Having a dog (a diva black Labrador) means that I am up very early to walk her before I go to work. Come rain, snow or sun I am out walking on Hampstead Heath or in Big Wood – both five minutes drive from where I live - normally with my neighbour’s dog too. I use this time to reflect on what has happened so far in the week and try to guess what the coming day will bring.
Unfortunately it also means that at the weekend I invariably still wake up early. The longer weekend walk gives me the opportunity to think about the week that has passed. What can I learn from the events of the week? What did we do wrong? What can we celebrate? (Of course – the dogs are only interested in whether anybody has left edible litter behind on the Heath).
This week has been the usual mixture of ups, downs, glamour, hard graft, fun and frustrations. The role of a charity Chief Executive is quite varied. We are often expected to shift in seconds from thinking strategically to fixing the plumbing. I think the best definition I read was written by the Directory of Social Change
“Charity Sector CEOs face one of the most challenging jobs in the country. Not only do they have to be able to competently run “the business” by ensuring that income is greater than expenditure, but they live in a funding environment that is unstable and frequently shifting. Indeed, they constantly have to justify the value of their organisation’s work to a range of different questioners, all with different success criteria, simply to get enough money to continue the work. The position is not well understood.”
Like most jobs today it is not a 9 to 5 job – the blackberry is always on - and like everyone at RAFT I work far more hours than I’m actually paid to do. This week was no exception. On Monday I was in meetings in London most of the day before heading off to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research at the House of Commons. As well as hearing some inspiring speeches, I was delighted to unexpectedly meet our ex Chairman there – the Earl Howe. We were so sad, but completely understood, that he had to retire as Chairman and Trustee when he was appointed a health minister in May. Lord Howe is one of the most committed and conscientious people I know so I’m sure he will be a huge success in his new role.
The other highlight of the week was meeting celebrity chef Peter Gordon at his restaurant – The Providores and Tapa Room. Peter Gordon has agreed to become an ambassador for our wound healing project – more of that later in the year. It really touches me when people who are busy and in the public eye are prepared to give their time freely to charities such as RAFT.
It is also very affecting when we have work experience students at RAFT, volunteering their time to help our research. This week we have had Pippa working with us and I was touched by the email she sent me about her week so far.
“Having read about all the incredible work that RAFT does, I was really excited to start my work experience placement, if not a little apprehensive! However from the minute I arrived I was made to feel welcome and all my questions were answered with patience and enthusiasm. The dedication and kindness of everyone at RAFT, alongside the amazing work they carry out is so inspiring and has reinforced my desire to study medicine. Thank you!”
The rest of week was taken up with dealing with emails, letters, managing operational problems, strategic issues, planning and discussing potential fundraising opportunities. Raising funds to cover our research is a constant concern. We have to fundraise for every single penny we spend on research. If we can’t raise the funds, we can’t do the work. It is a constant worry for me and the rest of the staff.
Finally my week ended with a late evening call from the wife of somebody who is living with a diabetic ulcer. Listening about the discomfort he lives with and the frustration felt by this once active man at being unable to be as mobile as he would like, was heart rending. His wife told me that he had been unable to visit a dying friend – someone he had known for forty years – because his friend lived in another country and her husband could no longer travel due to the incapacitating pain and problems he has to deal with. I was in tears listening to her and had to compose myself before I could speak.
Having finished the call, I started the hour’s drive home. Whilst I drove from Northwood to north London, I thought again how it is impossible for me not to work long hours, work weekends and be driven to succeed knowing that our research will change lives.
I don’t know that the next week will bring but hopefully it will bring us one week closer to getting our research to patients.
