Chair's Update December 2020

I hope this message finds you well, and that you are looking forward to a peaceful Christmas break and bidding farewell to 2020. It’s been quite a year, so much loss and struggle, met head on with resilience and innovation, new and perhaps in a few cases better ways of living and working. The New Year of course holds many uncertainties as COVID-19 continues, and the Brexit transition period comes to an end. But I am excited about 2021, and how the BSA can grow and support our members in new ways.

We had our final BSA Trustees meeting of the year on December 1^st, with Jane Wild joining us as the new BSA Council secretary. Throughout the meeting we discussed early progress on various activities outlined in the new BSA strategy. One current activity is a survey to inform the BSAs plan for equality, diversity, and inclusiveness, which you will all have received an individual invitation to complete. Please do take a few minutes to complete this survey; it is vital to ensuring the BSA is an inclusive organisation that is of value to all. Also at the meeting, BSA vice chair Donna Corrigan reported on some excellent work she is leading with the BSA Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and in the New Year you should look out for expressions of interest in some brand news SIGs that will be forming.

I would like to thank you all your engagement and support of the BSA and audiology during 2020. I wish you all an enjoyable and peaceful festive break, and a prosperous and healthy 2021!

Derek Hoare

BSA Chair.