7 Highlights from 7 Years as a Boo! Helen’s – Anniversary Reflections
7 Highlights from 7 Years as a Boo! Helen’s – Anniversary Reflections
Today is 7 whole years since I joined Team Boo, so I thought I would share 7 of my highlights. It was rather difficult to choose just 7, so I did cheat a bit!
Here goes, in no particular order…
1. Time with the rest of Team Boo
It is really nice when we get time to connect as a team and make those memories behind the scenes. Whether it is getting crafty – making door wreaths, jewellery or hanging planters, spending time outdoors – our 10k walk, meeting up in Haigh Hall when lockdown restrictions allowed us to meet up outside, or doing archery on our mini break, or sharing ideas, support and cake at our team days. With relator and connectedness in my top strengths, these times really make a difference for me and help us to have fun as a team.
2. Visiting Islands
Guernsey, Isle of Wight and Northern Ireland – I’ve been lucky enough to visit all of these amazing places whilst taking our message of great leadership and happy healthy workplaces to many wonderful people. And also fitting in a chippy tea on the beach, evening meal with a beautiful view and a bus top tour around Belfast!
3. Graphic facilitation course
Back in 2021, I attended a virtual graphic facilitation course and learnt so much about presentation, colour, graphics, and pens. It is all about the pens! It was a bit of a challenge as I was sat at my computer with a notebook and pen to learn a very practical skill off a Zoom call! However, never one to be easily defeated, I spent my time converting my newly acquired pen skills onto flipchart paper. And there was born our new flipchart style – which luckily appealed to the creativity of the other facilitators in our team. We get so many lovely comments about our flipcharts – and we enjoy creating them too! But please don’t ask me if you can borrow my pens…
4. Doing our bit during Covid-19 lockdown
There are a few other blogs about this on our blog spot, but I couldn’t miss it off my list. Being able to give just a tiny bit back during the pandemic will be something that I always remember. In amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, we were able to work at Southport and Ormskirk hospitals to give space to the staff who were working incredibly hard under very difficult circumstances. To be able to offer brews, toast and a safe space for a chat and some wellbeing coaching was an absolute privilege.
5. Making Friends with The Octagon Theatre
If you’ve never been – you need to! The Octagon Theatre is a warm, friendly, creative ball of energy right in the centre of Boo’s home town of Bolton. Boo sponsored their world premiere of The Book Thief and then later the hilarious Little Shop of Horrors. I had a wonderful time facilitating some leadership and wellbeing programmes with the staff team and have enjoyed several press nights of new shows. On a personal level, (proud mum moment) my son also had his debut professional acting role at The Octagon as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol. It’s a place that I always feel very welcome and at home.
6. Coach of the Year 2024
I generally tend to fly under the radar and will happily acknowledge that success is a team effort. However, I was blown away when I won Coach of the Year at the British HR Awards in April 2024. I absolutely love coaching and developing my skills so that I can help others to find their own solutions and reach their full potential. The last award I won was during my A levels for determination in RE. I never worked out if that was some kind of backhanded compliment! So now I can finally say that I won a proper award based on my skills and the feedback from my coachees. Thank you so much.
7. So many new products and programmes developed
It is difficult to count exactly how many new products and programmes we have created at Boo over the past 7 years, but it is fair to say there have been a lot! The research, the detail, the creating, designing, checking and changing. The facilitator guides, the toolkits, the slides and the flipcharts. The tweaking, refreshing and keeping things up to date. A lot of work goes into our products to try and get them just right. And we always listen to feedback and notice what could be better ready for the next take on our programmes. Then there has been the coaching cards, the values cards and the postcards – it always brings us joy when we go somewhere and see people using them!
And of course, these products and programmes would have no purpose without the customers that we work with. I have met so many amazing people over the last 7 years through my facilitation and coaching – too many to mention here, but many that stick in my mind.
Spending time reflecting on the last 7 years has reminded me that I have spent it well, doing work with purpose and making a difference. I’m not sure that I can ask for more than that. Thank you Team Boo – let’s see what the next 12 months have in store!
Helen x
