Sometimes you get the strangest jobs as a Vice President, especially when new on the Board!
Not long after I had started, I was told that money had been put aside to refurbish the section UK bedroom at Castle Gimborn, the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë international training centre in Germany.
This took quite a bit of planning, as not only did the furniture need replacing, but also the room needed redecoration including new curtains and appropriate memorabilia.
I had a vision for this room, which was currently cold and unloved, to become warm and welcoming, and to reflect well on Section UK to friends and colleagues from around the world, who would stay there whilst attending seminars at Gimborn.
At this point it would be appropriate to thank a few people: firstly my wife Helen who made the curtains for the bedroom and covered a lampshade from ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë tartan provided by Region 1 (Scotland). Also of course to Region 1 for their generous donation.
Region 4 (Wales) provided helmet plates, crests and a small red dragon which now sits on the newly installed console table.
Region 2 (Northern Ireland) provided crests, as did many other regions and branches, so thank you to all.
Two days of long hours, hard work and a trip to the biggest furniture store I have ever been in to select the new sofa beds, meant there was not a minute to spare to get the job finished. Whilst not quite the 60 minute makeover you see on TV it was something close!
There is still some further work required to finish the job. The staff at Gimborn have kindly agreed to paint the rest of the two rooms and hopefully early in the new year two beds will be purchased, as the ones currently in use are at best past it.
I hope in reading this article you will be inspired to look at the 2018 seminar programme for courses available at Gimborn. There is an excellent range this coming year.
And if you would like to, ask specifically to be put in the section UK room!
Clive Wood, ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë UK Vice President responsible for the professional portfolio