I am some what embarrassed that I have missed 2 months of my blog. I am also please that people have noticed and posted so on facebook! This will only increase as we get closer, so I must stay on my toes.

The advantage to missing a couple of months is I have lot to tell you this time round. As I mentioned a couple of time before we are in the process of putting together the WINGS Delivery Leadership Team. I am please to say that all of these roles have now been filled.

The leadership team is made up of a mix of Guides and Scouts, with a broad range of skills and experiences. I have created a structure that builds on the great foundations from previous WINGS and learns the lessons from 2009. The teams we have established for the planning phase are: Site Operations & Infrastructure, Finance & Administration, Marketing & Communications, Programme & Events, Participant Experience, and HR & Staff Support.

The Delivery Leaders are Bill Bookless, Ben Tichband, Jennie Currie,  Carly Barrow, Alasdair Garbett and Graham Macaulay. They are respectively responsible for the areas above.

As a team we have been busy in the last few weeks working out the next level of our structure and the job descriptions for the next round of positions. These appointments will enable us to begin the budgeting process and to start marketing the event to prospective units both in the UK and overseas.

On 21st April we will be advertising around 18 roles that we would like to fill in the next month or so. The adverts will be open for 3 or 4 weeks and the interviews will be on 19th and 20th May. Please keep your eye on the website from next saturday.

Hopefully you will forgive me for missing a couple of month and that the progress outlined above is worth the wait.

Until next month,

Brendan

Welcome to 2012, a new year and more exciting developments for WINGS.

Last week I met with our Solicitor, along with the Scout and Guide County Commissioners, to discuss the “legal” bit of our preparations for WINGS 2014. Whilst it is interesting and good progress we are making, the best bit for me was chatting with the two CCs. They are both fully committed to WINGS, which in a great support to me. 

This week I am meeting with the manager of Windsor Great Park to discuss the arrangements and to understand what they need to know from us at this early stage. This relationship is vital to the success of the camp and has been build over many years. Making sure it stays strong for this and future WINGS is something that I will work hard to ensure.

On the 21st January we are interviewing some more volunteers for the Project Team. It has taken a bit of time for people to come forward, and I certainly need some more, but the experience and willingness of the people I have met so far is fantastic. 

I hope that these monthly musings from me are proving useful for you and to help with making more information available to you as the year progresses, we will be revamping the WINGS website. This is to ensure you can easily navigate your way to the things you need to know.

Okay, enough from me. Until next month.

Brendan

Month 2 since I took on the reins of WINGS 2014 and we are starting to make some early progress.

You will have seen that the roles of Deputy Director, FInance Director and Publicity Manager have all been advertised recently. These are key roles that will help me to start getting the word out that we are here and to start getting our plans together for the event.

Along side getting the right people in place, we are already in discussions with Windsor Great Park around the use of the Review Ground. I am please to say that we have provisional agreement for the use of the site. I will be meeting with the Park Superintendent Tom Jarvis in January to outline our plans. Watch this space for more updates over the next few months.

In preparation for the interviews for Deputy Director and Finance Director, I have been reviewing the objectives and the sort of questions we will ask. Obviously I cannot say too much about the specifics, but it did start me thinking again about the vision for WINGS. What kind of event do we want to create and what is the experience we hope to deliver to participants?
I certainly want enjoyment to be part of it, and hopefully people will make new friends. But I also want WINGS to make a difference to people who attend. How we go about achieving this is a key job of the project team as it comes together in 2012.

As Christmas is fast approaching, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will be taking some time off between Christmas and New Year, and both I and the project team will be back in January refreshed and ready to continue our preparations for WINGS 2014.

We need a Finance Director and a Publicity Manager!

As you know we’re pleased that Brendan Booth is leading the team as WINGS Director (check out his blog here), and we’re currently recruiting for two Deputy Directors (check the job description here).

Over the next few months we’ll be recruiting key members of the Project Team to begin turning WINGS 2014 into a reality as it gets closer! The first two roles we’re keen to fill are that of Finance Director, and of Publicity Manager.

The Finance Director will have experience of financial planning and management and will work closely with others to make sure the project makes best use of its resources. Check out the job description here.

The Publicity Manager will be responsible for getting the news about WINGS 2014 out there to attract as many staff and units as possible, and then becomes part of the broader Marketing team when in place. Check out the job description here.

For more information on any of these roles, feel free to get in touch with Jim Payen and Fiona Woodward as part of the WINGS 2014 Steering Group steering@wings2014.org.uk

Want to shape WINGS 2014 as a Deputy Director?

WINGS is a highly successful international event hosted in Berkshire every few years, welcoming thousands of young people and adults from around the world. Preparations for the next WINGS in the summer of 2014 are already underway and the WINGS 2014 Steering Group is now actively seeking two people to drive this forward as Deputy Directors.

In the last few weeks Brendan Booth has been appointed as the WINGS 2014 Director. Brendan has been involved in previous WINGS as well as having considerable voluntary and professional experience of delivering high-quality large-scale events. The WINGS 2014 Steering Group warmly welcome Brendan to this role and look forward to working closely with him.

To support Brendan we are looking to appoint two Deputy Directors. Each Deputy Director will be responsible for actively supporting the planning and delivery of WINGS between now and the close of the project after 2014. These roles are open to any adult member of Berkshire Scouts or Girlguiding Royal Berkshire and you will be fully supported by both Associations.

In addition to appointing a passionate Project Team, each Deputy Director will take on specific responsibilities which best suit their skills, experiences and interests. 

For more information please look at the Deputy Director Job Description and contact steering@wings2014.org.uk for more information. The deadline for applications is Friday 2nd December and interviews will take place in Reading on Saturday 10th December, although alternative arrangements can be made if you are unable to make this date.