Join our running group at IRRV Spring Conference 2022

In this weeks Leading the Way blog, Daniel Moore, Bristow & Sutor Solutions Manager – Revenues, explains how he is bringing together like-minded runners at the upcoming IRRV event held in Leeds, as well as how to take part.  

Over to Daniel… 

As with any large collective of people, members of staff at the Bristow & Sutor Group often find they have common personal interests with their colleagues, peers and industry associates. This was certainly the case at the IRRV Conference in Telford last year when, after a brief discussion the night before about my enjoyment of running, I ended up heading out for an impromptu morning jog alongside Nick Rowe (Junior Vice President of the IRRV and Assistant Director - Local Tax and Accounts Receivable, London Borough of Ealing) and Jonathan Wooldridge (Head of Revenues, London Borough of Redbridge).

Sharing a common interest beyond those related to our industry was fantastic and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. If nothing else, it was a great way to network outside of the conference bar, see another side of people and also the location where the event was situated. On our unplanned escapade around Telford, we found a number of beautiful areas and hidden trails that we simply would never have discovered had we not decided to venture out together.

The next steps

During the first lockdown, the enforcement industry had no choice but to transition events to online and virtual environments, but physical conferences and awards continue to make a comeback in 2022. It is clear from our participation at recent events that the return to face-to-face engagement is having a positive impact on networking capabilities and raising awareness around fundamental topics of discussion.

As a business, we have communicated at length about the wellbeing of our staff and the people we engage with, so the positive benefits of exercise, fresh air and enjoying outdoor surroundings is an activity we are keen to promote and share. Naturally, we spoke to other attendees at the IRRV Conference about how our morning run around Telford had been and we were pleasantly surprised to find a lot of people thought this was a great idea. There was a lot of interest in joining us if we decided to do this again and so, we are now inviting fellow attendees of the IRRV Spring Conference in Leeds to join us for another adventure!

This year, IRRV Spring Conference is returning to the Queen's Hotel in Leeds on May 17thand 18th. Nick, Jonathan and I (as well as my colleague Darren Bell, Solutions Manager – Parking, who is an accomplished Marathon runner) intend to meet up with groups outside the closeby Novotel at 8am on the morning of the 18th. We plan to run through central Leeds, over the nearby footbridge of the River Aire and down the banks of the canal. Groups will be divided by desired distance, so anyone who would like to join in can take part, whether they feel comfortable running in a group doing 5k, 10k or more!

A long-term journey

We hope that our forthcoming run around Leeds will be the first of many ongoing meets at similar conferences and events, including when we return to Telford for the IRRV Annual Conference in October. The last time we were in Telford, we invited our charity partner, The Money Charity, to exhibit alongside Bristow & Sutor. As well as generating additional support streams, attendance at this event fostered conversations with an audience of local authority professionals and key personnel involved in the improvement of Financial Wellbeing within regional communities. As a result, we obtained 53 nominations from individuals to help support local community projects, ranging from education and children’s settings to adult settings and large housing associations.

Networking in this manner is unique and we would love to eventually tie in charitable initiatives and worthy causes into these running sessions, whether that be through a formally organised event or personal fundraising campaigns and activities. As interest grows in taking part, so will the opportunity to extend the positive messages and outcomes back into the communities we represent, engage with and live in.

If you are attending the IRRV Spring Conference in Leeds this May and would like to join us on one of our running sessions, please get in touch with me at [email protected]