2023 - A Year in Review

Today has been more of the same.  Watched Zulu movie.

So, we’re entering into the last few hours of 2023, and it’s been quite some year.

January

Despite a big landmark for me, the year didn’t start off well and left me feeling the lowest I’ve ever felt since dialysis, it hit harder because it came from someone I like, care for and respect.   There was an early trip to the theatre to see Les Misérables and we got some snow at the start of the year, which meant I managed a good walk with my best mate.  The travels started early as I headed down to the south east and up to Scotland.  We also bought our first business of the year; it wouldn’t be the last.

February

Didn’t start well as the lurgy kicked in, it wouldn’t be the last time this year.  My team got an early chance to shine, and I was so proud of them, I also started to fight back after hitting rock bottom in January.  We bought our second business of the year and then I headed to Stockholm for a three-day conference, we never left the airport for three days. However, it did also generate much laughter with sockgate occurring. 

March

The month started with a car crash business strategy meeting that was so badly organised, it ended up being the beginning of the end for one person.  I wasn’t too disappointed.  Despite still suffering from the lurgy, I climbed Pen-y-Fan on a sunset walk for Kidney Wales.  The changes to the team also started this month, as Exec and business line MD meetings started to happen.  Sadly, though one of our young apprentices decided to hand in his notice, which was gutting, as he was a good lad.  I had many laughs when I went to see I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue and my dream of seeing my book published started to come true.

April

Our Global Head of Sustainability from Sweden came across to visit us and the team blew her away with the work that we do.  It went really well and continued to build my confidence and repair a relationship.  As predicted in March, the decision was made to part ways, as I said I wasn’t too disappointed at their departure, they did their best to undermine me.  The final sign off to team changes happened, just as we said goodbye to our young apprentice.  Good luck Ferdy!  The weather also started to turn and was glorious, so much so I celebrated with my first proper haircut since COVID.  I also paid a trip to the west end and saw a fantastic production of To Kill A Mockingbird.  My young padwan was on fire this month, she run her first Net Zero workshop and she was presenting our Net Zero progress at our investors ESG Forum in Frankfurt.  I’m dead proud of her and things started to return to an even keel. 

May

Saw the coronation of King Charles III, which meant we got an extra bank holiday.  The weather was still good as well.  Amazing news after my young padawan returned from her holiday in the Maldives, as she announced that she’d got engaged.  Chuffed to bits for her.  She also ran her second Net Zero workshop in London, and I managed to see her rock of a ring.  I took a trip to Bournemouth to carry out a challenge, but had to skip it, but at least I caught up with a friend.  I also saw some Liverpool Legends at St.David’s Hall which was brilliant.  The big news though was that I announced the restructure, which meant I had to put people at risk, not easy and took a lot out of me.  The consultations began and I wanted to get the process over as quickly as possible for people.

June

The restructure continued, although HR nearly made a monumental balls up of it all.  Luckily, we got through it and I delivered the outcome consultations, some good and bad news was delivered.  I managed to get some good walks in the early part of the month, with my doggie nephew, Dewi, making his debut on a summit of a Brecon Beacons mountain.  I had my seventh COVID jab, attended the CQI conference in London and went to see the High-Performance Podcast Live at the Wales Millennium Centre.  My young padawan was also on the hunt for awards and was up till 9pm on a Friday to get the submission in.  I think she’s done a cracking job as well. 

July

A month which was action packed as I managed to tick some bucket list items off, as I managed to see Kiss on their farewell tour and also Iron Maiden.  Saw a few more west end musicals as well, with Spitting Image and Back to the Future.  I also went to Hampton Court Flower Show, which was excellent, quieter and more spaced out than Chelsea.  A few kidney related activities took place as well with the London Bridges Walk for Kidney Research and I also volunteered for two days at the British Transplant Games in Coventry.  We got the new team started with Sustainability quick out of the block and making an immediate difference.   I also had to fight for my team as someone threw a hand grenade, which was uncalled for.  The weather started to take a turn for the worst as well now, after all the good weather we’ve had. 

August

The month kicked off with our Team building day in Tewkesbury and I think it went really well.  More trips to London with work meant I managed to see three BBC Proms concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and I also the musical Mrs Doubtfire, which was very funny.  In terms of sporting events, we went to see Glamorgan cricket at Neath, and I caught the sun.  I spent a week up in London on a business continuity course, which was very enjoyable, surprisingly. 

September

An epic month as I finally got to Canada.  I did so much over those two weeks, I could take up the whole of this blip just on that.  We had great news when I got home as we won the Triton ESG Overall Award for the second time.  This was the award that my young padawan was writing in June till 9pm, she was screaming in her car when they announced it.  The lurgy decided to strike for the second time after I returned from Canada, it wouldn’t be the last time. 

October
The month started off with me passing my business continuity exam with a distinction.  I also went to see the Banff mountain film festival and also Witness for the Prosecution in London.  My young padawan and I attended the UN Global Compact conference in London before she then was manning our stand at Highways UK, a big industry event in the NEC Birmingham.  I also let her go to her first face-to-face SLT meeting in York, she enjoyed it, she needs that exposure in her new role as Head of Sustainability.  Tragic news late in the month as Adam Johnson, an ice hockey player with Nottingham Panthers, sadly died after a tragic incident on the ice.

November

With the year starting to come to an end, this month saw a few team activities, with a bit of a reset for one part of the team to get them on the right path.  I saw a fantastic solar panel project in Northampton that my sustainability team had delivered.  We also started to have reviews with teams and individuals.  I had an inspiration for legacy journals for my team, to remind them that they play a part in making a difference to the business.  We got positive feedback from National Highways after my Head of H&S blew them away.  My young padawan was off picking up awards again, as she headed to London to receive a Green Apple Award.  We started planning for the long-term future with a strategy meeting in Tewkesbury, it went well.   Whilst there my young padawan said that she had told our CEO that I was an unsung hero for being a great boss.  *proud face*.  I had a random celebrity moment on the train, as Laurence Llewellyn Bowen flounced in on one of my many train trips at the back end of the year.  At the end of the month I headed to Stockholm, for what can only be described as a nightmare and waste of time trip.  I mean who can forget the room from hell? 

December

The month started with me just about making it back from the nightmare Stockholm trip.  We had a team Christmas get together and it went really well, I think my Legacy journals went down well.  We also had a new starter to the team, and I think Kundai is going to be another star.  I returned to panto land with two trips, the first was to see the London Palladium panto, Peter Pan and then the New Theatre, Cardiff panto of Jack and the Beanstalk.   The year ended with the lurgy returning, but I did manage to read 165 books over the course of the year.  The best news of the month was when my children’s book, Cwtch the Word Dragon was finally published.  Whohoo!!!!! A dream comes true.

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Reflecting on some fantastic memories of 2023