walking is usually done on soft earth not hard pavements. I fear my tales of travelling mishaps are testing the patience of my fellow DLS trustees, and perhaps of you too, dear reader.
It is dangerous to have “pet projects”, but this is a subject very dear to me. I have always had a fascination for the town- and village- based “democracies” of the ancient Greeks, Vikings, Saxons, and early British settlers in America. Most people naturally offer their first and strongest allegiance to their local community and it seems to me that this scale offers the best basis for a truly open and equal democracy. Naturally in Watford we shall try and emulate only the best aspects of these older communities: our neighbours in Rickmansworth should not fear Watfordian raiding parties crossing the River Colne.
I left Watford for the day and travelled into London for a DLS trustees’ meeting in Whitechapel. At first, my journey went smoothly and I arrived at Kings Cross in ample time. But as I approached the barriers for the underground, the barriers closed, and an alarm sounded with an announcement that Kings Cross was closed until further notice due to a security alert. Kings Cross staff explained that for “maybe three hours” there would be no trains to Whitechapel and no trains back to Hertfordshire.
I wasn’t too worried as I fancy myself a pretty seasoned walker - its only about five miles to Whitechapel and I had plenty of time. I strode away from Kings Cross thinking I would surely find a bus or a train at some point. No. I walked the whole distance to Whitechapel, fuelled by sheer stubborn bloody-mindedness. I arrived at my meeting half an hour late, feeling very unwell, and my feet were aching painfully – all my walking is usually done on soft earth not hard pavements. I fear my tales of travelling mishaps are testing the patience of my fellow DLS trustees, and perhaps of you too, dear reader.
Monday, 9 February 2009
Our networking lunch at the Holy Rood Parish Centre went well. Angelo, Sha-Lee and I each spoke on the mywatford.net site and about how groups can use it. Other staff attending gave excellent support. Now we just have to work like blazes to make sure we can fulfil people’s expectations!
After the lunch, I had a good meeting with Sarah Pinnock. I also agreed to be the voluntary sector representative on the new Hertfordshire Forward strategic planning group on community cohesion. I do not feel entirely comfortable about this as we need far more transparency and accountability about these representational roles. I agreed to do it on a temporary basis while the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium gets itself organised for a concerted attempt to rationalise and clarify representation in the county.
I worked at the office until late preparing papers for this week’s trustees’ meeting. By the time I left Watford, torrential rain was falling – not sweet warm tropical rain, but icy-cold winter rain. It was cold and dark, I was tired and it was pouring with rain. Naturally, my car suffered a puncture thanks to a large invisible rain-filled pothole in the road works on the A414. It is impossible to put into words just how much I loathe cars.
After the lunch, I had a good meeting with Sarah Pinnock. I also agreed to be the voluntary sector representative on the new Hertfordshire Forward strategic planning group on community cohesion. I do not feel entirely comfortable about this as we need far more transparency and accountability about these representational roles. I agreed to do it on a temporary basis while the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium gets itself organised for a concerted attempt to rationalise and clarify representation in the county.
I worked at the office until late preparing papers for this week’s trustees’ meeting. By the time I left Watford, torrential rain was falling – not sweet warm tropical rain, but icy-cold winter rain. It was cold and dark, I was tired and it was pouring with rain. Naturally, my car suffered a puncture thanks to a large invisible rain-filled pothole in the road works on the A414. It is impossible to put into words just how much I loathe cars.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Hatfield new town is a pale shadow of its former self. Neighbourhoods that were once bright and lively and attractive now seem in terminal decline. The Galleria shopping centre stands astride the A1 and lures people away from the town centre. Those that do visit the town centre find their entry blocked by a massive superstore, behind which the town centre is unvisited and unloved, and the market hangs on in bleak desperation. Hatfield old town is also scarred: the Georgian grandeur of Salisbury Square has been magically transformed into an incongruous urban wasteland. Only Fore Street remains to engender any pride in Hatfield.
