The passing of the torch
Welcome to the April Grit newsletter.
As I write this at a time of lengthening days and a bit of spring-time optimism, I am also writing from a place of reflection and sadness. Yesterday we celebrated the life of our former Chair and co-founder Tony Morgan. Tony died surrounded by his family on 8th April at the age of 92, having stepped down as Chair of Grit only four years ago.
It is very difficult to summarise the contribution Tony has made, not just to Grit, but to a huge community of friends, colleagues, organisations, sports teams and of course family. He was and is ‘a giant’ as one of our former trustees so poignantly put it.
Tony and his amazing wife Val have been at the heart of Grit since it started. I remember hearing about him when I first joined the organisation over 20 years ago, about his hugely senior roles in successful businesses, about him being an Olympic medal-winning sailor and – of course – being a force of nature with regards to the work of Grit. I think I was kind of terrified at the prospect of meeting him.
Conversely, the first thing I remember about actually coming face-to-face with Tony was his warmth, his hug, his firm handshake – this feeling that without even knowing me, he was for me. He gave that feeling to so many people he worked with.
He embodied what we are about as an organisation: that willingness to be highly supportive and highly challenging, to coach, to empower, to see the best in people before and until they can see it for themselves. There is no question that without Tony and Val – their passion, kindness, drive, commitment and vision – we would not be here now doing what we are doing.
So, fresh from attending Tony’s beautiful funeral service, I am feeling grateful and honoured that people like Tony exist and contribute the way they do. This George Bernard Shaw quote comes to mind:
“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
Thank you for grasping that torch Tony.
Welcome Kathryn
We’re thrilled to welcome a new member to the Grit Board of Trustees. Kathryn Boulton is Executive Director Children and Family Services at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. She brings a wealth of experience from her time at local authorities in Derbyshire, Blackpool and Nottinghamshire.
She’s passionate about personal development and has written powerfully about her own Grit experience on the Association of Directors of Children's Service blog.
Great to have you on board, Kathryn!
In Conference, in Conversation
Grit has been out and about quite a bit recently.
We were at the UK Advising and Tutoring Conference at the University of Greenwich, leading a workshop alongside Rachael O’Connor, Academic Personal Tutoring Lead at the University of Leeds.
The session about Re-thinking engagement and the staff student relationship and sparked some great discussions and debate. As one delegate said, “there were important issues being raised in this session about coaching to develop student agency… about being open, non judgmental and student-led at all times.”
And we’ve joined the Rethinking Leadership conversation with Big Education, a multi-Academy Trust that runs schools, develops leaders and teachers across the country and works in coalitions to bring about change in the education system.
The conversation is about supporting “expansive, emotionally informed, generous and responsive leadership” and, over the last two years, has gathered an extraordinary group of people to talk about some really thought-provoking and enriching ideas.
Grit in Press
We’ve just published another blog on Wonkhe, “home of the UK higher education debate.”
Co-authored with Grit Trustee and Director of Student and Community Engagement at Nottingham Trent University, David Woolley, and with a passing reference to the Princess of Wales, ‘Beyond Welcome’ is about students’ transition through, not just into, university.
