The five Ss in governance My interest in governance is as a governor, advisor, author, consultant and chair – and then as a CEO. And my interest also lies in the charity sector, because I think that is where the challenge of governance is most demanding, and the rewards are greatest. But at a time […]
We’ve all got good at talking about adverse childhood experience and trauma. So good that we can name them, count them, measure their impact and they even have a handy acronym. We talk about the number of ACEs someone has with fluency and zeal. In lots of conversations recently I’ve found myself reflecting on the […]
Under-reported: The issue that terrifies politicians and affects every household – social care This blog was first published on Unherd.Com as part of their series on the issues that are overlooked and ignored as the political machine is preoccupied with Brexit. I can think of no issue that affects every household in the country and […]
A beautiful cold evening in Newcastle and Gateshead on Sunday got me thinking about the inter play between the history of a place, its stories and its sense of self. Freedom on the Tyne – a vast and awe inspiring theatrical celebration of Martin Luther Kings brilliant speech as he received his honorary doctorate from […]
In the public unfolding of grief in the last terrible few months a number of things stand out. The first is of course, the helpers. The courage and generosity of those who run to the site of disaster – whether Manchester taxi drivers ferrying people home, or café owners providing drinks or people contributing money. […]
We all want services to be kind. Nobody seriously disputes it. All social change starts with the very personal relationship between two people, and yet, as I’ve commented before, we struggle to be kind, citing professional codes, financial challenges and regulatory restrictions to explain our rather cool, and sometimes frankly impersonal, approach to the decisions that […]
This website doesn’t normally host theatre reviews, and I know that I have none of the skills or experience to be a critic. But last week I went to see All Our Children by Stephen Unwin (full disclosure, he is my brother). It’s a moving play and it’s brilliantly acted. It describes a particularly hideous […]
I was delighted to launch the Inquiry into the future of civil society at the NCVO Conference, and both invigorated and reassured by the response received from the voluntary sector in the room and on social media. There does seem to be a real appetite for a good look at how we are going to adapt […]
We live in precarious times. Every conversation I have been part of this week seems to have been about insecurity, and uncertainty in the UK. People are facing the most extraordinary insecurity in their daily lives. We have a labour market which – at every level – offers uncertainty and the prospect of rapid change, […]