Hertfordshire has some great towns, new and old, but in Hatfield and post-War planners have got it badly wrong.
Jackie and I wandered through the town looking at old haunts, and then took a walk around snowy Hatfield Park.
Hertfordshire has some great towns, new and old, but in Hatfield and post-War planners have got it badly wrong.
Jackie and I wandered through the town looking at old haunts, and then took a walk around snowy Hatfield Park.
Friday, 6 February 2009
This afternoon’s Trustees Together meeting was another casualty of the recent bad weather. This agve me an opportunity to talk at length to several colleagues about the current state of the voluntary sector in Hertfordshire and our relations with teh PCT and with HCC. The county council are just emerging from their latest re-organisation and still trying to take on board their responsibilities for the LAA while also engaging partners. There are some common concerns among colleagues that mistakes are being made – and also an understanding that mistakes at this stage a perhaps inevitable; or if not inevitable, at least forgivable.
I also did more work on the report I am preparing for the Herts PCTs, working on papers for next week’s trustees’ meeting, and worked on my presentation for Monday’s networking lunch.
I also did more work on the report I am preparing for the Herts PCTs, working on papers for next week’s trustees’ meeting, and worked on my presentation for Monday’s networking lunch.
Thursday, 5 February 2009
I went this morning to Hatfield to meet with Michal Siewniak, MENTER’s new development worker for minority ethnic groups in Hertfordshire. I tried to impress upon Michal my view that the most important next step is to create a viable county-wide forum of local groups; I do hope he heard. We agreed that Michal will visit Watford on 26 March for further discussions and to help try to re-launch the local Polish Association.
I spent the afternoon preparing for Monday’s networking lunch and the launch of mywatford.net.
I spent the afternoon preparing for Monday’s networking lunch and the launch of mywatford.net.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
At least this morning I managed to get into work. But plenty of others were still snowed in and I had several meetings cancelled and there was a strange suggestion of the Marie Celeste about Watford. After some hasty consultations I cancelled this evening’s meeting on the Watford LIVE! festival.
One meeting saved from the weather was a visit from Judith Bruni of the Watford Inter Faith Association and we had a good discussion about how WCVS can better support WIFA’s work.
One meeting saved from the weather was a visit from Judith Bruni of the Watford Inter Faith Association and we had a good discussion about how WCVS can better support WIFA’s work.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Even very recently, I took some pride in not being thwarted by the weather. I can remember walking through a desolated London park the morning after the great storm of 1987. There was only a little snow overnight and I had high hopes today of driving to work in Watford. I drove Jackie to her job in Welwyn Garden City town centre. But the roads were treacherous and when a car ahead of me skidded on the ice I decided that my nerves would not stand the drive to Watford and I returned home.
I spent my day reading through the reports we’ve received on the Holywell Community Centre. They make interesting reading. WCVS is currently based on Watford High Street close the epicentre of Watford’s social, commercial and political life. If we relocate to the Holywell Community Centre, we will be based in the middle of a park right on the edge of Watford with our nearest neighbours a few hundred yards away. But nevertheless, a move to the Holywell could be fantastic: we ought to be able to secure a long lease and the will be space and time to develop and implement some long-term plans – and the site has great potential. But there are also plenty of elephant traps to avoid. WCVS needs to take an “in principle” decision in 3-4 months. These reports highlight that at present there are still so many unresolved (and perhaps irresolvable) questions.
I also wrote to my Herts CVS colleagues about Hertfordshire’s emergency planning arrangements. Particularly I wrote about arrangements for humanitarian aid centres that might be set up in the aftermath of a disaster. Local authorities are responsibility for setting up and funding any such centre, but the centres should also engage voluntary agencies - including those from the local community. When establishing a humanitarian aid centre, a local authority will need a voluntary sector partner with considerable local knowledge and with skills at building effective partnerships. To me, it is therefore a simple and obvious conclusion that the local CVS should be the key voluntary partner. I have put this to the key emergency planners at HCC who seem convinced and I have written this into a draft Memorandum of Understanding between Herts CVS and HEVEC. Today I have sent this to my Herts CVS colleagues to see if we can get a common agreement on this.
