Here’s my last blog entry before Xmas and I can’t believe I have been doing this role for nearly 10 weeks (a fifth of the way through and time is certainly flying)
I am thankfully back to some form of fighting fitness and having thought I may need to let down the East Mids association at their Xmas lunch on 13th December, courtesy of a door to door chauffeur service from the Director I was able to attend and had a very enjoyable meal with the 50 or so IRRV members. It was great to see 9 recently qualified students invited to receive their certificates and hopefully they will get actively involved in the local association over the coming year.
The rest of the week saw me attend a variety of meetings, get approval for next years service plan and due to a number of internal and external promotions, sit down to work out how best to cover or replace a number of key staff (the downside of winning awards I’m afraid!)
The weekend was spent with the extended family on Julie’s side as her son, partner and our grandson were over from Spain and we had an early Xmas party to celebrate. Horrified to see a karaoke machine get brought out following my recent efforts in Scotland (things haven’t got any better) and don’t think Leon from the x-factor has anything to worry about. How did Rhydian fail to win? I’d have even gone for Same Difference over Leon (I am definitely getting old)
Last week saw me visit Scotland once again flying up to Edinburgh on the Tuesday afternoon for their annual Christmas Scottish reception (pictures attached) followed by a very nice evening meal at one of Edinburgh’s best restaurants thanks to a kind invitation from one of the Institutes key sponsors, Gandlake.
A morning meeting with the awards panel saw us agree the format and categories for the “to be announced” performance awards early in the New Year and as the President, I have decided my own teams will not be entering this year in order for me to take a full and active role in proceedings. A flurry of e-mails on the blackberry confirms that the electronic Xmas card I have sent has hit the wires (see website for your less than traditional Xmas shot but it will save the earths resources and more importantly, save money for charity). I had the photo taken in downtown Disney in Florida this year and very sadly I did have my Insight with me although I didn’t manage to sign up the few interested yanks who seemed very interested in what I was promoting. Hence a challenge to you as the wider membership
Where is the best place you can be photographed with an edition of Insight. Please send your pictures to me by 31 August 2008 at bobtrahern@northwarks.gov.uk and we will display the best ones on the website for you to vote for a yet to be decided huge prize.
With enough time at Edinburgh airport, I managed to get in some last minute Xmas shopping in the duty free area before heading back to Birmingham to arrive in time to attend a Full Council meeting in the evening at work.
Thursday saw a whole day of meetings with various partners as we run into the Xmas closedown and a fun evening is spent writing committee reports in readiness for a New Year round of meetings.
My final IRRV function of the year saw me attend a lunch on the River Thames with all the Institute staff. This has become a tradition in the Presidents calendar, and was a nice way to sign off what has been a very hectic period since I took office. It also provided another opportunity to take a photograph of the President with another santa hat on sitting next to a guy in a red suit and beard (no it wasn’t Richard Harbord and neither was it the new Deputy Chief Executive who with arm twisted wore his secret santa present bought for under a fiver (a superman pyjama top although we let him off wearing the shorts). I wonder who bought him that !
My calendar for January onwards looks no less busy so unfortunately I will be needing to take by laptop with me to Spain over the Xmas period to try and get in front of myself work wise, update my student notes and write a paper I will be giving in Bangkok. Not that I can see how I will cram it all in as we fly out to Girona on 27th for 5 days to spend the New Year once we have hosted two family do’s on Christmas and Boxing Day which will be great as my sister and family are over from the States for the festive season.
So it just leaves me to sign off and wish you a very Merry Christmas to you all and here’s hoping 2008 brings you everything you wish for whether it be hitting your PM10 target (hopefully revised) or collecting a few extra quid to push up your collection rate, or something much more exciting
I am thankfully back to some form of fighting fitness and having thought I may need to let down the East Mids association at their Xmas lunch on 13th December, courtesy of a door to door chauffeur service from the Director I was able to attend and had a very enjoyable meal with the 50 or so IRRV members. It was great to see 9 recently qualified students invited to receive their certificates and hopefully they will get actively involved in the local association over the coming year.
The rest of the week saw me attend a variety of meetings, get approval for next years service plan and due to a number of internal and external promotions, sit down to work out how best to cover or replace a number of key staff (the downside of winning awards I’m afraid!)
The weekend was spent with the extended family on Julie’s side as her son, partner and our grandson were over from Spain and we had an early Xmas party to celebrate. Horrified to see a karaoke machine get brought out following my recent efforts in Scotland (things haven’t got any better) and don’t think Leon from the x-factor has anything to worry about. How did Rhydian fail to win? I’d have even gone for Same Difference over Leon (I am definitely getting old)
Last week saw me visit Scotland once again flying up to Edinburgh on the Tuesday afternoon for their annual Christmas Scottish reception (pictures attached) followed by a very nice evening meal at one of Edinburgh’s best restaurants thanks to a kind invitation from one of the Institutes key sponsors, Gandlake.
A morning meeting with the awards panel saw us agree the format and categories for the “to be announced” performance awards early in the New Year and as the President, I have decided my own teams will not be entering this year in order for me to take a full and active role in proceedings. A flurry of e-mails on the blackberry confirms that the electronic Xmas card I have sent has hit the wires (see website for your less than traditional Xmas shot but it will save the earths resources and more importantly, save money for charity). I had the photo taken in downtown Disney in Florida this year and very sadly I did have my Insight with me although I didn’t manage to sign up the few interested yanks who seemed very interested in what I was promoting. Hence a challenge to you as the wider membership
Where is the best place you can be photographed with an edition of Insight. Please send your pictures to me by 31 August 2008 at bobtrahern@northwarks.gov.uk and we will display the best ones on the website for you to vote for a yet to be decided huge prize.
With enough time at Edinburgh airport, I managed to get in some last minute Xmas shopping in the duty free area before heading back to Birmingham to arrive in time to attend a Full Council meeting in the evening at work.
Thursday saw a whole day of meetings with various partners as we run into the Xmas closedown and a fun evening is spent writing committee reports in readiness for a New Year round of meetings.
My final IRRV function of the year saw me attend a lunch on the River Thames with all the Institute staff. This has become a tradition in the Presidents calendar, and was a nice way to sign off what has been a very hectic period since I took office. It also provided another opportunity to take a photograph of the President with another santa hat on sitting next to a guy in a red suit and beard (no it wasn’t Richard Harbord and neither was it the new Deputy Chief Executive who with arm twisted wore his secret santa present bought for under a fiver (a superman pyjama top although we let him off wearing the shorts). I wonder who bought him that !
My calendar for January onwards looks no less busy so unfortunately I will be needing to take by laptop with me to Spain over the Xmas period to try and get in front of myself work wise, update my student notes and write a paper I will be giving in Bangkok. Not that I can see how I will cram it all in as we fly out to Girona on 27th for 5 days to spend the New Year once we have hosted two family do’s on Christmas and Boxing Day which will be great as my sister and family are over from the States for the festive season.
So it just leaves me to sign off and wish you a very Merry Christmas to you all and here’s hoping 2008 brings you everything you wish for whether it be hitting your PM10 target (hopefully revised) or collecting a few extra quid to push up your collection rate, or something much more exciting
With Anne McGuire MP just before Ministerial Address
A busy Conference Exhibition
