Pride of FitzRoy

Blog by Martin Surgey, Vice Chair of FitzRoy Trustees

It started with a strong urge to find a way to say âthank youâ to our amazing support workers and volunteers. Then came all the planning for what is now the Pride of FitzRoy awards – celebrating our staff and their hard work and successes.

I’m not sure in our wildest dreams we could have imagined a better Awards Ceremony for all the nominees in the stunning top room of the Swan-at-the-Globe restaurant, overlooking the Thames, with the dome of St Paul’s beyond. If ever, at any moment in the lead-up to this event, had any of us faltered and questioned what we were doing, the emotion of the day smashed such thoughts completely!

It was a joy and a privilege for me, as Vice-chair of Trustees, to be a part of it, and something that has left me glowing. It worked on so many levels â but perhaps most of all the realisation that, apart from when we as trustees visit our services and meet the residents and support workers (one of the most enjoyable days in our Chair of Trustees Mary-Anne’s calendar), we don’t get to be together with the people who make everything happen. I felt truly privileged to meet so many support workers, managers, and the people they support at the celebration, and was yet again reminded of the passion and dedication they have which enables them to do such a brilliant job and truly make such a difference to people’s lives.

To paraphrase the closing words from Mary-Anne’s speech yesterdayâ¦we may not remember the names in years to come, we may not remember all the faces, but we will remember how we felt â and I hope we all feel close to the way I feel about this wonderful event.