PRESIDENT'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE AND VIDEO

Something a little different for you and this year's Christmas message is in video format visiting some of the key locations that make up our institute. If you hit the link you can enjoy it on our Linkedin page. It is also available on our Facebook page.

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4826530/

If you prefer not to see my face (and I don't blame you ) here is an abridged written version:

2020 has been a challenge for us all including business and none more so than the Charity sector.

I went to Cheltenham Animal Shelter last week to again say thankyou to them for all the work they do and was fortunate to drop some more funds and items with them.

If you have taken part in or donated to any of our walks, runs, quizzes, volunteer work, online competitions, cake making, thankyou so much.

In October you helped me in a MND walk I was doing with Allen Prior and the final total of that was close to £2000.

In November you raised £1000 for Gloucester Foodbank and since my Presidency started in May 2019,we have raised £4300 for the Animal Shelter and this is despite our 2 main fundraisers (the Dinner and Golf Day being postponed) Significant amounts. Thankyou again.

Not the best year for Gloucester Rugby but they remain our spiritual home for CPD. This year we did 32 events including 29 in the pandemic webinar era. Clearly the pandemic played a major part in our content but we also rolled out a number of topical,technical GI and FS,self development and mental wellbeing sessions. Well done Tim and the Education team .

Frustrating time for those of us doing exams but I hope to announce that our exam centre at Stonehouse will re-open early 2021. I hope all our GI and PFS students can get their exam studies back on track and congratulations to all of you who took and passed papers in 2020.

We hope to see our friends at Manor by the Lake for our dinner in 2021. It is planned for April 2021. If I am honest we could be looking more like October but let's see. We will get there.

In November we hosted our Achiever of the Year online. Congratulations to Gemma Bushell of Ecclesiastical who won and along with Chelsea, Ashley and Sam,we had 4 great finalists who will continue to achieve great things in our industry.

It won't be the Christmas or New Year any of us were expecting or wanted but I hope you can take the time to reflect on all your achievements and resilience you have shown this year and come back physically and mentally refreshed in 2021.

A final thankyou to all the IICG council and New Gen council. They have achieved amazing results,reflected in the 100% CII performance assessment award this year and are all genuinely nice people to work with and learn from.

I wish you and your families a safe and happy Christmas.

With kind regards

Simon

Contact simon.mcgill@ecclesiastical.com