Safer Watford
Promptly at 9:00 I arrived at the Town Hall for a meeting with the consultant retained by the borough to review the focus and aims of the Safer Watford Partnership. The consultant seemed very capable and it is good to see the Borough Council getting the right people in to do these important jobs.
Immediately after, I left with Maria for a meeting at the Muslim Community Project to talk through political and logistical arrangements for our 3 December networking lunch at the north Watford mosque. The Community Project had organised an impressive team and we were also joined by two representatives of the Muslim Awareness Forum for a thorough discussion about arrangements. I am confident that this is going to be a great event.
Just as Maria and I were rising to leave, our host Mohamed Khan announced that food was arriving. And so we stayed for a flavoursome lunch of chicken curry, dhal, rice and chapattis.
Back at WCVS, I met with Laura to talk though the next stage of development for the Community transport scheme, and with Vanessa on arrangements for next February’s county-wide trustees’ conference.
Before leaving the office I did some work on two of the HIC projects we are working on, and I sent the Value and Volumes report off to my CVS colleagues for a “peer review” of sorts.
Aged Ken
Back home in the evening, I was struck by how quickly Ken (our decrepit white cat) is now aging. He can still manage the cat flap but it is a real struggle; every exit and re-entry is a minor trauma for him and mostly he mews at the door until one of us opens it for him. He doesn’t like using the stairs and wont unless he is scared by fireworks or rowdy children. He has now lost all his teeth and can’t munch on cat biscuits - we no longer torture him with these after we realised he was just sucking them for a bit and then spitting them back into his bowl. He doesn’t seem to be in pain and still purrs contentedly when he can sit on a warm lap. Poor old Ken.
Sunday, 21 October 2007
I spent the day at home working more on the Value and Volumes report and preparing for the HIC studies into IT and Training.
BBC4 devoted the evening to archaeology, which Jackie and I enjoyed greatly.
BBC4 devoted the evening to archaeology, which Jackie and I enjoyed greatly.
Saturday, 20 October 2007
A quiet day at home and visiting family. And England lost a rugby game after giving away too many unnecessary penalties.
Friday, 19 October 2007
I woke up to Jackie gently singing “Happy Birthday” and presenting me with breakfast and tea and cards and gifts. What do you buy the man who has everything? The box set of Indiana Jones DVDs: I can’t wait.
After breakfast I drove over to Hertford to drop off our tender bid at County Hall. The bid looked rather pathetic shoved in a re-cycled envelope and done up with sellotape. It was before 8:00 am. I had been told: “just deliver it to the Rear Reception, they’ll be someone there and they’ll know what to do.” But when he finally turned up, the man at the Rear Reception had no idea what to do. Apparently each HCC department has its own procedures and systems.
Having finally been given a receipt for our tender (albeit from the wrong HCC department), I headed off to St Albans for a meeting of Herts CVS. We were meant to meet with nine CEOs and nine trustees to discuss the Herts CVS Strategic Plan. One difficulty was that this meeting arrived at the wrong time: too long after the plan was drafted but too early to introduce any elements from the Herts Infrastructure Consortium’s Strategic Plan. Another difficulty was that there was really no agreement on what we wanted from the meeting. Another difficulty was that nine-plus-nine was reduced to eight-plus-eight and then to seven-plus-seven.
As professional CEOs, this was not one of our finest moments: I fear our unpreparedness was obvious and I had not the feintest idea what contribution our facilitator was trying to make. There were one or two interesting disussions, but mostly we replicated discussions that had already taken place in Herts CVS or the Herts Infastructure Consortium. I felt slightly embarrassed that my Chair of trustees gave up a morning for the event.
In the evening, Jackie and I went out for a nice quiet romantic meal together. A truly blissful birthday evening.
After breakfast I drove over to Hertford to drop off our tender bid at County Hall. The bid looked rather pathetic shoved in a re-cycled envelope and done up with sellotape. It was before 8:00 am. I had been told: “just deliver it to the Rear Reception, they’ll be someone there and they’ll know what to do.” But when he finally turned up, the man at the Rear Reception had no idea what to do. Apparently each HCC department has its own procedures and systems.
