Friday, 10 July 2009

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Blog of a Thousand Days Believe it or not, this is my 1,000 th blog. It will be my last on this site (for more, you can always visit http:/...

Thursday, 9 July 2009

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Today I attended a memorial service for Geoff Harris, one of Watford CVS’s honorary Vice Presidents. I knew Geoff well, but did not know tha...

Wednesday, 8 July 2009

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Today was another one of those days when there were just Too Many Meetings. In fact, at 10:00 this morning, I could have attended any one of...

Tuesday, 7 July 2009

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I spent this morning at a meeting of Hertfordshire Forward’s Community Cohesion Strategy Group. I find these meetings quite difficult as the...

Monday, 6 July 2009

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Everything changes Today, I heard that our worst fears have come to pass: my Chair of Trustees Pam Handley died on Saturday after a mercifu...

Sunday, 5 July 2009

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Jackie and I spent another productive and peaceful day in the garden.

Saturday, 4 July 2009

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There is always so much to do in the garden, and it is a welcome distraction from the pressures at work right now.

Friday, 3 July 2009

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Another welcome day working at home to catch up on correspondence – and think through some key strategic issues re: volunteering, marketing ...

Thursday, 2 July 2009

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Today’s key meeting was with WBC’s Lesley Palumbo to discuss WCVS’s possible move to the Holywell Community Centre – and the numerous matter...

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

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Most of today I worked installing PCs and software etc and meeting with Angelo on mywatford.net. I also had some interesting discussions abo...

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

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Today I finally submitted a draft of my proposals for spending some Performance Reward Grant monies on building a Community Assembly for Wat...

Monday, 29 June 2009

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Working to support community organisations can create some interesting conundrums. For example, how do you advise a voluntary group that bel...

Sunday, 28 June 2009

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Jackie and I enjoyed another blissfully quiet day of rest and recuperation.

Saturday, 27 June 2009

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After all the changes of the past week, Jackie and I had a family day – rain and hail in Welwyn, followed by Australians (distant relatives)...

Friday, 26 June 2009

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I was grateful to spend a relatively quiet day at home catching up on correspondence.

Thursday, 25 June 2009

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Today I attended another leaving bash – this time for Sarah Pinnock who is leaving Watford Borough Council after twelve years working with l...

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

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I took morning coffee with Claire Clark (the new equalities officer at Herts PCTs) and then met in Watford with people from THITA – a commun...

Tuesday, 23 June 2009

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I started today in Stevenage meeting Maggie Woods to discuss our BME Advocacy Service, then I met with Anne Boyd (our Funding Advisor) to pr...

Monday, 22 June 2009

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I spent today in Thetford at a meeting of the Regional Empowerment Partnership. It was good to talk through where this is heading and get a ...

Sunday, 21 June 2009

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I tidies up teh ehdge at teh front of our house: what fun!

Saturday, 20 June 2009

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After a gentle day, Jackie and I visited Watford Palace Theatre for a performance of “Dominoes Falling” as the climax of the Watford LIVE fe...

Friday, 19 June 2009

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I had hoped to spend today at Putteridge Bury learning about Community Resource Centres. But the meeting was cancelled meaning that I could ...

Thursday, 18 June 2009

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I started today with a meeting at the Herts Community Foundation to discuss plans to re-launch the Herts Infrastructure Consortium as a gene...

Wednesday, 17 June 2009

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Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons is finally standing down. How is the odious toad treated for defending corruption, oppos...

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

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Today was a more-frantic-than-usual blur of meetings. I began at a meeting on the future of the Herts BME Partnership, and then one on the f...

Monday, 15 June 2009

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I spent today at the Holywell Community Centre making myself available to talk to anyone with questions or concerns about Watford CVS’s prop...

Sunday, 14 June 2009

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Today was the showcase event for Watford LIVE! The weather was beautiful –perhaps not ideal for an indoor event. Watford Borough Council mad...

Saturday, 13 June 2009

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After the stresses of the past week, Jackie and I today looked after our grand-daughter Bethany. We walked through the woods together and co...

Friday, 12 June 2009

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This morning I hosted a visit from Robin and Heather of Community Action Hertsmere. I spent the rest of the day tying up various loose ends ...

Thursday, 11 June 2009

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I started the day (05:04!) circulating for comment a draft bid to CEHR. After a few hours sleep, I got to work about 11:00. Having already ...

