The major focus of my year has been the end of my marriage - I'm not going to talk about that again in this post - I've done that previously and I want this to be positive - but when I was thinking about writing this, I realised that there was 6 months of 2013 before that happened and some really good stuff happened!Studies
Entering 2013 saw the continuation of my studies for the BIFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management. I had already surprised myself in staying motivated to keep studying on my own and found a process that worked well for me continuing to study and complete assignments ahead of schedule. Despite personal events delaying studies in the summer, I'm still on schedule and hope to be finished the qualification during the first quarter of 2014.
During the year I was fortunate to visit London for work on more than one occasion. I love this city and I find these trips a great way to get to know colleagues in the London office better which helps when I call needing advice or assistance when I'm back in the local office. One of these trips included a one day ISO22301 BCMS Foundation training course - it's an introduction to the best practices associated with business continuity management as defined by the ISO23301 standard. I met people who are responsible for business continuity management in various sectors - very interesting! The day ended with a test! Fortunately I passed!!
BIFM
The new year also saw more progress in setting up the BIFM Channel Islands' Branch. An interim committee met regularly to form the branch and prepare for launch events in both Jersey and Guernsey. We had great support from Laura at BIFM HQ and Gareth Andrews, the Chair of the SW Region of which the Branch is part of. Gareth actually won 'Volunteer of the Year' at the BIFM Volunteer Recognition Awards in July 2013. It was a really exciting time as the committee had worked hard to get the Branch launched and a day in Jersey and then the next in Guernsey saw around 100 FM professionals meeting to learn about what the BIFM is about and what it can do for them. BIFM CEO Gareth Tancred presented, along with Linda Hausmanis providing an overview of BIFM qualifications. During the same week the fortnightly publication FM World featured one of my blog posts - how excited was I? This may have actually been one of the best weeks of the year for me. I was buzzing!
2013 saw me starting to make good use of Twitter from a professional aspect. I started to connect with more people in the FM industry and it was great to learn from other people, share experiences and get to know some of the movers and shakers in the industry.
BIFM South West Region QTD
In advance of the first quarterly training day for the BIFM Channel Islands' branch event at the end of June, I attended the June quarterly training day run by the BIFM South West Region in Bristol. It was entitled Employment Law & People Management. A review of the day can be found here BIFM SW Region QTD on the BIFM website. I was very excited to finally meet Liz Kentish and her husband David at this event and chatted like old friends over dinner along with Nick Fox from the SW Region Committee who I had met in January at a committee meeting, also in Bristol.
 |
| (L) Liz Kentish - Deputy Chair and (R) Ismena Clout - Chair of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) I was lucky to meet both these amazing and inspiring ladies during 2013 |
A devastating loss
It wasn't all good news during the first part of 2013 - I woke up one morning in June to the devastating news that the young son of very good friends of ours had died during the night. He had only celebrated his first birthday a couple of weeks previously and was a beautiful little boy. Words still fail me to begin to understand how his mum and dad and older brother must feel as well as the extended family and their circle of friends. Friendships and faith were certainly proved as we went through (and still go through) the journey with them - unanswered questions from the medical side of things, the loss we could only imagine they were experiencing and the terrible sad day of his funeral and celebration of life service. 
More BIFMThe beginning of July was the BIFM's Rising's FM Careers Day. Held in London at the University of London's Senate House. From my use of Twitter and involvement on the Channel Islands Branch committee I was very excited to be going to this event and was hoping to meet people I'd been in contact with! There were stands with employers, recruiters and training providers and a variety of sessions to attend, including personal FM journeys, live debates, personal style surgeries, benefits of training and qualifications and looking at the strategic role of the facilities manager, as well as refreshments, lunch and vital networking opportunities. The Rising FM's committee did a fabulous work in putting the event together and I was thrilled to be there, to meet the committee and have even made some friends!
August meant school summer holidays - plans changed due to our personal circumstances but I managed to buy a second hand tent and booked five days at a local campsite.I asked my dad to help me trial run setting up the tent in his garden......we gave up!! Later, You Tube-ing how to set up this particular type of tent I laughed as I realised we'd tried to put it up inside-out! Sending the link to my dad, we watched it, ready to erect the monster for real the next day on the campsite!! The girls had a fantastic time - the weather was perfect! Sunshine and warm days meant swimming in the on-site pool, playing in the fields, visiting the animals and surviving the chase of an escaped sheep! They made new friends, even joining them for a game of French cricket which only ended when it was so dark they couldn't see the ball! 
A new school term started in September and my youngest daughter started 'big' school! At nearly 5 she looked so grown up in her uniform and even now, at the end of her first full term, I can't believe my baby is in school! I watch my two girls run ahead of me on their way to school and my heart swells with pride - they are beautiful, clever, funny girls who love each other very much and I love them more than I can ever explain. They too have been through so much this year. Our friends' child's death was a loss for them too - he was their little friend, who they adored. Mummy and daddy separating was hard for them to understand and my only hope is that this won't make future relationships difficult for them. 
November saw me back in London again. This time for a few days holiday. I met up with a friend and had a amazing day! I've been to London on numerous occasions for work and it usually entails, airport, hotel and office and not much else! This trip enabled me to walk along Southbank for the first time! We visited the Tate Gallery, had a pub lunch then took a walk across the Millennium Bridge and ended up in a roof-top bar by St Paul's Cathedral! We watched the sun set over the London skyline and a surprise fireworks display in front the of cathedral gave a lovely ending to a very relaxed and enjoyable day. This may have been one of the best days of the year for me!
My purpose for visiting London was to attend the BIFM's Women in FM (WIFM) annual conference. I won't go into detail here - I have already written a lengthly blog post about the day - it was a great day and I can't wait for next years!! I also attended a Rising FM's event. It was entitled "What turns you on!" and speaker David McQueen led a very interactive evening encouraging us to consider the things which motivate and demotivate us in our careers. We looked at how we can use these things to challenge us and then set some goals for achievement in the short term.
End of year winnings!
The year ended with a highlight......I won the office Christmas Jumper Competition!! Doesn't take much to excite me :-)
Yes, I am a Christmas Tree!!
I am so grateful for family and friends - there are some very special people in my life. It would be unfair to name them - I'm likely to miss someone and they are all special in different ways and for different reasons! There are some who are there to listen, others whose advice I respect and value, those who help practically, one or two who will be very honest - a hug when it's needed and a message of 'stop feeling sorry for yourself and get a grip' at other times! I've had some great support through the difficult times, including work, and am ready to face 2014 in a better frame of mind, hopeful for the future. So all that remains for me to say is 'thank you' and I wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful 2014. 
