At the time of writing, there is a cautious optimism in the air as the  lockdown restrictions of the past year begin to ease. There is increasing hope of brighter times to come following the uncertainty, difficulties, and loss the pandemic has created. This optimism is understandably accompanied by a sense of nervousness as we emerge from our lockdown routines. As we begin to reconnect once again, there is an opportunity to decide what of our old routines we re-embrace, and what things to do differently or maybe not at all!

Following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh we have been reminded of the value of dedicating ourselves to the service of others, and the positive impact this can have. The creation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme is likely to be Prince Philip’s enduring legacy and is intertwined with the story of the BB.

Prince Philip was once asked if he saw himself as a reformer. He was quick to downplay this description, but keen to emphasise the need to embrace change, to always be thinking ahead and to be adaptable in meeting the challenges of the present.

As BB leaders our thoughts are turning to the new session, and the possibilities and opportunities that will come from a programme once more centred around face-to-face interactions. In this issue of the Gazette we launch our new programme for over 11s  and explore ways Companies can help local communities come together.

You will find details of our Open To… campaign which provides resources and ideas to support leaders attract new children and young people as well as engaging with existing members and promoting the work of the Company in the local community.

The concept of being ‘open to’ is relevant to every aspect of our work, and as I reflect on the remarks made by Prince Philip I wonder how open to change we are as an organisation? Our five- year strategy has some ambitious aims, including introducing a culture of continuous personal development for leaders and reviewing the organisational structure to better support leaders and the young people they serve.

These are just two examples where being open to change, will be crucial if we are serious about delivering the sort of transformational change that is required to secure our organisation’s future.

It is time to put our faith in action, to be courageous in our planning, and open to all God has in store for us.

With very best wishes

Jonathan Eales
Chief Executive