So here we are now already well into 2024 and I must say that the year seems to have started much more quickly than 2023 did, thank goodness! We are already well into our stride and have some big plans for the year.
I think that the most important news to start with was that we were honoured to receive a visit from our Patron HRH The Princess Royal, to PTC Auchterarder on 16th January. This was actually the second visit to the PTC by HRH in four months as she visited PTC Harrogate in September 2023. It is rather unusual for a Charity to receive two separate visits in such a short period of time. Nonetheless, I was absolutely delighted that this was the case.
Although the two PTCs are part of the same Charity, there is a different team at each one. It was important to all of us that the PTC Auchterarder team would have the opportunity to talk to HRH in the same way that the team at PTC Harrogate had done and, she had the chance to look around the Auchterarder Centre. It was a superb visit, and despite a last minute flap that made us think we were going to get cancelled due to the snow again (which happened to her first planned visit to PTC Harrogate in March 2023), HRH turned up a few minutes late, but gave us the full allotted time of her original scheduled visit.
She spoke to literally every single member of the team in the Centre that day, and of course many of the patients in residence. It was very much a relaxed and informal visit (although one that we had prepared for meticulously), and we were joined on the visit by our fantastic President Baroness Angela Harris DL, the Chief Constable of Police Scotland Jo Farrell, members of the Scottish Police Federation and the Scottish Police Benevolent Fund, all of whom are strong supporters of the PTC.
HRH has the knack of making everyone feel valued, and it was clear that she really understands and appreciates what we do at the PTC. It was an excellent all round visit. When HRH departed after lunch for her next engagement, I think, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
Royal visits are brilliant for morale but you would not want one every week, so one hour after HRH had departed, normal business had resumed and we were back to focussing in on our patients.
Another piece of good news is that the PTC President Baroness Angela Harris DL has agreed to extend her Presidency of both our charities for another 5 years following on from her first tenure. Baroness Harris is absolutely dedicated to both the PTC and The Police Children’s Charity and never misses an opportunity to drop our name into conversations and political debate. She enjoys nothing better than chatting to employees and patients. Over the years I think that it is fair to say that there is not much she has not seen within policing. She provides a good sounding board for me as CEO and plays the role of “Critical Friend” when she thinks that I might need advice on any issue. Every leader needs people like that, particularly to tell them when they think that they might have got something wrong. I have hugely valued Baroness Harris’ counsel to me personally and professionally during her time as President and I am delighted that she will stay on with us for another 5 years.
We have been busy with lots of other stuff as well in the first month of the year, including hitting the Appraisal Season hard and making sure that we look after all of our people. We have had our first Board Meeting of the year concerning strategy, run multiple sessions of the CEO Question Time Briefing to all employees at both Centres and carried out some internal re-organisation and re-structuring of our departments and teams. For all you cynics out there used to cuts to police budgets and personnel, I can assure you that this has not resulted in either of those things happening at the PTC.
Rather disappointing, we saw a 1 % reduction in the number of Serving Officer donors to the PTC in 2023 and an ever greater reduction for the TPCC donor numbers. I am extremely grateful for our Retired Officers who have expanded into this gap and grown in donor numbers. They have not quite replaced this loss of donor income for both Charities, however, they have helped significantly.
Many of you will also be aware that both Charities will open to Police Staff for treatment at the PTC from summer this year. Many of our Police Staff members have already started to donate to the PTC in particular and we have already reached over 600 sign ups.
I know that this figure will continue to increase and has already replaced the number of Serving Officer donors who unfortunately stopped their donation in 2023. If you are a Serving Officer reading this and thinking about cancelling your donation to the PTC or TPCC, then please do not. We really do rely on these donations to keep both Charities afloat and to maintain the class leading support that we deliver to all our police patients. If you need the PTC or TPCC at any stage in the future, we will be here for you and if you do not, you know your modest donation will help support two brilliant Charities to support your colleagues in their time of need.
Finally, I will just close on the news of the Time Capsule that we have placed in our Harrogate Centre Courtyard Display Case on 25th January, packed full of PTC (and a few TPCC) documents and paraphernalia plus items of memorabilia. This was originally designed to be placed in the new Clinical Wing Courtyard when the building on our extension had been completed, with the hope that we would get our Patron HRH the Princess Royal to place it in there on a visit to the Centre. In truth, this plan has long since been overtaken by events but rather than delay it any longer, we have now placed the Time Capsule in its reserved place with instructions on the external Wrapping “To Be opened on 25 January 2050”. It will form part of the historical record of the PTC and I will just hope that I am still around on this earth to see it being opened and to be invited back at that moment (he says nervously whilst crossing his fingers and raising his eyes to heaven !!).
That’s it for this month’s Blog. Thank you for your hard work and support in 2023. Bring on 2024 and all its challenges, we are ready for you!!
Patrick Cairns
CEO PTC and TPCC
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