At the Sycamore Trust AGM on Wednesday 17th October, Chair of Trustees Delia Rowley took part in her final official business as a Sycamore trustee.
She's been involved in the charity for two decades, as a parent, volunteer, Trustee and finally as Chair. Here's her farewell speech from Wednesday's AGM.
After many years as a member and trustee of Sycamore Trust I know the protocol and procedures for the Chair of Trustees speech at the AGM.
However this year I am going to break those 'rules'! You can read my review of the year in the Annual Report but now I want to take the opportunity to speak a few words I have written from my heart.
I became a parent member of Sycamore Trust (when it was called PACT) about twenty years ago. At that time the organisation had no premises of its own. Parents would meet and exchange advice at monthly groups at Kingsley Hall and at the play sessions on a Sunday at Kids Kingdom. I kept hearing excitement in the voices of the parents who has been around for a while about soon having a shop. Eventually I realised a lease had just been signed on the first permanent office in Gale Street and volunteers were required with paint brushes and to help acquiring desks.
After a short time as a member I too started volunteering but in the office, filing, answering phones, data entry and such like. And then around about 2002 a meeting was held at Kingsley Hall and there was an appeal for new Trustees. I whispered to a founder member of the charity who was sitting next to me in a very nervous voice that I would like to try. She spoke up immediately and loudly saying 'Delia is interested' and I was duly elected and I have been a Trustee ever since until today when I am standing down.
When I first joined the organisation my passion and drive was about giving people with a diagnosis a voice, about creating opportunities for each individual to recognise, and have their personal potential recognised and developed. Now Sycamore Trust has reached a point where people with autism and Learning Disabilities are given the opportunity to speak for themselves, to showcase their own gifts and talents and I have decided it is time to move out of the drivers seat and let them take over.
So I want to take this opportunity to thank all the people within the organisation I have worked with over the years.As far as the staff are concerned, my feeling is that they don’t do a job; they go far above and beyond, giving everything they can to support families and young people and to educate the wider society.
To my fellow trustees, I say thank you for all you do, for the skills you bring and I know I am leaving the organisation in safe hands as it goes forward in exciting new ways. Over the years, with funding cuts throughout the Third Sector, there have been 'serious' decisions for the Trustees to make that in the 'dark' of night can bring tears to the eyes to ensure the organisation survives thrives and never loses its core values.
What can I say about our CEO, Chris Gillbanks? Thank you for all you have done to grow Sycamore Trust into what it is today. I remember many conversations we have had over the years about your dreams for the organisation and it has been a joy to watch them being fulfilled as the services the organisation provides help even more people. Please never stop dreaming, and never stop having your awesome ideas that have given us so many exciting opportunities and projects. You have encouraged and supported me personally so much over the years, you have taught me to believe in my skills and abilities. You have also been there for me in so many other ways which I will never forget when I have faced personal difficulties you have been a listening ear and a helping hand I can trust so thank you.
To our families; thank you for letting me be one of you and serve you over the years, you are all inspirational.
I will add one thing to my official words in the Annual Report; if anyone is considering volunteering in any capacity with Sycamore Trust, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose, I do not regret a single moment of time I have given to the organisation in fact each moment has actually been a gift to myself.
Thank you all for listening and now I will shift seats back to the auditorium from where I first made a whisper that changed my life for the better.
Everyone at the Sycamore Trust would like to thank Delia for her enthusiasm and dedication. She is now an honourarry life member of the Sycamore Trust!