CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FOR 2021 CHRIS GRAF GROTE NSCH It is my privilege to report on our activities in an extraordinary year for the Trust. As I write, we have just awarded 18 scholarships for 2022 and had the first in-person get-together of the 2021 scholars. They are now beginning their Nuffield journeys in earnest and, judging by the enthusiasm and camaraderie will be a great year group. Despite the on-going vagaries of Covid, we had good applications for 2022 and I hope both year groups will impress you when you meet them at the conference. Business as usual, you might think. Not so for our 2020 scholars who took the brunt of worldwide restrictions when just embarking on their travels. It is tough for them to get back into their scholarship agenda when much has changed in their personal and professional circumstances over the last 18 months. Much can be done on Zoom or Teams virtually in preparation and followup. However, ‘smelling the coffee’ remains the essential and real part of our scholarships. And it might just give you that light-bulb moment when you suddenly find out what its all about. After hundreds of reports, our senior Editor Anne Beckett Hon NSch is retiring. Her dedication and scholar support, in time and thought over so many years is immeasurable, and we all owe her a great debt of gratitude. I am sure she will continue to read all reports with much interest and I thank our remaining Editors, Christine Hill and Alison Blackburn, for their continued engagement. Working from home and having our usual meetings only virtually has allowed your Board to operate, but also put extra burdens on our office team. Mike Vacher has been determined to uphold all functions and thanks to unstinting support from Poey, his wife; Claire Laidler – our Office Manager; Charlotte Merson – our Alumni Officer; Lindsay Woods – Projects and Membership and Claire Bragg – Accounts; we are in excellent shape going forwards. I thank them all for their commitment, enthusiasm and hard work throughout the year and well beyond the call of duty. I will also include Emily Ball NSch and Kendra Hall 2022 NSch, from our PR agency Reverberate PR in this, who have kept us throughout in the public eye and well to the fore on social media. I trust you like our new website and its many new and more interactive functions. Please look up
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the Reports Library, there are some real gems to read from all over the world and many provide an insight into how we might tackle the future challenges in our industry. The links to YouTube and other social media are good for up-to-date sources of information. Our Regional and Study groups may not have been able to meet in person, but much has gone on virtually. When we got underway again this spring, the get-togethers I’ve attended have had a real buzz. I must also mention David Rose, who as new Trustee initiated the golfing group. By all accounts, this seems to be a great success and they have not just played several rounds already, but also visited other scholars in the process. The new ‘Regenerative Agriculture Group’, Chaired by Tom Chapman and with Vice-Chair Matt Swain, is now incorporating the organic farming and sustainability groups and promises to come up with some interesting meetings. Thanks to the financial prudence of my predecessors, our finances are in good shape. Our investments went through a serious dip when Covid struck, but have recovered extraordinarily well. Our operating costs are under control and whilst we will not achieve an operating surplus – it has been raining pretty hard – the overall balance sheet has still improved again. I am most grateful to our donors and sponsors for their unwavering support in all we do and thus allowing us to develop further. Over the last five years under the leadership and chairmanship of Helen Woolley we implemented our Strategic Plan 2017-2021. Office functions were professionalised, a new website established, funds raised and Charlotte Merson engaged as our Alumni Officer. She is our wizard on Zoom and if you have not yet met her, I am sure you will soon.