I spent my day reading through the reports we’ve received on the Holywell Community Centre. They make interesting reading. WCVS is currently based on Watford High Street close the epicentre of Watford’s social, commercial and political life. If we relocate to the Holywell Community Centre, we will be based in the middle of a park right on the edge of Watford with our nearest neighbours a few hundred yards away. But nevertheless, a move to the Holywell could be fantastic: we ought to be able to secure a long lease and the will be space and time to develop and implement some long-term plans – and the site has great potential. But there are also plenty of elephant traps to avoid. WCVS needs to take an “in principle” decision in 3-4 months. These reports highlight that at present there are still so many unresolved (and perhaps irresolvable) questions.
I also wrote to my Herts CVS colleagues about Hertfordshire’s emergency planning arrangements. Particularly I wrote about arrangements for humanitarian aid centres that might be set up in the aftermath of a disaster. Local authorities are responsibility for setting up and funding any such centre, but the centres should also engage voluntary agencies - including those from the local community. When establishing a humanitarian aid centre, a local authority will need a voluntary sector partner with considerable local knowledge and with skills at building effective partnerships. To me, it is therefore a simple and obvious conclusion that the local CVS should be the key voluntary partner. I have put this to the key emergency planners at HCC who seem convinced and I have written this into a draft Memorandum of Understanding between Herts CVS and HEVEC. Today I have sent this to my Herts CVS colleagues to see if we can get a common agreement on this.
Monday, 2 February 2009
I woke at about 5:00 am and wondered why the room was bathed in a ghostly white light: it was moonlight reflected off the snow and into our bedroom. About four inches of snow fell in the night. This was not a natural disaster, but was perfectly sufficient to close all the major transport routes across Hertfordshire. After listening to the weather and traffic reports on Radio 4, I concluded that it would be foolish to attempt the journey to Watford. I stayed home to work, having long telephone conversations with the three consultants I was meant to have met this morning to talk about WCVS’s possible relocation to the Holywell Centre. During the day, we had another four inches of snow.
Intrepid Jackie had donned her boots and jacket and walked the mile or two into town for her job with the NHS - I was very proud of her. Aged Ken, our decrepit white cat of indeterminate age, was less than intrepid and would not venture out in the snow. Let me just say that some questions it is better for you not to ask.
Intrepid Jackie had donned her boots and jacket and walked the mile or two into town for her job with the NHS - I was very proud of her. Aged Ken, our decrepit white cat of indeterminate age, was less than intrepid and would not venture out in the snow. Let me just say that some questions it is better for you not to ask.
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Today was the last day of our week off, and Jackie and I went for a walk in Hatfield Park, which was beautiful as ever but very cold. Last year, the park seemed vast beyond imagining. Jackie pointed out today that the more we know the park, the smaller it becomes. Still, it is good exercise.
The weather forecast is for snow – I am not sure if this is everywhere or if it is restricted to Kent. I spent the evening preparing for my return to work. I have 270 e-mails bearing little red flags to indicate that I need to reply to them. Poor me. And I pity anyone who has sent me one of those 270 e-mails. At about 9:00 pm, Jackie alerted me to heavy snowfall outside. I do hope it clears overnight.
Recent reading
I have recently read three books I can highly recommend. First, Marcus du Sautoy’s The Music of the Primes is a brilliant introduction to number theory. I have read a few books before on the history of maths etc, but I had absolutely no idea I was so ignorant or that number theory could be so exciting. I am still not sure I understand the Reimann Hypothesis. In fact I know damn well that I don’t understand the Reimann Hypothesis, except in a dark fumbling sort of way. But it was still a great book.
