ANNUAL REPORT | PPC102 MARCH 2021

In our most recent Annual Report, Phil Halpin, BPCA President, looks back at the challenges of 2020 and celebrates the successes.

An annual report should be the space we use to celebrate our Association’s achievements (and we will do that). However, we must acknowledge that many of us will have had tough business decisions and personal trials in 2020, many of which have carried through into the new year.

Colleagues have lost loved ones prematurely. To those of you grieving, we wish you our heartfelt sympathies.

The stress of the pandemic will have taken its toll on each of us in one way or another. However, the support, quality of service and professional integrity we’ve witnessed from member companies has been incredible. Every technician, support team and business leader has played their part.

Between the hardships, there have been causes for celebrations. Together we’ve achieved a lot - despite the difficulties we’ve faced.

PPC Live

PPC Live was the last time I was in a room with more than 100 people. Pest professionals haven’t been together en masse since, so we’re pleased that we managed to gather before lockdown.

Thank you again to the exhibitors, speakers and over 500 attendees that made the day so memorable. Nothing connects us like our thirst for knowledge and eagerness to develop (and our love of a free pen).

Key worker status

Once lockdown hit, all of our attention was quickly redirected to a few crucial questions. Can we work? How can we keep ourselves and our clients safe? Does the government understand how key we are to public health?

The speed and thoroughness in which the Staff team produced guidance documents and communicated information was incredible. On the one hand, they had to keep members informed and safe.

On the other hand, they had to pivot their operations, events, training and activities. Additionally, they had to campaign for recognition by our governments and clients; there was certainly a lack of available hands back in March, April and May!

Our guidance was freely available to the whole sector and was accessed over 35,000 times around the world. The UK government acknowledges BPCA’s advice on their Covid support pages.

For every member that suggested some guidance, used our letter template to contact their MP or took the time to fill out our ‘we are essential’ survey – or just wished our team good health in the pandemic – thank you.

Phil Halpin, BPCA President

It’s been brilliant to hear your feedback. Nothing fills me with more pride than hearing that the UK government, Northern Irish Assembly and the Scottish Parliament confirm what those of us in the sector already know: pest management is critical.

For every member that suggested some guidance, used our letter template to contact their MP or took the time to fill out our ‘we are essential’ survey – or just wished our team good health in the pandemic – thank you.

Innovations

Aside from guidance, support and campaigning, BPCA has innovated in many other ways.

Training and some qualifications moved online. Our free events were reimagined for the web. Over 4,400 pest professionals tuned in to our digital sessions.

It’s been an excellent year for CPD too. The ‘point-collecting, box-ticking’ mentality seems to be shifting. My team all got over 30 points this year, and I know Katrina in the BPCA office has had some wonderful conversations with members.

We’re starting to embrace toolbox talks, in-field mentoring and independent study, rather than relying on event and training attendance (or squeezing 15 CPD quizzes in just before the deadline).

Development can come from anywhere, and never have we had to innovate so quickly to keep up with the changing world. Everything we’ve learnt is CPD, so please take the opportunity to log it if you’re on BPCA Registered (and if you’re not, why not? It’s great!).

Milestones

A landmark 100th issue of our trade magazine, PPC, landed on desks in August. These pages continue to mark our commitment to supporting the sector.

Our work lobbying on behalf of the sector wasn’t limited to key worker status. BPCA has been in regular talks with Natural England to help make sure that 2020’s gull licensing shambles never happens again. The more we open our arms to other bodies, the more influence we can have.

Our two new committees and new Board members are off to a great start. They’ve got a lot of work allocated to them in the upcoming strategy, so expect to hear a lot from them once they’ve got their feet firmly under the table.

Strategy

2020 was the year of two strategies. We wrapped up the 2018-2020 and unveiled the 2021-2025 strategy. You’ll see a wrap up of the 2018-2020 plan later in this report, but it’s worth mentioning how the new one was created.

The BPCA committees, Board, Staff team and a focus group of members came together - all over Zoom. Long, tough days with incredibly interesting discussions led us to a new strategy on a page (published in the previous issue of PPC).

With so many members’ participation, it’s fair to say it’s the document influenced by the most member companies that BPCA has ever created. The heart of the strategy is a member benefit. We are BPCA; we represent, support and assure our members.

Final thoughts

It’s been a tough year, but we’ve achieved a lot together. I hope you feel proud of your Association. I do. Like its members, BPCA has adapted to tough times and helped protect public health.

More members than ever before have offered their support. Thank you for that support and long may it continue - even in less troubled times.

2020 has been a record year for engagement, but if you haven’t got involved yet, it’s time to roll your sleeves up.

After all, we are all BPCA.

Phil Halpin
BPCA President
[email protected]

Source: PPC102