Welcome

The Column of the National Chairman

I’m sure you, like me, would never have predicted, as you read the last edition of Waterways just three months ago, that life would have changed quite so dramatically in such a short time. The coronavirus pandemic has touched every aspect of our personal and business lives with the meaning of ‘normal’ being redefi ned on an almost daily basis. With it has come great uncertain and I know that across the Association many members’ lives have been turned upside down whether due to the challenge of spending so much time at home, falling ill, changing employment conditions or, for some, facing untimely family bereavement.

It has been a time of reassessing priorities, re-establishing relationships and fi nding new ways to do what, in the past, were simple or mundane daily tasks. In many areas, we long to get back to the old ways; in others, we’re discovering a new normal that we would quite like to hold onto once all this is past.

As I look back over the last few months, I am delighted at how the Association has responded. Through January and February many things continued as usual, and a major achievement during that period was the re-establishment of the All-Par Parliamentary Group for the Waterways. I look forward to working with Michael Fabricant MP and the other APPGW o cers to ensure that IWA fulfi ls its role in providing the secretariat for this group in the most e ective manner.

The trustees’ governance workshop in late January re-emphasised the need for a clear separation of governance and management activi . The trustees’ meeting at the end of February brought further clari on the subject with discussions centring on three main areas: governance, management, and objectives. As a result, we will be changing the way in which trustees are selected. In line with Chari Commission guidelines, om this year trustees will be appointed based on the skills that are needed to provide proper governance of the Association. We will be looking for people with expertise in areas that will be most needed over the next three years to complement the knowledge and skills of existing trustees.

Linked to be er governance will be the establishment of one management team across the whole Association to ensure that IWA’s charitable objectives are delivered consistently to sta and volunteer teams working as one. Central to aligning the organisation’s wide-ranging activities will be the refocusing of our longterm objectives around four overarching themes: Regeneration, Infl uence, Sustainabili and Engagement.

There’s nothing like a time of crisis to demonstrate the value of working together. This has been particularly apparent with the Association as we’ve had to make some di cult decisions over the past couple of months. The cancellations of this year’s IWA Canalway Cavalcade, Trailboat Festival and Festival of Water have been a disappointing outcome of the restrictions we face. I am, however, very proud of the teams who have worked so hard to plan these events and I’m delighted that we have seen the management team of volunteers and sta working together to manage the transition of these events to 2021.

Likewise, we have all been working together to ensure that our branches have been fully supported during the transition to online meetings. In late February and early March I had the pleasure of a ending and speaking at some of the last physical branch AGMs. As the impact of the lockdown became apparent, it seemed that much of the activi of the Association would be signifi cantly curtailed. Some monthly branch meetings and AGMs were initially cancelled or postponed but, within a few days, most were reinstated as online events, demonstrating the resilience and adaptabili of our members. For some, ge ing used to the technology held a lot of fear, however, with a li le help, ge ing connected proved to be a less daunting task than initially thought.

These online meetings, up and down the country, have allowed us to reach many members who would not normally be able to get to physical meetings. I’m confi dent that this is likely to become a feature of the new normal.

As we try to work out the right (or least worst) course though this uncharted territory, it sometimes feels like we’re making it up as we go along. There have been no easy decisions! This is where the diversi of IWA comes into its own. The breadth of viewpoints, insights and analytical skills blended with the determination to work together and make the most of things has provided an exemplar for the future as we navigate our way through the current uncertain .

When the good times return, these are the skills and a ributes we will need as we set the Association on its course for the next 75 years. Please have a look at the news item on page 8 regarding the appointment of trustees and, if you have what it takes to guide the Association through our ever-changing future, I hope you will be willing to put your name forward.

The vital work of the Association is clearly portrayed in this issue of Waterways and I hope you will enjoy reading about all that is being achieved. Thank you for your continued support for IWA whether as a member, volunteer or advertiser in the pages of this magazine. That has never been more valued and appreciated than it is now. I encourage you to stay safe and keep healthy in the coming months.

Paul Rodgers