View from the Chair

The Job Shuffle continues apace, with Mareike changing posts to become the Development Education (Dev Ed) Coordinator, and having now left us to work with Greenpeace in Amsterdam, an amazing job, heading up their global anti nuclear campaign. Congratulations and our best wishes go with her, though we’re sad to see her (and her fundraising skills) go. Part of our remit is helping our volunteers and staff (as well as people we work with) develop, and I’m delighted that she got such a good job, like Stacia, her predecessor, who now works for the Environment Agency.

I’m pleased to welcome the new Centre Coordinator, Aisha (who is getting to grips with the large, varied and challenging workload) and our new Dev Ed worker, Ruth. It’s great that BPEC is now able to employ two pretty much full time workers, and to continue to become more organised and professional, while still relying on our fantastic volunteers.

Putting on the BPEC Auction of Promises was one of Aisha’s first jobs, and the event was a great success, with music, poetry and food. I hope this becomes an annual event, in which people will be able to bid on the silent auction even if they can’t attend the auction itself.

Charity Status: Although I thought it was all done (has been dragging on for some time), I regret to inform you that the Charity Commission have redone their application process, so our kind pro-bono (free) lawyers are re-doing the forms. Nearly there...

I end by wishing you a very peaceful, pleasant and restorative Christmas break.

Merlin,
Chair.