RTCW reached its 30-year milestone this month and it has been humbling to see everyone marking the occasion with the RTCW 30th Birthday image. Thank you so much for your support, not just from me, but the whole RTCW team! It is great to reflect and celebrate what has been achieved but I also want to share with you how we are moving to create a charity that has a structure and culture that remains fit for purpose, sustainable and ultimately reflects the needs of our future wish granting.
In line with our 3-year Strategic Plan the Board made a commitment to review the overall structure of the charity. In doing so we considered whether there are transformations we could make to increase the number of children we support, whilst making savings on overheads wherever possible. As a result of improvements in technology and evidence during the COVID pandemic the Board approved a progressive change to the way in which the staff and trustees work together. We wanted to create more flexibility, increased wellbeing for the team as well as making significant cost savings.
In January we started to hold our Trustee meetings virtually and the team have continued to work well together throughout the period of office closure. I am sure, like many businesses, flexibility in the workplace and remote working is now firmly here to stay.
To that end, I’d like to announce that the Wimborne Road office will be closing at the end of October.
In its place, we have adopted a home/co-office culture of working, creating a significant saving of our overheads. We are sad to be leaving the office but recognise that we still very much require a “base” to reflect our connection to Bournemouth that can serve as a location for our team to meet physically to continue the amazing teamwork that is so fundamental to this charity.
Therefore, we will be moving to a new co-working space within a not-for-profit business centre, aligned with our charitable status. Our new office is located at The Factory, 14 Alder Hills, Poole, Dorset. BH12 4AS.
I’d like to thank everyone involved in making this move a reality, especially the whole charity team, wonderfully lead by Karen as our Director. We are delighted that we celebrate our 30th Birthday with a new chapter. Please continue to contact the team in the same way where Karen, Cathy, Clare and Cassandra will be always happy to help.
The next piece of work is to bring about further savings through sponsorship. If you are interested in helping us, or for more information, please get in touch with Karen: [email protected] Tel: 01202 514515 for further information.
As a Board, our future succession planning will be focussed on demographics as well as skills to compliment our overarching strategy; to grow the number of wishes we deliver each year. The changes announced and implemented support this aim but we still need and will always need your support! Covid-19 has also brought about its own challenges and, as a charity, we face 2021 with a few hurdles to get over; but by working with our truly valued supporters, we remain focussed and objective about the future.
I hope that by introducing our virtual meetings for Trustees that we can encourage future recruitment to spread our demographic across the UK. Whilst new Trustees join the charity at the AGM, please do let us know if you are interested in joining us in future years….. I’d be delighted to have a confidential conversation with you at any time.
With best wishes
Andrew Simmonds (Chair of Trustees)
