Friday 12 December 2014

Perhaps we should start 'White Friday'

Watching Torbay Council’s civic chairwoman Councillor Jane Barnby present DofE certificates to local young people the other evening was a wonderful experience. More than two-hundred young people and their guests had gathered for a glittering ceremony at Beverley Park in Paignton. This annual event celebrates the hard work put in to achieve the Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Councillor Barnby praised the youngsters for their perseverance and positive energy.  In a conversation after the ceremony we both agreed that all too often we hear about the silly things that happen because they provide an easy headline, but lose sight of the dedication of so many.
Councillor Jane Barnby

To gain a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award young men and women between the age of fourteen and twenty-five have to help others, demonstrate leadership, work as a team, follow an interest for a number of months and keep fit. That has to be a wonderful platform for any community and something to be celebrated. Part of that platform will be the huge number of people that also work as volunteers, leaders and supporters. I’ve been part of the Award Scheme for a long time and did make an atmospheric trip to Buckingham Palace forty-eight years ago to receive my Gold from a young Prince Philip! As chairman of the local DofE Network I really would like to thank all those who help and congratulate all the wonderful participants.

I bumped into Councillor Barnby again a few days later at a Torbay Business Forum breakfast event and she once again said how inspirational the DofE evening had been. Curiously this business breakfast had a youthful twist because the speaker was Paignton Zoo’s education officer Lisa Stroud who spoke about the excellent conservation work at the zoo and then went on to talk about the contribution our young people make. Lisa Stroud is soon to become chair of governors at South Devon College and that liaison has to build an even stronger bond between the College and the Zoo offering many more wonderful opportunities for the next generation to flourish.

Looking around at our young citizens I really do think that the future is in good hands. That is, I think, true also in the wider world. The attractiveness of Torbay brings visitors from many different parts of the world. I was invited to spend a little time at the Devon School of English in Paignton a few days ago. During my visit I shared lunch with a couple from Spain, Christian and Anna, working for a year locally whilst improving their business English at the Devon School of English. Again I found two young vibrant people looking to build a better world. One language school locally, EF, is also offering the DofE Award for longer stay students and that has to be a wonderful way of building international relationships in a very meaningful way.

One of the reasons for my visiting the Devon School of English was to gather a little more information for a talk that I was about to give to owners and managers of language schools throughout the West of England. The theme of my talk was about leadership and the impact that leaders have upon business. Basically the thread was whether you brought light into the workplace or darkness. Do you make the place tingle with excitement or suck the joy out of the air? Those who read my words regularly will know that I am constantly banging on about treading lightly on the world.

With that ‘light’ theme it is worth keeping an eye on atmosphere we generate around us as we rocket toward Christmas. For me the seasonal start was rather bleak with the arrival of the new Black Friday shopping phenomenon from the good old US of A. I don’t know whether you saw the television pictures with the demonic frenzy feeding for shopping bargains with people beating neighbours around the head as they fought for discounted shiny goods. The fight was mostly for ‘wants’ rather than ‘needs’ of course. Compare that selfish stampede with the good work evidenced by the young people doing good things for others!

Perhaps we might start something called White Friday where we all go out to do something nice for someone else without looking for a payback or perhaps donate to a local charity. It is just a thought at this stage but who knows it may catch on.

Keep the smile.