Last night a rather fun dinner at The Reform Club. A gathering of the Duke of Edinburgh Leadership Forum (Class of '95). Just as I was starting at The National Lottery Charities Board I found myself on this three week leadership journey that took us around the country examining leadership challenges. It was aimed at bridging learning from across the sectors and examining how we could work together on better outcomes for the country. The group I was with consisted of 12 rather splendid people and we have kept in touch ever since. We have six monthly get togethers, though I missed the last one, which involved a midnight tour of York Minster and trying on Bishops Mitres. Oh how I regret not being there!! A diverse bunch;and it has been fun to watch careers progress over those years. Indeed one of our group, a very senior guy in BP, who was hosting the dinner, is about to "retire". So we have a senior civil servant,leading church grandee, two trade union national officials,a Dame, a university lecturer to mention but a few! I was recounting the tales of our hilarious final dinner on the Forum in 1995 which was held in the magnificence of New College Hall (Oxford naturally) where our little group had got far too merry and behaved with gusto, including a very OTT interchange with the Duke of Kent whose leg we were pulling (in an entirely proper manner of course).
You may listen to the BBC weekly Charity Appeal. These are always good and feature a wide range of brilliant causes. This Sunday the BBC Radio 4 Appeal features environmentalist and writer, Jonathon Porritt, who will make a passionate plea in support of BTCV. They are the countries biggest conservation volunteer and led by the omnipresent Tom Flood, who is not just an ACEVO member BUT a Trustee and therefore by definition one of the sector's great and good!
Listen out - Sunday 7 February at 07.55 and 21.26, and Thursday 11
February at 15.27 on BBC Radio 4.
Now it's time for me to pack my bags and the hound and head for a relaxing weekend in Charlbury. Joy!
No comments:
Post a Comment