I was sitting at my desk when my assistant Sue waved some post around and said “looks like something from the taxman”.  My response – “I’m off to make a cup of tea – don’t fancy looking at that just now.  Want a cuppa?”. 

In the kitchen – sipping at my tea, Sue appeared. “Here Ems, look at this – it is a bit odd – a letter from the Cabinet Office”.  Crikey I thought – surely I don’t owe that much tax.

No, on further reading it became clear it was the official letter a person gets when they are to be awarded an Honour in the New Years Honours List.  There it was: for services to Unemployed People and the Voluntary Sector, a CBE.

To accept the Honour – you have to sign a piece of paper and post back. I did.

The thing is – and I am sure most people who accept these honours will say this – you feel like you are accepting on behalf of your family and the amazing people you work with. It is true, I was.  I think of all the passion and commitment of the people that I walk alongside and I am in no doubt that this Honour reflects them too. The success of both A4e and the FSI owes a lot to the committed, passionate employees who make a difference everyday to the individuals and organisations we deal with.

When I set up the FSI it was to enable charities to enhance the communities they work with by building their own organisational sustainability.  The FSI could not have grown and reaches the small charities it has without the support of my fellow trustees, the FSI team and the supporters who have made it all possible.  All of us share this Honour as we strive toward a truly-sustainable small charity sector.  

So, not a letter from the Taxman, but an Honour that is humbling and makes me enormously grateful for the wonderful people that I know and the wonderful things we have done together.

Happy New Year

Emma