From Mark Simms, CEO
"Do, or do not. There is no try."
I think this sums up P3’s 2021 perfectly.
As we approach the end of the year, it is timely to reflect on the past 12 months. As we continue to feel the effects of the pandemic, both our personal and professional lives share the common ground of trying to overcome the challenging circumstances that have tested all of us for nearly two years. We are looking ahead to 2022 with hope, but still with a lingering sense of uncertainty, so it’s important to acknowledge our collective resilience during 2021.
Since March 2020, P3 people have been relentless in their efforts to make sure that those who are facing the greatest challenges get the most support. 28,500 people have benefitted from that support.
There was no “try”, there was just “do”. So Yoda was right…
"You must unlearn what you have learned."
This year, P3 has seen continued growth. The latest two services are in Rutland and Stoke-on-Trent.
It’s a perverse sense of achievement when our services expand. It’s about knowing that we can put the talents of our amazing people to work to change lives for the better (and we know that you are unrivalled in that), but also a sense of sadness that we need yet more services as we are still battling the rise of poverty, deprivation, social injustice and all the challenges that these things bring.
A real achievement would be to close our services because we are no longer needed. It would mean that our country’s system and society have solved the problems that create the need for our organisation. That we no longer have to cover the gaps and face some of society’s greatest problems.
Given the challenges that we are facing across the country, I think that dream of mine (and many others) will have to wait for quite some time.
So sometimes what feels like a victory is really further evidence of greater loss. Yoda was right again.
“In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.”
From the very beginning, we have relied on science to bring a cure to the virus. What we have isn’t perfect — it’s constantly being challenged by new variants — but it’s definitely helping reduce the number of people who are dying or getting seriously ill. The science has come a long way in under two years; I’m sure that we will be in a very different place next year. The knowledge and expertise are growing every day.
As we heard on our P3 awards night, the genius and expertise that P3 people have are amazing and deeply inspiring. I came away from those awards feeling uplifted and energised; it was a wonderful reminder of the talented folk that work here. Even in the gloom, the shining examples of people doing amazing things really does cast off the darkness of our mood following the latest government announcements.
Knowledge definitely lights the way…
“Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view.”
You can see now that the Government is growing bold, making political decisions about our health and wellbeing and no longer following the science.
It’s started to justify its own short comings by looking at its errors through a political lens. I heard Dominic Raab say yesterday: “Those photographs have been leaked by someone with an agenda.” He failed to see that there should have been nothing to photograph. Seeing a parade of politicians attempting to defend the indefensible is incredulous, yet perhaps Yoda is right, it depends on your point of view. I’ll let you decide.
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
This is the biggie for me. Right now, we are all worried, concerned and alarmed at the rise of the virus. Wondering how the Government will respond, what that will mean for the people that we care about and how it will affect the work that we do, not to mention what will happen to the families who have planned to see each other for the first time in two years.
People are easily angered, more and more. It’s driven by fear and anxiety. Lack of patience in the supermarket, keyboard warriors falling out online, parking wars, politics etc — it seems like you have to be completely for something or totally against it. You’re not really allowed the courtesy of exploration of views in order to achieve a better understanding of one another — you’re either pro or no.
Joining in with these things are all choices we make for ourselves. We can step back from it and think “What the hell am I/are they doing?” or “What do I hope to achieve by behaving like this?” Once you start to ask yourself those questions, you realise that’s not who you want to be. You are simply reacting badly in an abnormal, high-stress situation.
And of course, it’s a time for family. Families, big and small, are truly wonderful things. But my word, they can be tricky to navigate (by “navigate” I mean “trying to prevent from falling out”), especially this time of year, with or without a pandemic.
So, see, Yoda’s wise words resonate! I’m no Jedi but I do have tiny bit of advice: Give yourself and those that you love a fair bit more latitude when you gather. Do not rise so easily to anger, step back, “feel the Force” and think: “These are the people I love and care about, times are tough for us all.” Be generous with forgiveness, be ridiculous in your praise of others, love more, hug more (or not; lateral flow tests/social distancing willing), care less about what Boris and others are up to, maybe don’t talk about it… enjoy Christmas, love being together with whomever your together is and enjoy yourselves, because my God do you deserve it. This year, more than any other.
Incredible, unwavering and bloody wonderful colleagues: whatever 2022 brings, we’ll take it on together, we will do better, we will be better: one team.
Wishing you and yours a safe and peaceful festive break and a much, much better New Year.
