What is your role on the Council of Management?
Membership Secretary and semi-professional coffee drinker.
What does your role involve?
I’m responsible for engaging with the membership of the BJC whether existing or potential new members. This ranges from sending out e-mails, keeping the membership database up to date, meeting potential new members for coffee and promoting the BJC at other events. It’s a very social role and a great way for getting to know the full membership of the BJC.
Why did you want to be involved in the Council of Management?
I’ve been part of the BJC since Jan 2013 not long after I moved to Bristol and found it beneficial both professionally and socially. As such I was already promoting the BJC and actively encouraging people to join so thought I might as well formalise the role! I thought Membership Secretary would be a great way to get to know even more people within the BJC and also get an inside viewpoint as to how the organisation is run. I’d also heard something about pizza for Council of Management meetings …
What opportunities has this brought you or new skills have you developed?
I have found the BJC great for making contacts both for work purposes but also on a social basis. Being on the CoM encourages you to step into a role that you might not be doing within your day-to-day work capacity and develop new skills. In particular presenting every month at the meetings is a good way to develop your confidence speaking in front of a larger group of people. I also now know the difference between a flat white and a macchiato…
What has been the best thing about being on the Council of Management?
The CoM is a great group of intelligent fun people keen to get stuck in and make the BJC a great organisation. We organise some great events as a team which is what the BJC is all about. Also, you can’t deny the quality of banter on the CoM WhatsApp group.