The Search for the Perfect Language by Umberto Eco is a fascinating history of the search for the (entirely mythical) perfect language that “expresses, without ambiguity, the essence of all possible things and all possible concepts”; splendid stuff. My only complaint is that the translation into English is very literal. But perhaps this was deliberate? At one point I was reading a modern English translation of a modern Italian book explaining a medieval Latin text that is a glossary Greek translation of a book originally written in Hebrew: I fear that something was lost in translation. I suspect that the perfect language will somehow be revealed within the solution to the Reimann Hypothesis.
The story of the English language is quite as thrilling as the story of prime numbers, and (if not perfect) the language has certainly shown itself to be more adaptable than many others. Melvyn Bragg’s The Adventure of English gives a pretty comprehensive survey of his subject. Yet I found something Not Quite Satisfying about Bragg’s writing. Perhaps he pulls his punches or is too conscious of abusing his iconic status? Perhaps I was troubled by some of his bar-room etymology. Perhaps he tried to pack too much into one book? Or perhaps he just had too much competition from Eco and du Sautoy? Anyway, it was still very good.
The weather forecast is for snow – I am not sure if this is everywhere or if it is restricted to Kent. I spent the evening preparing for my return to work. I have 270 e-mails bearing little red flags to indicate that I need to reply to them. Poor me. And I pity anyone who has sent me one of those 270 e-mails. At about 9:00 pm, Jackie alerted me to heavy snowfall outside. I do hope it clears overnight.
Recent reading
I have recently read three books I can highly recommend. First, Marcus du Sautoy’s The Music of the Primes is a brilliant introduction to number theory. I have read a few books before on the history of maths etc, but I had absolutely no idea I was so ignorant or that number theory could be so exciting. I am still not sure I understand the Reimann Hypothesis. In fact I know damn well that I don’t understand the Reimann Hypothesis, except in a dark fumbling sort of way. But it was still a great book.
The Search for the Perfect Language by Umberto Eco is a fascinating history of the search for the (entirely mythical) perfect language that “expresses, without ambiguity, the essence of all possible things and all possible concepts”; splendid stuff. My only complaint is that the translation into English is very literal. But perhaps this was deliberate? At one point I was reading a modern English translation of a modern Italian book explaining a medieval Latin text that is a glossary Greek translation of a book originally written in Hebrew: I fear that something was lost in translation. I suspect that the perfect language will somehow be revealed within the solution to the Reimann Hypothesis.
The story of the English language is quite as thrilling as the story of prime numbers, and (if not perfect) the language has certainly shown itself to be more adaptable than many others. Melvyn Bragg’s The Adventure of English gives a pretty comprehensive survey of his subject. Yet I found something Not Quite Satisfying about Bragg’s writing. Perhaps he pulls his punches or is too conscious of abusing his iconic status? Perhaps I was troubled by some of his bar-room etymology. Perhaps he tried to pack too much into one book? Or perhaps he just had too much competition from Eco and du Sautoy? Anyway, it was still very good.
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Jackie and I spent the day with our grand-daughter Bethany – she is gorgeous and she beat me at Pairs and at Snakes and Ladders.
There have recently been many good television programmes and I have particularly enjoyed the superb Victorian Farm, Jim Al-Khalili's Science and Islam, Rageh Omaar's Islamic History of Europe, and of course Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage. Tonight, Jackie and I enjoyed Neil Oliver’s excellent History of Scotland. And we still have lots of Darwin documentaries coming soon. My cup runneth over. The television scene is only darkened by the truly awful series on the unexplained in which poor Tony Robinson has to pretend that he might believe in reincarnation or witchcraft or faeries. Oh Dear, oh dear.
There have recently been many good television programmes and I have particularly enjoyed the superb Victorian Farm, Jim Al-Khalili's Science and Islam, Rageh Omaar's Islamic History of Europe, and of course Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage. Tonight, Jackie and I enjoyed Neil Oliver’s excellent History of Scotland. And we still have lots of Darwin documentaries coming soon. My cup runneth over. The television scene is only darkened by the truly awful series on the unexplained in which poor Tony Robinson has to pretend that he might believe in reincarnation or witchcraft or faeries. Oh Dear, oh dear.