Having finally been given a receipt for our tender (albeit from the wrong HCC department), I headed off to St Albans for a meeting of Herts CVS. We were meant to meet with nine CEOs and nine trustees to discuss the Herts CVS Strategic Plan. One difficulty was that this meeting arrived at the wrong time: too long after the plan was drafted but too early to introduce any elements from the Herts Infrastructure Consortium’s Strategic Plan. Another difficulty was that there was really no agreement on what we wanted from the meeting. Another difficulty was that nine-plus-nine was reduced to eight-plus-eight and then to seven-plus-seven.
As professional CEOs, this was not one of our finest moments: I fear our unpreparedness was obvious and I had not the feintest idea what contribution our facilitator was trying to make. There were one or two interesting disussions, but mostly we replicated discussions that had already taken place in Herts CVS or the Herts Infastructure Consortium. I felt slightly embarrassed that my Chair of trustees gave up a morning for the event.
In the evening, Jackie and I went out for a nice quiet romantic meal together. A truly blissful birthday evening.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Today I had two major jobs. First I needed to respond to some queries raised by the Big Lottery. The queries were simple enough, but simply collating the information took until mid afternoon. During this time there was one major distraction when I had to tend to a visitor after one of our chairs collapsed underneath her. The poor lady was quite shaken and I was glad that Anne was there as our First Aider - she was very impressive and handled everything superbly.
After completing the response to the Big Lottery, I met with Des and Saud to talk through a tender to Herts County Council. I have already made a bit of a start on the tender while I was off work, but the deadline is tomorrow (Friday). Des had done a bit of work digging up some useful references, and he and Saud had some useful points to make.
I finished the tender about 9:30 pm, but then I had to find and copy supporting documentation etc and I eventually arrived home about 11:30.
Jackie had left out some sausages and mash: lovely sausages! We had searched for a proper old-fashioned butcher and finally found one on the road to Knebworth (there is no butcher at all in Welwyn Garden City) and it’s good to taste real meat again.
Jackie herself was sound asleep. Sometimes I must really try her patience.
After completing the response to the Big Lottery, I met with Des and Saud to talk through a tender to Herts County Council. I have already made a bit of a start on the tender while I was off work, but the deadline is tomorrow (Friday). Des had done a bit of work digging up some useful references, and he and Saud had some useful points to make.
I finished the tender about 9:30 pm, but then I had to find and copy supporting documentation etc and I eventually arrived home about 11:30.
Jackie had left out some sausages and mash: lovely sausages! We had searched for a proper old-fashioned butcher and finally found one on the road to Knebworth (there is no butcher at all in Welwyn Garden City) and it’s good to taste real meat again.
Jackie herself was sound asleep. Sometimes I must really try her patience.
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Rather pleasingly on my first morning back in the office, I talked with three of our member groups on charity registration, staff appraisal and training. But otherwise it took all morning just to read through correspondence and return urgent telephone calls. And there was some very interesting correspondence too.
First, the emerging Hertfordshire Training Consortium has received from the Learning and Skills Council some funding for a worker to help establish itself. Originally, it was made very clear by LSC that they were providing funding to establish a voluntary organisation to deliver LSC-funded training to members of the public. Although this is A Good Thing it is not something in which Watford CVS has any direct interest. Our interest is on delivering training to meet the needs of voluntary organisations so we stepped back a little from the Training Consortium. It now appears that things might have changed a little: I will need to investigate.
Secondly, there are more queries from the Big Lottery Fund about our Business Plan. I think most of the queries are already addressed in our Plan, but I will check tomorrow.
Thirdly, back on 5 October I had been very encouraging meeting on the future of Watford’s Community Centres. It now seems my enthusiasm and optimism may have been misplaced: somewhere along the line games are being played and I don’t have the time or the energy for them. Or perhaps this is just my impatience again?
Finally, Helen (our Volunteer Centre co-ordinator) has received an invitation from our MP Claire Ward to join a delegation to meet Phil Hope, the new Minister for the Third Sector. This is a great opportunity for Watford’s groups.
At lunchtime, I attended a meeting of the Disability Forum to talk briefly on the PCT consultation process and the need for a county-wide solution to PCT transport problems. The meeting was very supportive and contributions confirmed my fears that the PCTs’ current practices are pretty chaotic.
