C.E. Jottings

Just a bit on the busy side

Managed to meet two deadlines today: got a bid in to Sheffield Rag for children's play space equipment, all a bit tight as the meeting with the supplier, and so getting costings, was only this morning which is why I had to ask Ray to deputise for me on Radio Sheffield with Rony Robinson (and that went well) before we met at a Management Team meeting with a crowded agenda, most of it pointing to how to actually grow a... Read more →

Busy. Busy. Busy

Susie Mallett reminds me in an email that I have not posted in a while. Actually, I've just been so busy - nearly all of it positive and productive. For instance .... Top priority continues to be the governance changes and the renewed sense of energy and purpose flowing from our new Chair and Trustees. This is massively encouraging. A close second is our application to become a Free School. Our experience of the process so far is helping is... Read more →

GIGO or Ask the right question ...

Yesterday, to the surprise of some, to the delight of others, I suggested I was looking ahead into 2011 with some optimisim. "Positiveness" might have been a better word but that's a small point. I ended more-or-less by suggesting that "people like me who are charged with the task [of serving children with disabilities and their families] need to be focusing, not on 'the cuts' but ... creating and uncovering the opportunities and the ways through". GIGO, "Garbage In Garbage... Read more →

Top tips for reporting our impact #CondEd

With thanks to @NCVO on twitter: "Reading: Top tips for reporting your charity’s impact" "... a recent report from New Philanthropy Capital, Talking About Results, says that charities are much better at talking about what they do than why they do it and what it achieves ..." I've been trying recently to work out how Paces can make better coordinated use of social networking on the internet to reach out to parents and friends. I've also been pondering lately how... Read more →

Same coin, maybe - 2 sides, perhaps

Cuts? Or Big Society? FYI .... From NCVO: Lessons for the UK from cutting Canadian VCS and Building a List of Big Society Blogs. Read more →

September Song

"September Song": Michael Bywater, in The Independent yesterday, celebrates "the Queen of months", our "most glorious time of year" - an evocative piece. In Sheffield, the electronic road-signs remind us that September brings the start of a new school year - and to plan our journeys accordingly. At Paces, we've some substantial longer term business planning to complete by Christmas - which will have the added ingredient of succession planning for the CEO post; there's work on developing our governance... Read more →

Do not go grumpy into that last good night

On a personal note .... "Who's driving that car," I said to no-one in particular, as you do, faced with yet another example of appalling driving behaviour "the dog?" A "Grumpy old man" moment. Is it me or is the world going the dogs? The other day, "Look down and back," the friend said, "only to see how high you have climbed, how far you have come. Then turn and look up and forward into the sunshine." She says things... Read more →

"Keep It Real" - Been there. Seen the T-Shirt.

A slogan on a T-shirt worn by someone coming into Paces early this morning gave me the title for this post. The prompt for the post, however, comes from this morning's Independent newspaper, (previously published in Newsweek, it seems), "Universal Adapter", about Mike Lazaridis, of Blackberry fame. It's an interesting article about innovation, about invention and reinvention, about keeping ahead of the game. "Innovation is not born of one moment, or one story or even the result of taking risks."... Read more →

A surfeit of Governance

A few days or so ago, it was put to me that my managing style as Paces CEO was “too controlling”. Quite what was meant I’m not at all clear although I don’t think it was a compliment. Actually, I was quite surprised, as I have always thought that not being ‘controlling’, was one of my strengths. Coincidentally, I had been listening when possible to a series on BBC Radio 4 about Democracy. One week, Professor Ali Mazrui (as I... Read more →

And so, back to it. Fine week away, too.

And so, ever reluctantly, we returned from Pembrokeshire - a 6-hour, 300 mile run with 2 breaks. Sarah loves it there: 3 consecutive days on the beach sheltering from the sun under beach umbrellas; picnics every day; sleeps well at night - and, for "Auntie Sarah", niece Ria and nephew Ryan to look out for. She takes her duties as an Aunt most seriously! So, back to an important meeting first thing this Monday morning. A tough meeting for all... Read more →