Friday, 30 January 2009
Today, my leave was again interrupted for a trip to Cambridge for the inaugural meeting of the Regional Empowerment Partnership, run under the auspices of the Inspire East and the East of England Development Agency. Jen Wingate is doing a remarkable job at Inspire East and she and others gave a good overview of how the Partnership will work.
Several participants saw empowerment as a zero-sum transaction: that if power increases in one place it must necessarily reduce elsewhere. This model of empowerment concerns me as I believe it is flawed and is doomed to failure.
The approach is doomed because it is an adversarial model that invites people to compete over who gets the biggest slice of pie. It would be naive to ignore existing power structures and vested interests, but it is surely self-defeating to build an empowerment strategy around these competing interests.
The model is flawed because “empowerment” is not a scarce physical resource like oil or gold. “Empowerment” is an abstract concept and, as with “love” or “goodwill”, there are infinite and limitless reserves of empowerment. In any given community, it is perfectly possible for everyone to feel themselves to exercise more control over the decisions that affect their lives.
It is all a question of balance, proportion and partnership. The fundamental question is: what sort of community do we want?
Do I want to live in a society in which everyone participates in democratic processes, respects those processes and respects the rights of their neighbours? That sounds pretty good. Even better if there is a strong sense of community cohesion, a commitment to equality, a focus on individual freedom and responsibility and a systematic approach to protecting the environment and fighting poverty and ignorance. Yes! Sign me up! I want to live there!
Do I want to live in a society in which different interest groups compete daily to assert their entrenched views and impose their wills? Do I want the agenda set by powerful media barons and unaccountable political strategists? Do I want to live in a society where people are segregated and defined by their religion, class, race, salary, sexuality, age, health, postcode? No, I don’t. It sounds like a living hell. Count me out.
Several participants saw empowerment as a zero-sum transaction: that if power increases in one place it must necessarily reduce elsewhere. This model of empowerment concerns me as I believe it is flawed and is doomed to failure.
The approach is doomed because it is an adversarial model that invites people to compete over who gets the biggest slice of pie. It would be naive to ignore existing power structures and vested interests, but it is surely self-defeating to build an empowerment strategy around these competing interests.
The model is flawed because “empowerment” is not a scarce physical resource like oil or gold. “Empowerment” is an abstract concept and, as with “love” or “goodwill”, there are infinite and limitless reserves of empowerment. In any given community, it is perfectly possible for everyone to feel themselves to exercise more control over the decisions that affect their lives.
It is all a question of balance, proportion and partnership. The fundamental question is: what sort of community do we want?
Do I want to live in a society in which everyone participates in democratic processes, respects those processes and respects the rights of their neighbours? That sounds pretty good. Even better if there is a strong sense of community cohesion, a commitment to equality, a focus on individual freedom and responsibility and a systematic approach to protecting the environment and fighting poverty and ignorance. Yes! Sign me up! I want to live there!
Do I want to live in a society in which different interest groups compete daily to assert their entrenched views and impose their wills? Do I want the agenda set by powerful media barons and unaccountable political strategists? Do I want to live in a society where people are segregated and defined by their religion, class, race, salary, sexuality, age, health, postcode? No, I don’t. It sounds like a living hell. Count me out.
Thursday, 29 January 2009
In many communities, charity shops once performed an essential service providing access to cheap clothes, toys, furniture and books, recycling goods and offering somewhere to have a good rummage between jumble sales. These incidental social benefits of charity shops are now less apparent. Charity Shops are now often very slick operations focused on maximising income for charities such as Oxfam, Cancer Research, Scope and the British Heart Foundation. I was recently shocked to see a young mum humiliated in a shop for daring to request a discount, but rudeness apart there is absolutely nothing wrong with the new breed of charity shops. Except that our high streets are much poorer for the loss of traditional charity shops – and traditional pubs, butchers, greengrocers, etc.
