I am sure winter is coming to an end, I have heard the rumours! Boy, it’s been a cold one, and no doubt it is as it should be, but I think I am a summer person at heart so the promise of spring hinted at by the Tuis and early spring flowers (in the north) is a welcome promise for these cold bones.
We have of course been busy as usual, adapting to change, welcoming two new people on board and farewelling one. This winter our bursar Tony Holloway, left after 4 years with us. We are grateful for all the work he has done in this time and we wish him well. His role has been taken on by two women, Kim Bramwell and Jean Green. Kim has taken responsibility for our accounts work with the able assistance of Jean. They are both lovely people, dedicated and meticulous in their work and it’s a change to hear the sounds of women’s laughter in our head office. Haere mai and welcome to Kim and Jean.
We have another keen supporter helping us on the creative graphics side, Alan Hunt, owner of ‘WOW Creative’ in Titirangi. Alan’s first job was to redesign our logo. The old logo had been working hard since 2003 but was getting tired and needed a bit of a lie down. Alan’s out of the box thinking was a challenge at first but he graciously adapted his first radical idea to what we have today. Alan is onto the next job, redesigning our newspaper ads and perhaps soon our brochure (when you have the time Alan!). Alan and I really clicked. He’s fun to work with and of course very supportive of our work.
The current economic climate still feels like a long winter and many are saying the economic spring recovery will be a long slow one. The impact of this on our work is still with us and while we are holding our own I cannot see any expansion of Big Buddy to other areas for some time yet. We are tightening our belts somewhat to ensure our future stability and of course working hard to broaden our financial base. In my last editorial I mentioned we are looking seriously at developing our screening process as a professional service. We are also looking into other areas of service where our unique skills may be useful and of course attract additional funding. But of course the cold reality of economics can never trouble us too long – we are warmed constantly by the sheer privilege of working with so many good people and of course being a small part in so many stories of hope.
Our stories really feed our souls and are usually about mentors, boys and mums/caregivers but the other day I got a call that came from another perspective. It was from a just arrived migrant woman who had seen one of our ads. She said “realising what you men did, moved me very much, it inspired me and boosted me, it helped me face into some difficult life challenges by just knowing this sort of work was happening in the world, thank you.” So how about that – just knowing there are men who care and can show that caring in a practical way in the world is an inspiration itself. It warmed my winter cold bones to know that, and lifted my spirits to the promise of spring, warmth and renewal.
Go well friend, Richard
