This month’s Director’s Chair is from David, Income Generation and Marketing Manager

What interesting times we have been living in. I for one am rejoicing that we seem to be slowly emerging from the chaotic restrictions. Moving forwards into what seems to be albeit more boring and more predictable times. Times for which I am personally very thankful, there is no doubt about it one can have too much excitement.

The last year and a half has been spent helping young people and their parents; trying to make sense of and understand the strange world we were all suddenly plunged into.  Our doors remained open, and we worked through it all, which put considerable stress on The Door team themselves. So a new lack of uncertainty is certainly a comfort.

This time is also presenting us with a time for reflection.

At the end of the summer, the whole Door team are taking part in a 2-day retreat together to recharge our spirits.

In October the senior management team will be leading a 2-day pilgrimage walk between all of our youth centres. More on those later in the year.

Personally, it is a joy to see people smiling again. When we first started wearing masks one kept forgetting that one of the key human signals “a smile” suddenly disappeared and we had to learn new ways to decode what people were thinking. We got better at the “thumbs up” while looking through steamed up glasses, but frankly, it’s just not the same.

The Door team recognise that we have been blessed during these difficult times with extraordinary support from financial trusts, agencies and donors, and of course our wonderful volunteers, all of whom have helped to keep the show on the road, and even enabled us to expand our programmes.

To one and all a huge “thumbs up” and now also the joy of being able to give you a big group smile of thanks.