Today, Jackie and I visited Bishop’s Stortford for no other reason than that neither of us can remember the last time we went there. Of course it has changed, and alongside the usual charity shops we found a great bookshop run for Sense. We bought a selection of books and then had tea at Marks and Spencers exchanging favourites from the collected poems of Philip Larkin: Days and Take One Home For The Kiddies.
We also found a charity shop run for the Isabel Hospice – these are amongst my favourite charity shops. This one was very traditional – so traditional that when we arrived five minutes before closing time, we found it already shut for the day.
Today, Jackie and I visited Bishop’s Stortford for no other reason than that neither of us can remember the last time we went there. Of course it has changed, and alongside the usual charity shops we found a great bookshop run for Sense. We bought a selection of books and then had tea at Marks and Spencers exchanging favourites from the collected poems of Philip Larkin: Days and Take One Home For The Kiddies.
We also found a charity shop run for the Isabel Hospice – these are amongst my favourite charity shops. This one was very traditional – so traditional that when we arrived five minutes before closing time, we found it already shut for the day.
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
This morning, I interrupted my week’s leave for a meeting of the Herts CVS group at Great Amwell Scout Hut on the edge of Ware - Scout Huts are much improved since the 1960s.
The meeting was very productive – our new chair Laura Cronshaw (of St Albans CVS) is introducing some much needed modernisation. I was concerned to hear from Jacquie that last week’s Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium meeting was poorly attended. I had anyway requested a special Herts CVS meeting to consider the future membership and role of Herts CVS and the Herts Infrastructure Consortium: things have changed a lot over the past year and we need to constantly review how things are working. For example, there is an increasing tension at Herts CVS meetings: on the one hand we have our own needs and concerns as CEOs of local CVSs, while on the other hand we must also address the external timetable and demands of the LAA. This tension has been noticed by all of us and increasingly challenges our organisational and time-management skills. We agreed on a special meeting to confront these issues and find a solution.
Jackie and I had agreed on lunch in Ware and then a walk along the canal to Hertford. But the rain was incessant and by the time I emerged from the meeting, Jackie had no desire to return to Ware and I certainly had no desire to get wet. Instead we visited the White Horse at Burnham Green – there is a local legend that the lanes around Burnham Green are haunted at night by a headless white horse. The pub suffered a disastrous fire about ten years ago and in the renovation, the pub lost its character: it is now open and light and more like a wine bar than a traditional village pub. Thankfully, the food and service were superb.
Back home, I finalised the latest issue of WCVS News. Some important pieces of information were omitted to keep the newsletter short – I just hope people read our website regularly too.
The meeting was very productive – our new chair Laura Cronshaw (of St Albans CVS) is introducing some much needed modernisation. I was concerned to hear from Jacquie that last week’s Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium meeting was poorly attended. I had anyway requested a special Herts CVS meeting to consider the future membership and role of Herts CVS and the Herts Infrastructure Consortium: things have changed a lot over the past year and we need to constantly review how things are working. For example, there is an increasing tension at Herts CVS meetings: on the one hand we have our own needs and concerns as CEOs of local CVSs, while on the other hand we must also address the external timetable and demands of the LAA. This tension has been noticed by all of us and increasingly challenges our organisational and time-management skills. We agreed on a special meeting to confront these issues and find a solution.
Jackie and I had agreed on lunch in Ware and then a walk along the canal to Hertford. But the rain was incessant and by the time I emerged from the meeting, Jackie had no desire to return to Ware and I certainly had no desire to get wet. Instead we visited the White Horse at Burnham Green – there is a local legend that the lanes around Burnham Green are haunted at night by a headless white horse. The pub suffered a disastrous fire about ten years ago and in the renovation, the pub lost its character: it is now open and light and more like a wine bar than a traditional village pub. Thankfully, the food and service were superb.
Back home, I finalised the latest issue of WCVS News. Some important pieces of information were omitted to keep the newsletter short – I just hope people read our website regularly too.
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