This week has been one of those weeks where really important stuff has to be done at breakneck speed. Where is feels stressful because the stakes are quite high but you’re really happy it’s getting done. So, this week has been a very productive and significant week - but I’m glad it’s over!

When you set out to rename and rebrand and organisation and develop a new website and social channels in just 3 months, “You’ve taken a really robust approach” isn’t what you expect to hear in feedback from presenting progress to your board.

But that is a comment we heard as we presented our new name and brand to our board - in a special meeting called specifically to seek approval to change our name.

With most devices we use these days, we usually see a message like this from our phone, laptop, tablet or even TV. Most of us don’t think anything of it, press ‘update’ or ‘schedule for later’ and move on. Most of the time safe in the knowledge that whatever was in the that update was either solving a problem (or potential problem) or providing new features, security or capability.

I remember how hard it was when my wife and I were trying to agree a name for who was to become our first child. For months and months we wrote lists, voted names in and out. We agreed and disagreed. If it was a girl, I wanted her to be called Eliza but my wife didn’t like it.

I joined the organisation nearly two years ago, near the start of the pandemic. It’s been hard to get to know everyone under lockdown and other restrictions and I’ve noticed home working, two metre distancing and mask wearing has created a sense of distance, disconnect and sometimes isolation for staff.

It’s been a great start to 2022 for us as Carers Trust South East Wales. As we closed the doors on 2021, we knew that it would be a busy time when were returned in the new year but I’m not sure we quite anticipated it would be this busy – but in a good way.

In this post Sarika from Perago shares some of the interview findings.

In this post CTSEW reflect on how they communicate as an organisation and share some of the work they’ve been doing over the last few weeks to work in the open.

In this post James from the Perago team, who are partnering with CTSEW on this work, will share what we’ve learned from our retro’s over the last three weeks.