We find ourselves in “unprecedented times”. Two words that are present in every report I read recently. In fact, for me its more than that; for me more appropriate adjectives are ‘uncertain’ or ‘unpredictable’. Yes of course many of my generation have never seen times like this before. We’ve never experienced the need to stay put or had our lives restricted in any way whatsoever. However, the bigger question for us all at Greater Places is; What is next? When will the restrictions stop? When will we have access to the plethora of fantastic services we use to support our tenants once again? When will the lives of our tenants regain some normality? It’s unpredictable and uncertain. For the team, these are the questions we are challenged with every day. Until a time when the answers are plain and clear, we are fortunate to have a fantastic team who will continue to do as much as they possibly can whilst adhering to the government advice. The vulnerabilities of our tenants are present throughout this crisis, they still need our support and they remain our priority. We have built a plan that involves daily contact with tenants. This includes reviewing their development objectives and goals to ensure we stay on track with their progress as much as possible whilst staying within government guidelines around isolation and social distancing. I am immensely proud of the work the front-line team are doing at the minute and we will continue that work long after COVID-19 has diminished. The world our tenants live in can be complex and overwhelming at the best of times, therefore to consider life through that lens at the minute doesn’t bear thinking about. We are lucky to have a team who will help soften the blow!!
For now, my message is simple, we must as a collective continue to contribute to the running of this country whilst staying within the restrictions. If we all stop completely, I worry what will be left when this storm finally blows over. Our team on the front line are busy doing exactly that; supporting tenants, ensuring safe environments and delivering the balance that limits any impact of COVID-19 on the lives of our tenants. If we all do our bit, (and along with a little luck) we may just get through the other side of this ‘relatively’ unscathed. Stay safe!
Stuart Dick – Director & Trustee