I left the Disability Forum meeting early to head off to the Disability Law Service in London for their AGM and for a trustees meeting. This all went very smoothly. It’s a great organisation and the staff and other trustees are all very committed and very kind. While there I took the opportunity to talk to Joss, their head of legal services, about the transport issues that arose at Watford's Disability Forum. She was very good, giving clear advice and guidance that I will feed back to the Disability Forum as soon as the opportunity arises. I also spoke with Linda, DLS’s CEO, about Big Lottery funding. I was frustrated to hear that DLS's Business Plan had been fully approved within two days. Our plan has so far taken ten weeks, despite us receiving feedback that it was “excellent”.
After my first day back in the office I arrived home a little after 10:00 pm. It’s nice to be back in the swing of things.
First, the emerging Hertfordshire Training Consortium has received from the Learning and Skills Council some funding for a worker to help establish itself. Originally, it was made very clear by LSC that they were providing funding to establish a voluntary organisation to deliver LSC-funded training to members of the public. Although this is A Good Thing it is not something in which Watford CVS has any direct interest. Our interest is on delivering training to meet the needs of voluntary organisations so we stepped back a little from the Training Consortium. It now appears that things might have changed a little: I will need to investigate.
Secondly, there are more queries from the Big Lottery Fund about our Business Plan. I think most of the queries are already addressed in our Plan, but I will check tomorrow.
Thirdly, back on 5 October I had been very encouraging meeting on the future of Watford’s Community Centres. It now seems my enthusiasm and optimism may have been misplaced: somewhere along the line games are being played and I don’t have the time or the energy for them. Or perhaps this is just my impatience again?
Finally, Helen (our Volunteer Centre co-ordinator) has received an invitation from our MP Claire Ward to join a delegation to meet Phil Hope, the new Minister for the Third Sector. This is a great opportunity for Watford’s groups.
At lunchtime, I attended a meeting of the Disability Forum to talk briefly on the PCT consultation process and the need for a county-wide solution to PCT transport problems. The meeting was very supportive and contributions confirmed my fears that the PCTs’ current practices are pretty chaotic.
I left the Disability Forum meeting early to head off to the Disability Law Service in London for their AGM and for a trustees meeting. This all went very smoothly. It’s a great organisation and the staff and other trustees are all very committed and very kind. While there I took the opportunity to talk to Joss, their head of legal services, about the transport issues that arose at Watford's Disability Forum. She was very good, giving clear advice and guidance that I will feed back to the Disability Forum as soon as the opportunity arises. I also spoke with Linda, DLS’s CEO, about Big Lottery funding. I was frustrated to hear that DLS's Business Plan had been fully approved within two days. Our plan has so far taken ten weeks, despite us receiving feedback that it was “excellent”.
After my first day back in the office I arrived home a little after 10:00 pm. It’s nice to be back in the swing of things.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Day Six
It's over. I enjoyed a good sleep overnight and arrived in Letchworth around 9:00 am feeling pretty good. The morning’s meeting of the HIC steering group went alright, but we haven’t made quite as much progress as we’d hoped and it is clear that everyone is beginning to feel a bit ragged. Or (I don't like to think it but ...) perhaps the tail end of my virus was making me impatient with people.
After the meeting I didn’t risk travelling to Watford. Instead I went home and worked on our tender to HCC for a county-wide “advocate for BME children”. Nor did I return to Letchworth for a family meal with my Mum and brothers and in-laws. Instead I had a good early night, just grateful to be well again - and I started calculating the "damage" caused by my few days' illness.
It's over. I enjoyed a good sleep overnight and arrived in Letchworth around 9:00 am feeling pretty good. The morning’s meeting of the HIC steering group went alright, but we haven’t made quite as much progress as we’d hoped and it is clear that everyone is beginning to feel a bit ragged. Or (I don't like to think it but ...) perhaps the tail end of my virus was making me impatient with people.
After the meeting I didn’t risk travelling to Watford. Instead I went home and worked on our tender to HCC for a county-wide “advocate for BME children”. Nor did I return to Letchworth for a family meal with my Mum and brothers and in-laws. Instead I had a good early night, just grateful to be well again - and I started calculating the "damage" caused by my few days' illness.