Wednesday, 10 June 2009

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Our relocation to the Holywell Community Centre is still far from certain. To move things further forward, I spent today at the Centre and s...

Tuesday, 9 June 2009

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The One Watford LSP met today at the YMCA for a properly focused discussion on priorities for spending Watford’s “Performance Reward Grant”....

Monday, 8 June 2009

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Today, I spoke with Helen and Sha-Lee about the outcome of last Friday’s meeting. You can tell a lot about someone's character by workin...

Sunday, 7 June 2009

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Throughout today (and through into the early hours - for the third time in a week!) I worked on a funding bid to the CEHR on behalf of the H...

Saturday, 6 June 2009

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Jackie and I had an early evening meal at the China Sky restaurant in Hatfield’s Market Square – it is hard to say whether the menu or the s...

Friday, 5 June 2009

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Today I met with Watford CVS's Personnel and Remuneration committee. This group had been charged by the trustees with taking final decis...

Thursday, 4 June 2009

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Today, I attended the latest meeting of the Hertfordshire LSP Community Cohesion Strategy Group. I think we are laying some useful foundatio...

Wednesday, 3 June 2009

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Although things are moving in a very good direction, there is still much work to do on the future of the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Conso...

Tuesday, 2 June 2009

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I knew today was going to be a long haul, so I arranged to arrive at work early and by 7:00 am I was already on my second cup of coffee. Mos...

Monday, 1 June 2009

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Today I had a predictably frantic return to the Watford CVS office: several meetings, queries from CVS members on IT and governance, another...

Sunday, 31 May 2009

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It was simply too hot to work in the garden today, so Jackie and I just enjoyed the sun and read our books. I ordered tickets for forthcomin...

Saturday, 30 May 2009

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This is my last weekend at home before returning to work proper. Jackie and I spent most of the day gardening. I also spent some time workin...

Friday, 29 May 2009

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My final day of taking “French leave” from my annual leave – a day spent huddled over a lap-top catching up on Watford CVS correspondence. L...

Thursday, 28 May 2009

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Today was another day of leave I "stole back" to catch up with Watford CVS business. My two big concerns today were our possible r...

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

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Aged Ken RIP Today was all about Aged Ken, whose years are of course indeterminate. Jackie acquired him as a “rescue” in 1994 when he was a ...

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

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Officially, I am on leave this week. Unofficially I am working to catch up on 1001 projects that need completing. But today I was distracted...

Monday, 25 May 2009

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We hosted another Bank Holiday BBQ. At the close of the day we bid a fond farewell to Becky who has spent two weeks or so with us. I enjoyed...

Sunday, 24 May 2009

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Jackie and took my sister out for lunch. We attempted the much lauded Fox at Willian but they were not particularly friendly to wheelchairs...

Saturday, 23 May 2009

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Jackie and I would enjoy doing virtually anything together, but spending a warm sunny day together in the garden is especially relaxing. Tod...

Friday, 22 May 2009

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This morning I was visited by Pam for my monthly supervision meeting. There were a lot of issues to cover, but Pam continues to offer gold s...

Thursday, 21 May 2009

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Following last night’s meal, we today met more formally with NAVCA CEO Kevin Curley. One big issue covered was the need for NAVCA to develop...

Wednesday, 20 May 2009

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After a morning dealing with correspondence, I headed off to Cambridge for an afternoon meeting of the Regional Empowerment Partnership. I a...

Tuesday, 19 May 2009

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9:30 at Watford CVS: Watford LIVE! meeting looking at remaining costs and needs for next months community arts festival. 11:00 at Watford CV...

Monday, 18 May 2009

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This is going to be a busy week and it has started with a packed day of meetings. At 8:30 I met with Phil Bailey, an architect retained by W...

Sunday, 17 May 2009

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More rest and recuperation at home.

Saturday, 16 May 2009

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I enjoyed a gentle day pottering around the garden and the house. I may even have visited a charity shop and bought some books.

Friday, 15 May 2009

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At today’s staff meeting, I reported on discussions at last night’s trustee meeting and then wrote to all staff asking if anyone was interes...

Thursday, 14 May 2009

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I met briefly this afternoon with Watford’s Mayor Dorothy Thornhill. Among other things, we talked about the all-too-imminent Watford LIVE! ...

