Wednesday 1 August 2012

It’s my last blog for a couple of weeks before I jet off to the back garden for a couple of weeks furlough. I must admit I can’t wait – I’m highly addicted to the Olympics already and will watch the rest of the games on the telly I think. Mrs B might have other ideas of course...


Yesterday we held the staff awards for July and a great occasion it was with the Council Chamber full of staff who have individually or as part of a wider team gone the extra mile for our communities and customers. I always feel very inspired reading the entries and deliberating over them with colleagues as we select the winners. The individual employee of the month winner was Karen Moles and the team winner was the Diamond Jubilee / Olympic Torch Events team made up of hundreds of staff from all departments. Thank you and well done to you all. In September we will be launching the categories for our end of year celebration in February / March 2013. This year I would like to hold this event in our new atrium facility that opens at County Hall in a few weeks time. We’ll see.

Talking about inspiration, I was fortunate to meet Ben Parkinson yesterday. He is a soldier – from 7 Para – who was severely wounded in Afghanistan. In fact he is the most severely injured soldier to survive from his tour of duty in that part of the world. What a guy. A wicked sense of humour and the most engaging smile I’ve seen. He’s about to do another parachute drop next month too which makes me frightened just thinking about it. He was at County Hall to present Jane Scott with a picture that she had bought on Armed Forces Day, by a local Trowbridge artist – the proceeds of which go to the charity of which he is patron (www.pilgrimbandits.org ). This charity works with soldiers whom have been severely wounded and supports their rehab through adventure activities. Very humbling.

To those of you about to go on your holidays, have fun and enjoy yourselves. For those of you working through the next few weeks – thank you.
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Thanks for reading. Talk again in a couple of weeks.


Carlton