CEO Chat #19
The first sentence to write is the most challenging part of these musings. Once I get going then I find it hard to stop because there are so many good things happening at CDA, some big, some small and some things just make us laugh. In a team there should be some fun in work life.
The deaf community is a strong one but, as with most sectors, there are conflicts and old rivalries run deep. It’s a good thing that I came into CDA with a fresh set of eyes and the opportunity to rebuild relationships. On Monday my week started with a conversation with Michael Stead of Sign Access who are based in Lancashire and offer well-being support using outdoor activities to improve client wellness. In the future there might be some joint working, if the right project develops. Living in Cumbria it makes sense to use the stunning landscape as much as possible. We also have Bendrigg Trust and Anyone Can near to the Kendal centre, both organisations offer great accessible activities.
Becky joined us in November 2022, in the six months she has been with us she has put some structure to the management and operation of Health & Safety, Facilities including overseeing a raft of necessary works, and now she is getting to grips with HR and finances. All these tasks contain a routine element but a vital in the day to day running of a business, including ordering the necessities for the office. We have slowly over the past two years looked at purchases and budget in detail. It is moving us to a stronger place and is one of the key building blocks to our path forward to growth.
Another moment of looking forward was a meeting with Sam Plum, Chief Executive of Westmorland and Furness Council. This meeting was following up on a promise given at a LA23Net networking event held at Rheged in March. I took the opportunity to explain some of the specific challenges and issues that affect the d/Deaf community in Cumbria. A great example was the challenge I had trying to get into the building with intercoms. No doubt, there will be many more conversations but, I am positive that there will be actions for both organisations to follow through.