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

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I spent a quiet day catching up on correspondence and preparing for tomorrow’s trustee meeting.

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

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I returned to work this morning feeling much better after a good night’s sleep: it is a great comfort to know I can rely on such strong powe...

Monday, 11 May 2009

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After working all night preparing papers for Thursday’s trustee meeting, I finally clicked the “send” button at about 6:00 am. After two hou...

Sunday, 10 May 2009

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It’s not everyone’s idea of a great Sunday, but Jackie and I spent the entire day tidying and sorting our garden shed and its contents. Toda...

Saturday, 9 May 2009

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Indulgence Today I made a rare luxury purchase at the Living Crafts fair at Hatfield House. I spent £55 on a polished block of oak (about th...

Friday, 8 May 2009

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I had expected to be at a Trustees Together meeting at Cambridge, but gave my apologies to spend a day catching up on 1001 outstanding bits ...

Thursday, 7 May 2009

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In the past few weeks, Hema has been swept off her feet by queries to our BME Advocacy Service. This afternoon I met with Maggie Woods to ta...

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

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I started today meeting Laura to talk about the Watford Good Neighbours scheme. Then I went to Borehamwood for the launch of Community Actio...

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

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Back to work this morning at another meeting of Hertfordshire’s Community Cohesion Strategy Group. We have some £20,000 to spend on research...

Monday, 4 May 2009

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Bank Holiday Yesterday’s efforts at erecting a greenhouse were abandoned due to bad light. Today we finished the job, ably assisted by vario...

Sunday, 3 May 2009

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Jackie’s birthday I had decided to take Jackie to B&Q to buy a greenhouse. I guess I’m just a born romantic. But Jackie was very keen: s...

Saturday, 2 May 2009

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Today we were visited by our grand-daughter Bethany – now recovered from her Chicken spots.

Friday, 1 May 2009

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My first meeting this morning was with Everton Blake, CEO at Voluntary Action Luton. It is always so useful to meet up with someone from ano...

Thursday, 30 April 2009

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Today, my car was checked over by a garage in Hitchin that specialises in Japanese vehicles. After visiting my sister, I spent some hours wo...

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

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In its relations with the voluntary sector, the NHS in Hertfordshire carries around the dead weight of History. Voluntary organisations are ...

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

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This morning I joined a meeting of the Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium at the Learning and Skills Council building in St Albans. The...

Monday, 27 April 2009

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By 9:00 am, my plans for the day had been thrown into disarray by three members of staff calling in sick. The World Health Organisation has ...

Sunday, 26 April 2009

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Today was very warm; Jackie and I relaxed in the garden and walked in the cool woods.

Saturday, 25 April 2009

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Jackie and I spent the day recycling our chicken coop to an enthusiastic neighbour and then recycling my mum’s pergola into a raised vegetab...

Friday, 24 April 2009

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After yesterday’s meeting on the Holywell Community Centre, I today circulated notes on our proposals for the centre’s future. The centre is...

Thursday, 23 April 2009

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The Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium was originally set up to deliver the government’s Change-up programme for the voluntary sector. ...

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

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Project management and accountability I spent most of today working on the first year-end monitoring report for our Big Lottery Funded “Fit ...

Tuesday, 21 April 2009

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This morning we had a meeting of the local Chief Officers’ Information Network. The main items for discussion were the new Watford Compact a...

Monday, 20 April 2009

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I had another long day at work, starting and finishing around 8:00. Mostly worked through funding and budgeting options for this current yea...

Sunday, 19 April 2009

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Jackie and I both enjoy our chickens Audrey and Ethelreda. But Audrey and Ethelreda do not enjoy being confined to their (large-ish) coop. B...

Saturday, 18 April 2009

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Jackie and I had expected to be spending today with our granddaughter Bethany – but she has been struck down with Chicken Pox. Poor Bethy!

Friday, 17 April 2009

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I started today with a Staff meeting. Among many other items, and following earlier discussions, we again discussed the possibility of redun...

Thursday, 16 April 2009

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I had an awkward moment this morning. For some reason I missed the last meeting of the Watford and Three Rivers Health Partnership. I knew t...

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

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Today was a frantic day of good positive meetings. Most of the day, I spent with Angelo, our IT chap, talking through lots of technical and ...