Monday 21st July 2008, 11:23Washington Trade MissionSpent a couple of days in Washington with some leading business people from the Public Service Industry, John Hutton from BERR and Richard Lambert from the CBI, promoting UK export and expertise in public services. It was interesting to get a sense of where the US market (and the US population to an extent) is in a broader context.

I guess it's inevitable that there is the sense of a nation waiting. With the Presedential elections looming, everyone gave me an impression of seeking some form of closure (means something different to everyone) and reinvigoration and a new beginning. T..Mark LovellView Complete Post
Sunday 20th July 2008, 23:09The Secret behind the Dinner SuitMany years ago I was invited to an awards ceremony in Kirby, Liverpool. At the event I was asked to make the presentations to the successful NVQ students who had achieved their qualification.

As I arrived at the council hall on a very run down estate on a cold wet and windy November evening I was greeted by a smiling man in his fifties wearing a full dinner jacket and bow tie. The man opened the door and showed me to the hall where the presentations would take place. I must admit I was a little taken aback as on my many visits to Kirby I had not been greeted by a man in a dinner su..Roy NeweyView Complete Post
Friday 18th July 2008, 22:21Feed Back

I gets lots of feedback to the blogs, thank you to everyone who sends me some feedback or an idea, and I thought it would be good to share this email I had today from Michael Burger who is doing some amazing stuff in our Offender Management Team.

Many thanks Michael for doing what you do everyday and for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights. Any more budding bloggers out there?

Thanks Roy

Dear Roy

Following your most recent Blog entry, I just thought I’d tell you about an event I attended the other evening.

I was invited by Lo..Roy NeweyView Complete Post

Friday 18th July 2008, 15:44Downing Street is a magical place for children (and adults!)

 

A few weeks ago - Jim and I received an invitation to have dinner with The UK Chancellor Alistair Darling and his wife Maggie. We had a great evening. Very informal, friendly and warm.

They mentioned coming back for tea sometime soon. This week we did just that with our four kids in tow!

Can you imagine the questioning the kids have had to endure from their teachers - when the obligatory  - 'what are you doing in your summer holidays?' question was asked. Our middle daughter was told that she must be mistaken about going for tea o..eharrisonView Complete Post

Thursday 17th July 2008, 14:18Its in Our HandsLast week my family and I (Sam, Olivia and Tom) had a most amazing experience. We were very lucky to get tickets to attend the 90th Birthday Party for Nelson Mandela in Hyde Park London. Dashing home from school we packed ourselves into our car and attacked the M6 traffic with determination. Following a few comfort breaks we managed to arrive in Hyde Park as the concert was starting. Shuffling to the front we staked our claim to a patch of grass 18 inches by 10 inches. Each act came and went with increasing momentum, the sound system pushing every bass note through your chest walls and out thr..Roy NeweyView Complete Post
Monday 14th July 2008, 11:56Love and respect

Been doing alot of thinking  - some things have become very clear - it seems to me that the days when people respected large institutions because of their name and brand are nearly over. The days when these brands demanded respect just because they were who they were is over.

These brands need to change their behaviours - they now need people to love and respect them.  To do this their language has to change, their behaviours have to change and in some cases their soul!

Some organisations have achieved this - in Satchi and Satchi (Marketing gu..eharrisonView Complete Post

Monday 14th July 2008, 11:37Lovely weekend

Just thought i would tell all of my lovely weekend.

What happened? Nothing. What did i do? nothing special. What did i watch on tv? nothing.

All my 4 kids have finished school for the holidays - and for one precious weekend I spotted that my diary did not have any fixed appointments - there were no lunches, school sportsdays, weddings, mates having a drink, no taxi rides needed to get the kids to parties - nothing. 

It was a weekend without plans.

It was wonderful - jim, i and our gang of four spent time together. Just us. We had lazy lunches and teas. ..eharrisonView Complete Post

Monday 14th July 2008, 11:21What've I been up to?As anyone who looks at my Blogs will know, I'm not one for too regular postings. So, what's my reason this time? Usual - been out and about working on a range of interesting things.

Over the last few months I've spent some time working on inputs to the UK Green Paper on Welfare Reform. I've spoken at a couple of events with Stephen Timms and Terry Rooney, mainly sharing two themes:

- expereince from international work
- the need to join up front line services

I've had a few meetings with ministers, looking at creative solutions to tackle poverty, inequ..Mark LovellView Complete Post
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