The world of the IRRV gets smaller by the day, as our President finds out in her recent round of travels
Dear reader
Well, I closed my last article with details of my trip to Dubrovnik and I'll open this one with details of a trip which was somewhat closer to home - Birmingham for the Investigation and Fraud Workshop. Eagle-eyed readers may recall that my last trip to Birmingham ended in literally a trip! However, I’m pleased to say that there were no such accidents this time, despite some weather which was truly reminiscent of the wettest Welsh day. Amid the wonderful setting of the Council House, fraud and investigation practitioners gathered to hear speakers from a wide range of areas discuss some of the most topical issues of the day and to engage with the exhibitors.
It was also my pleasure recently to host the annual Past Presidents and Honorary Members’ lunch in London. It’s fair to say that this select gathering gets together once a year to reminisce and catch up with good friends. There were absences, as a number of IRRV individuals have been drawn to warmer, international climes of late and I’d like you to indulge me a moment while I retell a tale which demonstrates exactly how international the Institute really is.
One of the managers at RBWM, let’s call her Sarah (after all this is her name!), recently took a break in Cyprus and she and her partner became keen attendees at the afternoon quiz in the hotel. Being the friendly sort, and noticing a gentleman on his own, she and her chap got talking to him and quickly established that “Pete” was originally from the north-west like herself and was not in fact on his own at the hotel but with his wife, who preferred to take some time out of the sun while he went to the quiz. They also quickly established that he now lived in Telford!
A few days later, Pete’s wife, Sue, did however join him and the two couples started talking. This being the first time Sue had met Sarah, the conversation turned to Telford and the fact that Sarah usually attended a conference there in October, so knew the area a little. Hearing this, Sue said something along the lines of “Conference? In Telford? In October? Would that be the IRRV conference?” - which of course it was. It turns out that Sue worked within the Revenues team of Telford and Wrekin Council. So it just goes to prove that when you’re an IRRV associate, it’s a very small world indeed! I look forward to meeting Sue and her colleagues in October.
We’re not quite there yet, of course. There are still presidential duties to attend and I’m so lucky that the most recent have allowed me to catch up with some more good friends and former colleagues. On 20th June, I attended the Wales Conference in Llandrindod Wells, expertly organised as ever by Executive members led by Islwyn Lewis Jones, currently North and Mid Wales Association president, and Lisa Hayward, South and West Wales president. Just to re-emphasise the “international” theme, Laura Smith, Thames Valley President, was also in attendance. It’s so much more accessible now that we don’t have to pay to get into Wales across the Severn Bridge!
Tomorrow also sees me attend the East Anglian AGM near Thetford. I’ve worked across the breadth of the country, having started in South Wales, then moving across to Ipswich in Suffolk, so I’m looking forward to returning to that area. The coming weeks see yet more travel around the UK as I form an inspection team for the coveted Performance Awards with our esteemed Chief Executive. I look forward to meeting the teams and following their success on the night - in Sue’s home town!
Yours
Louise
Louise Freeth is President of the Institute
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