What an interesting and unexpected few weeks it has been! I don’t think I will be alone in saying I certainly wasn’t expecting the world to be in a coronavirus lockdown when we started the year. During these difficult times it’s all to easy to only see the negatives, but now is the perfect time to look back on what we have all achieved over the past year or so. As we slow down a bit, stay at home and follow the advice from the government, it gives us time to flick through the archives and reminisce on what we have accomplished.
For us, we’ve been using this time to reflect on some of the amazing opportunities we have been lucky enough to get involved with, to think about everything we have achieved pre COVID-19 and to keep in touch with all the incredible people we work with. It’s helped bring a smile to our faces and think about happier times ahead.
One achievement which stands out above the rest is raising an incredible £5,000 for Norfolk and Waveney Mind at our Big Indigo Charity Quiz last November. Over 160 people joined us at the fantastic EPIC Studios for a night of fun, laughter and raising money for a worthwhile cause. To say we appreciated everyone’s support and generosity would be an understatement! We can’t quite put into words how much it meant to us. What an evening we had and looking back has only made us more excited for the next one! Mind has been our chosen charity of the year for 6 years and we’re really proud of all our fundraising efforts for them so far.
One of the biggest highlights of last year was the Norfolk Business Awards where we won ‘Best Small/Medium Business’ for a second year running. To win it the first-time round was an incredible achievement but two years on the trot?! That evening we made sure we celebrated, and a group of the Swans enjoyed dancing into the night at the Norfolk Showground.
Talking of awards, we were thankful to take home quite a few with us last year. ‘Most Trusted Consultancy SME’ at the TELCAs, regional winner and national runner up for the ‘Wellbeing Award’ at the British Chambers of Commerce Awards, bronze ‘Best Employer’ at the Employee Experience Awards to name a few. These all mean so much to us, not only to be recognised both inside and outside of our industry but also as a way of celebrating all the hard work the Swans put it.
Of course, we had to mention the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce B2B exhibition. Some of you might have seen (or heard us) there. We were the brightly coloured stand with lots of balloon popping and horn honking going on! We also decided to get a jigsaw puzzle printed with Chris Sarigsson’s face on it. We then distributed the pieces out amongst all the goody bags for attendees and asked them to help us complete the puzzle! We even got a copy made for Chris to take home with him, I believe he may have even given it to his Mum as a Christmas present. Whatever it is we are doing we always like to try and bring a bit of fun to it.
Throughout 2019 we partnered with some amazing companies to put on events, create content and support one another. There was Culture Shock in February at the UEA with Fountain Partnership which looked at cultural issues in the workplace from equal pay to agile working. We worked with the fabulous duo behind Engaging Norfolk, Cassandra and Brian, on several different projects in a bid to bring together and engage the local business community. We also spread some positivity during Mental Health Awareness Week in May with our ‘notes of kindness’ which were placed in different places around Norwich city centre. We also hosted the Tweetup during this week where we were joined by Charlie Hodson who shared some of his story and journey with his mental health. The list of events and partnerships we have been involved with over the past year or so is a long one…
There’s one event from last year which holds a particular fond memory with me and that was the first of many Indigo Swan Golf Days at Dunston Hall. We were joined by different auction and raffle winners alongside a couple of invited guests for what was a beautiful sunny day, and everyone seemed to have a blast. Never have I heard so much laughter on a golf course!
Last year we welcomed new Swans, became a Real Living Wage employer and started our own podcast ‘What’s Going Swan’. These are all things which we are super proud of and during this tough time sometimes you just need to take a moment to look at how far you have come. I’ve really enjoyed looking back on everything we have achieved over the past year or so, even just flicking through the photos has brought some positive vibes to my day. I would highly recommend it to anyone out there, even more so for those who may be struggling. Take a moment to reflect and let yourself feel proud about your progress.
