As I write this, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude and pride. Serving as the Chair of the Hospice Lotteries Association has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life.
The death of my Mum in 2011 led to my hospice fundraising journey and I would have never of thought it would lead me to a wonderful 6.5 years within the hospice sector and being so involved with the HLA.
When I joined LOROS in November 2017, I had come from working in an association for over 13 years and really believed in the value of membership organisations. I was lucky that on my first day, LOROS was hosting a regional HLA meeting. I generally couldn’t have done my role without the support of colleagues from the HLA.
Fast forward to the summer of 2018 and the HLA were asking for new board directors and I knew this was something I wanted to be part off. Then in 2021 I was asked by the board to take over from David as Chair. During my tenure with the board, we have added additional networking opportunities and training sessions by taking advantage of everyone now using Zoom 😊. We launched a new website in 2023 and have sent out regular communications and undertaken further benchmarking surveys not just in lottery but raffle, salaries and general member feedback. We managed to bring the conference back to face-to-face after one year of doing it virtually. We have forged greater links with the wider IG hospice sector by regularly supporting HIGN events. Since the launch of the white paper last year, we have supported the sector by responding to consultations for all members.
These accomplishments would not have been possible without the unwavering support and dedication of many individuals. I extend my deepest gratitude to the board members and all HLA members for your continued engagement.
As I pass the baton to Trudi Ogden from June 5th, I am confident that our association is in capable hands. I am certain that our sector will continue to thrive, innovate, and lead. The future holds immense potential. I encourage all members to remain engaged, continue to collaborate, and keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as your Chair. The experiences and lessons learned during this period will remain with me and I thank you for the incredible support and for making this journey a memorable and impactful one.
I now feel it is time to move direction in my career and my love for associations and regulations is taking me to the Chartered Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) as their Head of Qualifications.
Hospices, and especially hospice lotteries, will always remain so important to me. If we are not already connected on LinkedIn please do add me!
With best wishes for the future.
Colette