Chief Executive's Report
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| Tom Mullarkey MBE, Chief Executive |
My first year at RoSPA has revealed all the depth and complexity which no selection process can possibly illuminate, and which once understanding dawns, inevitably takes on a new perspective. Rather than a charity which struggles to meet its financial targets, I have found an efficient and healthy organisation which calculatingly stretches itself to the very edge of viability in order to fulfil its Objects. Rather than a small, niche agenda, I have found a universal purpose of national and international import, driven by the fundamental human desire to survive, in a complex world, and altruistically, to pass on that knowledge of survival to others. Rather than a job already smugly done and dusted, I have started to understand the tragedy and waste caused by 12,000 deaths, 30,000 life-changing injuries, hundreds of thousands of serious injuries and millions of A&E visits, which incidentally add up to a financial cost in the region of £25billion to our country every year. RoSPA is not the only organisation working on this agenda, but it is the only organisation working across the whole range of accident and injury prevention, in workplace, road, home, leisure and education safety. And it is the one organisation which everyone knows they can turn to for cogent and balanced advice and support.
We have changed much in recent months, and one of our biggest changes, is in a seemingly small statement – our Mission. Formerly focussed on ‘influencing’, we have traditionally positioned ourselves to effect change by indirect means – suggesting policy changes, advising on legislation, promoting good practice. While these are and will always be a part of our structural portfolio, our staff have revealed a dissatisfaction with this as a singular approach. It does not describe our passion, our belief in our ‘cause’ and our energy and commitment to improve the lives of our fellow citizens. It also fails to represent adequately the huge task which remains to be done, not just at home but overseas, where our knowledge and experience could produce such fantastic results – particularly in the emerging industrial nations. After a great deal of discussion and debate, our new Mission – To Saves Lives and Reduce Injuries – does fire us up to fulfil our potential and respond to the huge need to make our world a safer place. Everything we now do is focussed on that Mission and much good will come from it.
Another important change is the way we have started to undermine the critics of ‘’elf & safety’. While few can see the value in small-minded bureaucracy, impeding rather than improving people’s freedom to live healthy and happy lives, there is another much greater danger – that of ridiculing the essential work of RoSPA and its many stakeholders, leading to casual indifference to the value of accident prevention. If anyone needs to get the balance right, it is us, sandwiched as we are between the media and the public, and frequently an easy target for criticism. Well perhaps not such an easy target. We are standing up for safety, just as we are helping to introduce much more intelligent debate, and a good example has been our recent success in the field of childhood safety and children’s play. Rather than adopt the extremist protectionism of ‘cotton wool kids’ our argument is that a skinned knee or a twisted ankle in a challenging and exciting play environment is not just acceptable, it is a positive necessity in order to educate our children and to prepare them for a complex, dangerous world, in which healthy, robust activity is more a national need than ever before. That this approach seems to have confounded our critics illustrates their narrow understanding of the issues. People at RoSPA are parents too; and interestingly, our staff include far more active, outdoor, adventurous training types than the national average!
At the end of this very busy year, I am particularly grateful to our President and Board of Trustees who have offered, embraced and encouraged many new ideas which will be taking RoSPA towards its full potential. I must thank the teams of volunteers in RoADAR and working around our National Committees for the unstinting commitment of their expert knowledge, time and enthusiasm. And I am full of praise for our excellent staff who labour to achieve so much, when they know there is still so much to be done. Thank you.
Tom Mullarkey MBE
Chief Executive
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RoSPA is a registered charity: Registered Charity No: 207823 Patron: Her Majesty the Queen RoSPA Head Office: Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK |
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