Monday, 15 October 2007
Day Five
All last night my temperature was on its own personal rollercoaster leaving me alternately shivering and burning. I had hoped I’d got over this - clearly this virus has a sting in its tail! I finally got to sleep at about 6:00 am. But when I awoke at lunchtime I felt much better.
I didn’t feel 100% by any stretch of the imagination, but my temperature feels reasonably stable and my body only aches in the usual places rather than in every joint and muscle. I spoke early on to Maria (where would I be without her?) who reassured me everything was under control and I should spend the day recovering properly.
So Maria cancelled my few commitments for the day, and I spent the afternoon gently working through some projects and trying to gather my strength for a return to work tomorrow.
Then just as I thought tomorrow all looked too much for me (morning meeting in Letchworth, afternoon meeting in Watford, evening meeting in Watford, later evening family gathering in Letchworth), Vanessa called to offer to attend the evening meeting in Watford. What a lovely lady. Even so, if I am going to survive re-entry to work the remainder of the day will need some serious reorganising - and I dread to think how much e-mail has built up since last Wednesday!
On the scale of global warming
I wont worry about it until I know whether or not I get a decent night’s sleep tonight. My chances of enjoying a good night's sleep weren't helped when I heard of our Health Minister's announcement that Obesity could be a health problem "on the scale of global warming". What on earth could this mean?
All last night my temperature was on its own personal rollercoaster leaving me alternately shivering and burning. I had hoped I’d got over this - clearly this virus has a sting in its tail! I finally got to sleep at about 6:00 am. But when I awoke at lunchtime I felt much better.
I didn’t feel 100% by any stretch of the imagination, but my temperature feels reasonably stable and my body only aches in the usual places rather than in every joint and muscle. I spoke early on to Maria (where would I be without her?) who reassured me everything was under control and I should spend the day recovering properly.
So Maria cancelled my few commitments for the day, and I spent the afternoon gently working through some projects and trying to gather my strength for a return to work tomorrow.
Then just as I thought tomorrow all looked too much for me (morning meeting in Letchworth, afternoon meeting in Watford, evening meeting in Watford, later evening family gathering in Letchworth), Vanessa called to offer to attend the evening meeting in Watford. What a lovely lady. Even so, if I am going to survive re-entry to work the remainder of the day will need some serious reorganising - and I dread to think how much e-mail has built up since last Wednesday!
On the scale of global warming
I wont worry about it until I know whether or not I get a decent night’s sleep tonight. My chances of enjoying a good night's sleep weren't helped when I heard of our Health Minister's announcement that Obesity could be a health problem "on the scale of global warming". What on earth could this mean?
Sunday, 14 October 2007
Day Four
After another torrid night, I think my fever finally broke this morning. I slept far better and in the afternoon I had sufficiently improved to spend two hours pottering in the garden. Later I even did an hour's writing (still on Value and Volumes).
Then I completed Lillian Smith’s extraordinary 1944 saga of the Deep South Strange Fruit - released in the slip-stream of Gone With the Wind and utterly refusing to pull its punches. Social realism at its best.
Maybe it's all over?
After another torrid night, I think my fever finally broke this morning. I slept far better and in the afternoon I had sufficiently improved to spend two hours pottering in the garden. Later I even did an hour's writing (still on Value and Volumes).
Then I completed Lillian Smith’s extraordinary 1944 saga of the Deep South Strange Fruit - released in the slip-stream of Gone With the Wind and utterly refusing to pull its punches. Social realism at its best.
Maybe it's all over?
Saturday, 13 October 2007
Day Three
Another restless night. In the afternoon I managed to make it dowstairs onto the sofa. I watched England play football and this helped me drift peacefully in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours. In the evening I watched England play rugby - two hours later I was a complete nervous wreck and grateful to get back to bed.
Another restless night. In the afternoon I managed to make it dowstairs onto the sofa. I watched England play football and this helped me drift peacefully in and out of consciousness for a couple of hours. In the evening I watched England play rugby - two hours later I was a complete nervous wreck and grateful to get back to bed.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Day Two
I had a soaring temperature and felt utterly miserable and wretched. I think at some point that I managed to call someone somewhere to explain that I was unwell. But I might have imagined it.
I had a soaring temperature and felt utterly miserable and wretched. I think at some point that I managed to call someone somewhere to explain that I was unwell. But I might have imagined it.
