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Mike Wild
Recently I had a very nice letter inviting me to write for a publication (quite high status) and a follow-up phone conversation to explore further. In the course of this, the London-based publisher emphasised that wanting to reach outside their heavily London-focused circle was a big priority for them. Who can guess the next bit of the conversation? Having approached me with this request and…
Mike Wild's blog

claire.tomkinson
Systems Leadership I’ve always struggled with imposter syndrome, and over the last couple of years I’ve tried really hard to make friends with it and attempt to turn some of those feelings into a strength rather than letting them become a weakness. It’s something that I’m getting better at with time, and a lot of the feedback that I have received from people that have read my first blog, either…
claire.tomkinson's blog

claire.tomkinson
Being a “leader” I have never really considered myself a leader. I never even aspired to be a leader when I was growing up (although I refuse to admit that means I am actually a “grown up” now). I think I had a vague idea about wanting to be useful or making a difference to something, but I never really associated this with a particular role or a desire for some kind of power or control.…
claire.tomkinson's blog

Mike Wild
One thing - among many - which has puzzled me about the Brexit debate is the sheer number of people who have focused entirely on trade (transactions): there has been virtually nothing about international co-operation and broader relationships. This has been to such an extent that people are shocked when they hear about things like medical supplies being affected (a moment marked by the closure…
Mike Wild's blog

karen.dyson
Questions around the issues for your first 100 days in post are pretty standard interview fare. If you take out leave for Christmas, I reach that milestone today. In my interview I talked about issues around representation. Macc is often called ‘The Voice of the Sector,’ and it’s not a term we often dispute, because it helps makes sure that the sector has seats at the table when consultations…
karen.dyson's blog

shanna.lennon
My two colleagues and I have just come from dropping off donations at  Emmeline’s Pantry. Here at Macc we decided that one of the ways we could practice what we preach is by supporting a local Christmas Appeal, we asked for suggestions and picked at random. Emmeline’s Pantry was the name that came out of the hat.   Located at a Manchester Women’s Aid, they support families by…
shanna.lennon's blog

victoria.jones
I recently travelled to Margate in Kent with GMOPN Action Group member Elaine Unegbu, in order to attend the Big Lottery’s annual Ageing Better Conference. Having never been to a conference before, I was quite apprehensive and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I needn’t have worried though as the conference was fantastic! I had the opportunity to learn so much from a wide range of people and to…
victoria.jones's blog

Mike Wild
Our Sharing Our Wellness conversation is about what keeps you mentally well and helps get through the bad days. I’m going to share something which has been going on for me this year and what helped…. Today is 28th November and I’m in work. That never happens. This is always the first Annual Leave day I book in every year because it's my auntie’s birthday. But this year is different. She passed…
Mike Wild's blog

victoria.jones
Hello! As part of the Sharing Wellness campaign, staff members have been encouraged to discuss what keeps them well. I decided to write this blog post about my own experiences and what helps me to keep well.  It’s only been in the last 2 years or so that I’ve started to pay close attention to the things that really do help me to keep well. When I was about 16, I convinced myself that I…
victoria.jones's blog

shanna.lennon
  Having been at the Volunteers Centre Manchester for eight months, I decided it was about time for me to learn more about the voluntary Trustee role. So, in the lead up to Trustees Week, I started by Googling its dictionary definition. The results were slightly dry, to say the least. So, being more of an active person, I went along to our Capacity Building Team’s Trustee roles and…
shanna.lennon's blog

chelsea.murphy
As part of our Sharing Wellness campaign, we have encouraged our staff, volunteers and the people we work with to discuss what keeps them well. I found this anonymous submission in my inbox and thought it was a perfect example of how staying resilient during difficult periods of life is a personal process, and is often supported by small, frequent acts of self-care.      I wouldn’…
chelsea.murphy's blog

victoria.jones
Hello! I’m Victoria and I will be working here at Macc for the next year as part of a Graduate training Programme called Charityworks. At Macc, I’m part of the Active Communities team and I’ll be working primarily on the facilitation of the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network.  It seems only fitting then that I use my first blog post as an opportunity to explain what exactly the…
victoria.jones's blog