Thoughts of a CEO November 2023

It’s that time of year again – nights are darker, the weather is colder, festive songs are starting to pop up on the radio, Christmas items are appearing on the shop shelves (although that started in September!), and I am preparing the CEO introduction for our 2022-2023 annual report to the Charity Commission. In the day-to-day grind, it is very easy to lose the bigger picture, and forget the big things you have achieved that didn’t seem so big while you were cracking on with them, so preparing the report allows me to take a fresh look at the recent past – if you know what I mean…

The 2022-2023 report highlights that we seem to have been in a permacrisis mode since about 2017, but despite that we’ve been able to do our part to ease the burden on others while successfully navigating our own challenges. Our support has included our “business-as-usual” rural housing enabling, advice and information for village halls and voluntary car schemes across the county, payroll and DBS checks, and all the other valuable services and community projects we offer. But in addition, 2022-2023 saw us venturing into some different avenues of work that allowed us to apply our expertise and skills in new areas, specifically the development of a new Asylum Seeker Community Development project in which we supported, and will continue to support, asylum seeking residents living in local hotels to link with other partners keen to offer help and support. Health and care work remains an integral part of what we do, especially the Surrey VCSE Alliance, improving relationships between sectors and ultimately facilitating better support to Surrey residents. And whilst it is unfortunate that it is needed, we were able to distribute thousands of pounds from the Household Support Fund to individuals in need, mainly those experiencing fuel poverty via our Warmth Matters project – a service that continues even now.

None of the above was meant to blow our own trumpet (I consider that a happy side-effect), but was to remind us all to stop every now and then, take a deep breath, look behind us and recognise the great distance we have travelled across some very choppy waters. The seas are unlikely to get calmer over the next year (or two, or three, or ten) but I know we will, collectively, endure for our beneficiaries. As always, I’m proud to be on that journey with you all, seasickness and all.