Thoughts of a CEO June 2022

As I write this, there are only 91 days (or 90 sleeps as I would say to the kids) until our first face to face annual conference since before Covid reared its ugly head. We already have an exciting array of speakers and workshops designed to tickle the fancy of CEOs, operations managers, fundraisers, marketeers and trustees from charities and community groups of all shapes and sizes. I really look forward to hosting these events, not just because we consistently get great feedback from delegates (we not immune to the thrill of a good old-fashioned ego boost!) but because I get to meet loads of new and old colleagues and find out about what is making you tick and what keeps you up at night. We exist to support you in the former and help you minimise the latter, so the conference is always a win:win for us and you. With that in mind, I hope to see you in September – if not before. I might even wear a tie and if that isn’t enough to persuade you, early bird tickets are on sale for just £25 until the end of July!.

Speaking of connecting with colleagues, can I remind you of the Surrey Charities Forum? Set up during Covid to connect us with our local authority and other public sector friends, the group has gone from strength to strength and now offers a monthly opportunity to hear from each other about what’s going on and how we can work together to address some of the undoubted challenges faced by our residents. We might not be able to do anything about petrol prices but we can all, collectively, help to make people’s lives that much better in so many other ways. Recent highlights have ranged from Household Support Fund to Supported Learning to Health and Care integration, and we have loads more to look forward to (we’ll be covering libraries transformation and community link workers at the next meeting – see below). If there’s something on your mind and you want to pick the brains of an amazing group of charity and public sector professionals, you know where to come.

Finally, I would like to use this opportunity to embarrass Amanda Channer. Amanda has been my PA and our Astolat office manager for several years now, but will be leaving us for pastures new next week. We all wish her every success and I thank her for all her help, support and irreverence (in a good way!) over the years.