Letter from THMA Director – Andrew Oliver

 

Dear Members

I was delighted to accept the invitation of the directors to join them on the board of THMA and I very much look forward to working with them to shape the future of this vibrant organisation. They are Graham Billany, Frank Butterfield, Iain Butterworth, Andrew Fairburn and Mark O’Reilly who has stepped down as CEO and Chair, but continues to be very much involved.  We thank Mark for all his considerable work in the past, and will be celebrating his successes at the next Windy Millers event in October.   We hope you will join us for that.

Little did I know it would be at such a momentous time as the world contends with the Covid 19 Pandemic.  No sector of industry private of public can escape the effects it is having, and the economic and social rulebooks are being thrown away.

Many say we need to adopt a wartime spirit and attitude, but this war is against an invisible enemy.  What we have found out is that when the chips are down, we all have to work together. Sharing knowledge, resources and inter reliance on one another is key.  Formula 1 teams building respirators, airline staff manning hospitals and thousands of retired staff re-joining the public services.

The pandemic will pass, and no doubt we will have parties and celebrations, and some folks will be recognised in the honours lists. What we must however do is learn from the experience.  I am certain that we will realise the worth of all working together in society and the that some of the fripperies of life like celebrity and status are not really as important as we thought they were.

The one thing that we really could not have done without, apart of course from the NHS, is the worldwide web.  It has helped communications, relieve social isolation and aid communications where we can not meet face to face. The web really is a most apt name.  It has woven the world together and made us all in to one team, and with that teamwork we will come through this.

However, the members of THMA did not need Covid to teach us this.  That word Team has been in our name and at the heart of all we do since the organisation was founded, and it is what will help bring us all through these testing times. In difficult circumstances we are still working hard to disseminate information and report back our member’s views and interests back to those in Government.  Please keep sharing information and news with Mary and we will ensure we do our best to support our members.

Best wishes and stay safe.

 

Andrew

 

Andrew Oliver

Director THMA