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Through sheer willpower, I managed to get in my car and drive to Letchworth to meet with Jacquie and Steph - we had set aside two days to work together on drafting the HIC development plan. But by the time I arrived at the North Herts CVS offices, I knew I’d seriously misjudged things.
I was physically very much present there in the office, with my laptop and files, my tissues, Beechams powders and Lockets. I remember one or two helpful discussions and some attempts at writing, but my brain was befuddled and I could contribute virtually nothing toward the day’s project. And worse, my presence only distracted Jacquie and Steph and put them at risk of catching this awful virus. Jacquie and Steph were each very kind, but after an hour or two I could tell that they both thought pretty much the same.
I left Letchworth late afternoon. I think I made some half-hearted face-saving promise to do some work overnight. I barely remember getting home. Jackie was very soothing and indulgent and put me to bed, but it was a feverish sleepless night.
I was physically very much present there in the office, with my laptop and files, my tissues, Beechams powders and Lockets. I remember one or two helpful discussions and some attempts at writing, but my brain was befuddled and I could contribute virtually nothing toward the day’s project. And worse, my presence only distracted Jacquie and Steph and put them at risk of catching this awful virus. Jacquie and Steph were each very kind, but after an hour or two I could tell that they both thought pretty much the same.
I left Letchworth late afternoon. I think I made some half-hearted face-saving promise to do some work overnight. I barely remember getting home. Jackie was very soothing and indulgent and put me to bed, but it was a feverish sleepless night.
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Unsurprisingly after yesterday’s marathon writing session, I arrived at work late in the morning. I felt hugely relieved to have broken the back of the Value and Volumes project. I also felt "Not Quite Right" which naturally I put down to tiredness.
At the office, I spoke with Des Reid and Saud Hafiz about the possibility of a Watford CVS tender for the county-side Advocacy Project - put simply, HCC want a focal point for supporting parents and children who have experienced discrimination on the groupnds of race of religion. I have only recently picked up on the opportunity (thanks Mohamed) and the closing date is the end of next week. But between our Connexions Personal Advisors, we have a solid repository of experience and knowledge and it could bolster our existing work …
I also spoke with other colleagues paving the way for my planned absence from the office on Thursday and Friday when I will be working on the HIC development plan for Hertfordshire’s infrastructure.
But by the time I arrived home, I felt dreadful. It's certainly more than just tiredness. Jackie is off work this week after experiencing heart palpitations and I should have been nursing her - but instead I was the one collapsing on the sofa and striking a tragic pose.
At the office, I spoke with Des Reid and Saud Hafiz about the possibility of a Watford CVS tender for the county-side Advocacy Project - put simply, HCC want a focal point for supporting parents and children who have experienced discrimination on the groupnds of race of religion. I have only recently picked up on the opportunity (thanks Mohamed) and the closing date is the end of next week. But between our Connexions Personal Advisors, we have a solid repository of experience and knowledge and it could bolster our existing work …
I also spoke with other colleagues paving the way for my planned absence from the office on Thursday and Friday when I will be working on the HIC development plan for Hertfordshire’s infrastructure.
But by the time I arrived home, I felt dreadful. It's certainly more than just tiredness. Jackie is off work this week after experiencing heart palpitations and I should have been nursing her - but instead I was the one collapsing on the sofa and striking a tragic pose.
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
I had set the alarm back an hour and had hoped to have bath and breakfast before leaving for work. But I was worried about rousing Jackie so left straight away on tip toe and arrived at work about 6:30 am.
I shut myself in my office and worked on the V&V report all day determined to finish the report. I was probably a little short on those occasions when someone needed to interrupt me. I was a little exasperated by some of the figures not behaving in a gentleman-like way. I was fully focused on the report and worked like a thing possessed.
Around 10:00 pm I made a passing reference to Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and I should have known then that it was time to stop. But I was so determined to finish the report that I ploughed on regardless. Later, I found myself making a reference to Dark Matter – I deleted the reference and excused myself as I’d only used it as a metaphor. Later still, I quoted some Chaos Theory; this was a big Red Light moment and I knew I had to give it up for the day.
Having successfully not woken Jackie in the morning, I managed also to not wake Jackie in the small hours. I deliberately didn’t set the alarm.
