Annual report | PPC106

BPCA President Phil Halpin sums up 2021 in his final annual report update as President of the Association. 

In what will be my last annual report as BPCA’s president, I’m proud to say that I have plenty of great things to celebrate when looking back on 2021.

Committee commitment 

Our four fantastic committees are now strategically focused. Everyone has a role to play, and around 70 member companies are represented through committees.

Rather than trying to explain all the great work they’re doing on your behalf, we’ve made space for our committee chairs to give their own reports this year. 

Thank you to everyone who dedicates their time to BPCA’s committees. These volunteers do much of the work of the Association and keep our organisation focused on delivering what pest management companies need to survive and thrive. 

Pride and pandemics

Many of us would have hoped that the pandemic would be old news by now. However, 2021 continued to challenge our sector.

Through our constant communications, the technical expertise of our team, and our frequent consultations with members, BPCA is stronger and has a more effective voice than ever. 

In 2020, this was recognised by us achieving key worker status, and in 2021, we were awarded an Association Excellence Award for this lobbying work.

Some amazing associations and professional bodies fiercely contested this massive award, yet BPCA’s consistently strong voice meant we were nationally recognised for our work.

You should be rightfully proud that you’re a part of an award-winning, leading Association – not just in pest management – but across all sectors in the UK. 

Covid has been an international tragedy, and many members have lost loved ones and seen their businesses suffer. However, BPCA has learned valuable lessons that’ll put us all in better stead for the future. 

You should be rightfully proud that you’re a part of an award-winning, leading Association – not just in pest management – but across all sectors in the UK. 

Phil Halpin, BPCA President

Pests in politics

2021 saw BPCA enter the scary world of politics with a purpose. Your Board allocated a significant spend on public affairs work to proactively engage with our elected officials, raising the profile and influence of the sector. 

This work was swiftly put to the test when the Glue Traps (Offences) Bill was hoisted into parliament.

Despite regulators stating they had no intention of including an exemption for pest professionals, BPCA members came together to create a compelling case for protecting public health.

Soon the Bill was amended to include a licensing programme for pest controllers. You spoke, they listened, and BPCA made that happen. It was an exciting year to be a member, never mind President! 

Your staff team

With all this going on in the background, membership support never once took a hit. 

BPCA recruited two new team members to help deliver our revamped membership assessments. BPCA membership remains the highest pest management standard in the UK and incorporates the BS EN 16636 Standard.

If you haven’t met Kristian or John yet, they’ll be arranging an assessment visit with you shortly. Please make sure you use your time wisely. They’re here to help and support. 

Remember to do your bit by telling your customers why you choose to be a BPCA member. When your clients choose a BPCA member, they’re assured you’re being held to the highest standards. 

A massive welcome to John and Kristian – they’re settling in great.

Also, Emily and Rachael joined the BPCA staff team in the finance department. They’ve worked diligently on the end of year figures included in this report and fit in incredibly well.

We said goodbye to Stephanie, our Finance Officer, who decided to retire in 2021. She’s missed by the Staff team and all the members she came into contact with. 

I’d also like to thank our Staff team. While we volunteers are effectively part-timers (having our own pest management businesses to run), the Staff team lives and breathes BPCA to ensure our vision is delivered. 

Whether it’s delivering the sector’s first all-digital tradeshow PestExtra, supporting members on the phone, developing guidance and support, providing us with fantastic CPD resources, or keeping the day-to-day operations running, they’re all incredibly dedicated to our sector.

Thanks for your support. 

Your board and goodbyes

At a Board level, we’ve been upskilling to make sure we can meet members’ needs. Led by Ian Andrew, we’ve committed time outside of Board meetings to ensure we’re the best directors we can be.

And yes, I’ve been recording every session on BPCA Registered for my CPD! 

My time as President is coming to an end. I’ll remain on the Executive Board for some time yet, serving as your Immediate Past President. It’s been a huge commitment but an even bigger honour to be your President. 

While the pandemic might have kept me from meeting as many members as I’d have liked or getting together in a physical room with my fellow volunteers, I believe it’s been a great three-year term. 

I do not doubt that all BPCA members will continue to drive excellence in pest management through their actions, cooperation and genuine passion for protecting public health.

Whether it’s Brexit, pandemics, chemical regulations, politics, recessions, new technology or a challenge we can’t even see yet – BPCA will be here to represent, assure and support your critical work. 

Phil Halpin
BPCA President
president@bpca.org.uk

Source: PPC106