Skip links

Twenty years on: Responding to the biggest natural disaster in modern history

Twenty years on: Responding to the biggest natural disaster in modern history

in Tags

On Boxing Day 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the Western Coast of Indonesia caused a series of deadly tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. It killed 230,000 people across at number countries and displaced 1.7m people. Twenty years on, it remains the biggest natural disaster in modern history In 2004 Regional President Jenny McLelland was a DC/Family Liaison Officer (FLO) and volunteered to work in Thailand and help the country and its people begin to recover from the devastation Two decades on, over Christmas and New Year 2024/5, and now a Superintendent, Jen returned to Thailand with her family. Here she reflects on her deployment, the work she was involved in and the personal and professional impact this had on her…

Bean there, counted that!

Bean there, counted that!

in Tags

As Regional Treasurer I have welcomed the opportunity to work with the Regional Executive team and increase my knowledge of clubs throughout our region. I have been able to develop a Treasurer Network which meets once or twice a year or as needed. These meetings are conducted via Zoom and provide our club treasurers with the opportunity to share good practice, discuss any challenges they may be facing and support more efficient and effective financial management. As Regional Treasurer I am also able to help new club treasurers with their role and to support clubs should, for whatever reason, they find themselves without an active treasurer. The concept of a treasurer network provides a strategic overview of club financial activities, supporting our club treasurers whilst they cover what can be a lonely role, removing the need to keep inventing the wheel!! There is also a

A group of men drinking in a bar take from Police Scotland's campaign "Don't Be That Guy"
Sexual Abuse including FGM

Sexual Abuse including FGM

in Tags

Brenda Kay, member of UKPAC, is highlighting Sexual Abuse including FGM this 25th May… I thought the way to start this blog would be to define what sexual abuse is, and how it is defined in the UK. That turned out not to be so easy – when I googled it, the first definition was from NSPCC, then the Northern Ireland Government (which I thought was good, given devolved administrations’ responsibilities), the Metropolitan Police, and then there were a variety of others, but the first reference I could find from UK government was in a fact sheet for the Domestic Abuse Bill 2020. So, I turned to the UN website, where sexual abuse is defined as – ‘any sexual or sexually motivated behaviour that is done to someone without that person’s consent or understanding . It can be online or in person, and it can