Just a brief message from me as I retire following nineteen years working at Bradbury Fields as Chief Executive.
I’ve seen many changes since my early beginnings at our small office within a day centre at Lyme Court, through to the lovely building which is the Bradbury Centre of today where we have full control over all the services and have been joined by many partners within the field of visual impairment.
When I first started we had twelve staff working with us and we now have more than thirty. Back in 1994 approximately twenty volunteers supported our activities; now we have more than two hundred volunteers supporting a wide range of activities from swimming, keep fit, tandem riding, art, music, active vision clubs, driving and much, much more.
Back in 1994 we had to rely on the generosity of other organisations in letting us have their cast-off minibuses. We now have a fleet of buses which are the envy of many! This seems to have happened overnight, however as I leave I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers for their assistance in helping me to develop Bradbury Fields to the agency that it is today.
We are often quoted as being one of the leading agencies in the UK and the range of services offered by us is held up as a good example to others in the field.
As I look forward to my retirement I will be spending a lot more time on my music and cycling but will still be in contact with Bradbury Fields as I intend to help others to gain as much enjoyment as I have in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
I retire and leave the agency in the safe hands of Phil Longworth who joins as Chief Executive on 2nd April. Phil already has a tremendous in-depth knowledge within the field of visual impairment and I believe will take up the baton and move Bradbury Fields forward into the 21st century. My support and good wishes go with him and all those members of staff and volunteers I leave behind.
Good luck to everyone, staff, volunteers and supporters of Bradbury Fields. Without you it wouldn’t have been possible!
Jim Moran
Chief Executive retiring on 28th March 2013