I shut myself in my office and worked on the V&V report all day determined to finish the report. I was probably a little short on those occasions when someone needed to interrupt me. I was a little exasperated by some of the figures not behaving in a gentleman-like way. I was fully focused on the report and worked like a thing possessed.
Around 10:00 pm I made a passing reference to Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and I should have known then that it was time to stop. But I was so determined to finish the report that I ploughed on regardless. Later, I found myself making a reference to Dark Matter – I deleted the reference and excused myself as I’d only used it as a metaphor. Later still, I quoted some Chaos Theory; this was a big Red Light moment and I knew I had to give it up for the day.
Having successfully not woken Jackie in the morning, I managed also to not wake Jackie in the small hours. I deliberately didn’t set the alarm.
Monday, 8 October 2007
I arrived at work a little early to catch up on things. After last week’s various meetings, I had prepared a few e-mails over the weekend and soon dispatched these. Later I spoke with three different photocopier salesmen. With all due respect to photocopier salesmen everywhere, I always find this one of the most soul-destroying jobs imaginable; consequently I always treat these people with great gentleness and sympathy, as if they’d recently lost a close relative.
Vanessa (our Development and Training Officer) hosted a meeting to launch our 2007-08 training programme, and I met with Anne (our Funding Advisor), and Maria on our forthcoming networking lunches, wrote the introduction for our Community Directory and did some work on the HIC project specifications.
Watford CVS is leading on the design of two projects. One project is “to create a sustainable infrastructure to identify and meet the training needs of 3rd sector organisations in Hertfordshire” and the other is to work up a strategy for delivering IT infrastructure to voluntary groups in Herts. Also, I am contributing to the overall Infrastructure Development Strategy. And all three documents need to be completed by 16 November.
So I first need to complete the Value and Volumes study and the Community Directory. With the Community Directory nearly done, I decided at 6:00 pm that I would go home and do some work there on the V&V study.
As soon as I pulled up at my house, I realised that I had left my memory stick at the office with all my work on. Are they called memory sticks because they are so easily forgotten? Instead, Jackie and I had a quiet evening together, and I resolved to get to work early on Tuesday and to finally complete the V&V report.
Vanessa (our Development and Training Officer) hosted a meeting to launch our 2007-08 training programme, and I met with Anne (our Funding Advisor), and Maria on our forthcoming networking lunches, wrote the introduction for our Community Directory and did some work on the HIC project specifications.
Watford CVS is leading on the design of two projects. One project is “to create a sustainable infrastructure to identify and meet the training needs of 3rd sector organisations in Hertfordshire” and the other is to work up a strategy for delivering IT infrastructure to voluntary groups in Herts. Also, I am contributing to the overall Infrastructure Development Strategy. And all three documents need to be completed by 16 November.
So I first need to complete the Value and Volumes study and the Community Directory. With the Community Directory nearly done, I decided at 6:00 pm that I would go home and do some work there on the V&V study.
As soon as I pulled up at my house, I realised that I had left my memory stick at the office with all my work on. Are they called memory sticks because they are so easily forgotten? Instead, Jackie and I had a quiet evening together, and I resolved to get to work early on Tuesday and to finally complete the V&V report.
Saturday, 6 October 2007
I spent a strenuous day in the garden, completing last weekend’s fencing project and building a proper compost heap. In the evening we visited our neighbours the Johnsons. The Rugby World Cup has really come to life with surprise (but welcome) victories for England and France (sadly the Welsh are already back home).
Friday, 5 October 2007
I arrived at work about 7:00 in time to work through Steph Gallagher’s draft of the HIC project specifications from yesterday. Steph had naturally delivered as promised and I responded suggesting some small amendments. Sha-Lee has delivered a final draft of the Watford Community Directory and I also spent some time checking this.
At 11:00 I went to see Alison Stainsby (WBC Head of Community and Leisure Services), Andy Large (WBC Head of Property Services) and Ruth Ellis (YMCA) to discuss a bid to the Community Assets fund to help renovate the Orbital Community Centre. We mapped out the broad parameters of a bid, but we all recognised that the timetable is very tight (deadline for submissions is in about five weeks). As YMCA will have to do most of the work on any bid, she will prepare a rough draft to help her decide whether the timetable is feasible.
