October 15 2020
Following on from yesterday’s blog from the Chair of Coach Commission, our new Vice-Chair Kathryn Pulham writes about staying united as an industry, promoting the unique contributions of coach to the UK, and offers some advice to CPT members.
Following on from Duncan’s excellent blog (once he’d uncovered his dictionary from the back of the drawer!) what more can the Vice-Chair add?
Although as members we are divided on how we run our businesses and what we feel is more or less important, we are certainly all united as members in the passion for our industry. Some of you will be in business to sell up and move on, some of you hope for that and some members will simply know nothing else. Coaching has been their family business for generations and for some reason, however hard it gets, we carry on coaching. Even though there are bad days, and goodness knows we all feel that now, we have overwhelming passion for our industry and what it represents. Duncan is absolutely right; we must continue to represent our trade professionally and passionately, promoting the outstanding and unique contributions we make to tourism, education, sport, rail travel and national events. We are an industry who quietly goes about our business. We are not glamourous, but we are proud of what we do and we must work hard on promoting our unique contribution to all of these UK sectors.
Duncan and I represent the coaching division of CPT on behalf of members. Running our own coach operations allows us to be aware of and sympathetic to the issues members face but it is important that you keep in touch with us and your regional managers to raise how you want CPT to represent you. Neither Duncan or I need or want to spend too much time on social media, but this does not mean that we, nor any other CPT officer, are not available on email or phone. Please read your member updates and communications which contain a good snapshot of the current issues and will reassure you of the intensive work going on behind the scenes. But as always, members need to tell us in which direction to steer the ship. Join in with regional meetings, promote themes we are discussing in your social media, introduce new members and be part of the future of CPT. There are always lessons to be learned but we would not be where we are without our membership.
Kathryn Pulham is the Finance Director of Pulham & Sons Coaches.
You can find Pulham & Sons Coaches on Twitter @PulhamsCoaches and Facebook @PulhamsCoaches