Back in the office, I found that our Development and Training Officer Vanessa has done a brilliant job on our 2007-08 Training Programme and on sorting out a planning meeting for the Watford One World forum. I wrote to staff about calendar year and leave year ending arrangements: office closure over Christmas, “thank-you” dinner for volunteers, TOIL etc.
I received a call from Jackie to say she had left work after having some quite worrying heart palpitations. Her GP has signed her off work for a week and she has to have lots of tests. She was resting at home and I said I’d join her as soon as I could.
I first returned to WBC for a further meeting with Alison Stainsby, and this time we were joined by Norman Powell of Community Matters and David Fitzpatrick of the Herts Community Foundation. I had not had time to brief David Fitzpatrick on the meeting, but he was thoroughly splendid. We had an extremely positive and productive talk through how best we can collaborate to ensure that Watford is served by thriving community centres. Discussions will continue.
Back home, Jackie was fine but a little worried. I tucked her up in bed adn while she slept like a baby, I spent a few hours preparing our Community Directory for the printers.
At 11:00 I went to see Alison Stainsby (WBC Head of Community and Leisure Services), Andy Large (WBC Head of Property Services) and Ruth Ellis (YMCA) to discuss a bid to the Community Assets fund to help renovate the Orbital Community Centre. We mapped out the broad parameters of a bid, but we all recognised that the timetable is very tight (deadline for submissions is in about five weeks). As YMCA will have to do most of the work on any bid, she will prepare a rough draft to help her decide whether the timetable is feasible.
Back in the office, I found that our Development and Training Officer Vanessa has done a brilliant job on our 2007-08 Training Programme and on sorting out a planning meeting for the Watford One World forum. I wrote to staff about calendar year and leave year ending arrangements: office closure over Christmas, “thank-you” dinner for volunteers, TOIL etc.
I received a call from Jackie to say she had left work after having some quite worrying heart palpitations. Her GP has signed her off work for a week and she has to have lots of tests. She was resting at home and I said I’d join her as soon as I could.
I first returned to WBC for a further meeting with Alison Stainsby, and this time we were joined by Norman Powell of Community Matters and David Fitzpatrick of the Herts Community Foundation. I had not had time to brief David Fitzpatrick on the meeting, but he was thoroughly splendid. We had an extremely positive and productive talk through how best we can collaborate to ensure that Watford is served by thriving community centres. Discussions will continue.
Back home, Jackie was fine but a little worried. I tucked her up in bed adn while she slept like a baby, I spent a few hours preparing our Community Directory for the printers.
Thursday, 4 October 2007
This morning I visited North Herts CVS (again) to spend a very productive few hours with Jacquie Hime and Steph Gallagher on the HIC development plan. At lunchtime, Jacquie Hime and I travelled to Great Chesterton for a regional meeting of “Consortium Leads”. In the Hertfordshire consortium, we started work on our plan back in July and we will struggle to conclude things by the end December deadline. Given this, I was alarmed to learn that at least three of the region’s consortiums have barely started work on their plans.
In the evening, Jackie and I took Rhiannon’s birthday presents around. Everyone else busied themselves and I got to play Hide and Seek with granddaughter Bethany. Great fun - and I think she enjoyed it as much as I did.
Back home, Jackie complained of her chest thumping. I offered as much sympathy and reassurance as I could.
In the evening, Jackie and I took Rhiannon’s birthday presents around. Everyone else busied themselves and I got to play Hide and Seek with granddaughter Bethany. Great fun - and I think she enjoyed it as much as I did.
Back home, Jackie complained of her chest thumping. I offered as much sympathy and reassurance as I could.
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Making a drama out of a crisis
I spent this morning in Dacorum contributing to a “desk-top exercise” for HCC’s Emergency Planning team. The event was attended by many people from the emergency services and from the military, all looking very smart in uniforms adorned with epaulettes and occasional loops of gold braid. There were also many officers from local government and from the health services, and these could be distinguished by their smart business suits and by the plastic id cards dangling around their necks. And there was also a handful of us from the voluntary sector: we were mostly dressed for a day of gentle gardening, wearing a pleasing mixture of wool, denim and tweed. How my heart swelled.
The exercise consisted of an imaginary scenario (a train crash near Kings Langley), and discussions about risks, needs and the responses of the various emergency services etc. I was struck by four things.
First, in the event of an emergency, no-one is in overall charge and no-one takes overall responsibility. I don’t know why I should ever have assumed that there would be someone to take overall control. But there wont. Responding to emergencies is very much a partnership effort and so relies heavily on good relations and good communications.
Secondly, each agency has its own detailed procedures and “responding to an emergency” simply means “identifying the correct procedure and following it” – this is all well and good provided a procedure exists and is correctly applied.
Thirdly, no-one has looked critically at the engagement of voluntary sector agencies. Those involved in this exercise were the Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance, Women’s Royal Voluntary Reserve and Salvation Army. All of course are excellent organisations capable of deploying experienced and highly trained volunteers. But there don’t appear to be any written protocols or procedures about who might be involved and when they might be contacted. Should Volunteer Centres ask everyone if they are prepared to be called in the event of a civic emergency? What if the Scientologists arrive at a disaster scene offering counselling and advice?
Fourthly, no one at all is responsible for looking after people in general. If it is necessary to evacuate people, they will be gathered together at a “reception centre” most probably at a church hall or a community centre. But of course most people wont go to “reception centres” at all, they will find relatives and friends to stay with. Only the most isolated and vulnerable will turn up at a reception centre – perhaps a single parent family, an elderly couple, or a refugee family. No-one seems to understand that these people need to be treated with dignity, and to be afforded privacy and respect. This could be very distressing, transforming a tedious necessity into a traumatic episode.
Lunches
Back at Watford CVS I talked with two Watford groups about registering with the Charity Commission, and then enjoyed a long discussion with Maria to timetable our 2008 networking lunches and sort out some bookkeeping queries.
I spent the evening sorting through some HIC business, writing correspondence and making more progress on Watford CVS’s Community Directory. I arrived home very late.
I spent this morning in Dacorum contributing to a “desk-top exercise” for HCC’s Emergency Planning team. The event was attended by many people from the emergency services and from the military, all looking very smart in uniforms adorned with epaulettes and occasional loops of gold braid. There were also many officers from local government and from the health services, and these could be distinguished by their smart business suits and by the plastic id cards dangling around their necks. And there was also a handful of us from the voluntary sector: we were mostly dressed for a day of gentle gardening, wearing a pleasing mixture of wool, denim and tweed. How my heart swelled.
The exercise consisted of an imaginary scenario (a train crash near Kings Langley), and discussions about risks, needs and the responses of the various emergency services etc. I was struck by four things.
First, in the event of an emergency, no-one is in overall charge and no-one takes overall responsibility. I don’t know why I should ever have assumed that there would be someone to take overall control. But there wont. Responding to emergencies is very much a partnership effort and so relies heavily on good relations and good communications.
Secondly, each agency has its own detailed procedures and “responding to an emergency” simply means “identifying the correct procedure and following it” – this is all well and good provided a procedure exists and is correctly applied.
Thirdly, no-one has looked critically at the engagement of voluntary sector agencies. Those involved in this exercise were the Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance, Women’s Royal Voluntary Reserve and Salvation Army. All of course are excellent organisations capable of deploying experienced and highly trained volunteers. But there don’t appear to be any written protocols or procedures about who might be involved and when they might be contacted. Should Volunteer Centres ask everyone if they are prepared to be called in the event of a civic emergency? What if the Scientologists arrive at a disaster scene offering counselling and advice?
Fourthly, no one at all is responsible for looking after people in general. If it is necessary to evacuate people, they will be gathered together at a “reception centre” most probably at a church hall or a community centre. But of course most people wont go to “reception centres” at all, they will find relatives and friends to stay with. Only the most isolated and vulnerable will turn up at a reception centre – perhaps a single parent family, an elderly couple, or a refugee family. No-one seems to understand that these people need to be treated with dignity, and to be afforded privacy and respect. This could be very distressing, transforming a tedious necessity into a traumatic episode.
Lunches
Back at Watford CVS I talked with two Watford groups about registering with the Charity Commission, and then enjoyed a long discussion with Maria to timetable our 2008 networking lunches and sort out some bookkeeping queries.
I spent the evening sorting through some HIC business, writing correspondence and making more progress on Watford CVS’s Community Directory. I arrived home very late.
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