A MONTH IN THE LIFE…
Is it just one month ago that I wrote how my wife and I had to rush back
from northern France after hearing that my daughter Kim had become seriously ill? Within
one short week, Kim had progressed from unconsciousness on a life support machine in the
Intensive Care Unit to a virtual complete recovery. Two weeks later, she was back in the
Emergency Room at the same hospital as the same - and still unidentified - illness once
again took over. Once again we watched her lying there in a state of seeming
unconsciousness while at the same time hearing the doctors say that she was as fit as a
fiddle! To say that we were worried was a gross understatement. Once again she is now
progressing, hopefully for good this time.
Then there was the middle fortnight. Peaceful? Don’t you believe it. On
the morning of June 4th, I was shocked to learn that Chairman Brian Rice had
been struck down at home the previous evening by a heart attack. For those of you that
only know Brian as a name in Call Sign or the man in the middle at AGM’s and
EGM’s, take it from someone who knows him quite well that he is a grafter. Living in
Hampshire and travelling in each day in his red Metro, fifteen hour days are not unusual -
and additionally, he can often be seen working in his cab at weekends. The result? You
only had to look in Frimley Green Hospital to find out. Brian now knows what we all have
to find out eventually; we only have one body, one life. We have to look after both of
them.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MEETING…
At the time of writing this column (June 20th), Brian Rice was
waiting for a transfer (as he had been for the previous week) to another hospital where
there were facilities to carry out an Angiogram. Hopefully, something will materialise
shortly. As a result, Brian will be away from DAC for a much longer period than was at
first hoped for.
My mind went back to our AGM and the private health policy that had been
organised for senior staff. All our top staff are covered for private treatment for the
obvious reason that, following hospitalisation, they would be back at work in a much
shorter period. We were told - ironically by Brian Rice - that for an extra £3000 (£4000
for the senior staff and now £7000 in total) that the BoM - otherwise known as Senior
Management - would be covered for private treatment while they were members of the Board.
Again, the obvious reason would be that the company wouldn’t have to suffer
unnecessary delays in getting important Board Members back to work.
But we saved the three grand instead - even though we had
announced profits close to half a million quid at the same meeting.
Now poor Brian is languishing in hospital waiting for a test that he could
have had some time earlier and already be well on the road to recovery. But at least we
saved the £3000…
CHARITIES
Somewhere in this issue of Call Sign, you will find a piece about BLISS,
how some DAC drivers will be running in the New York marathon in order to get much-needed
funds for the baby charity and why they are asking you for help. I am not asking you to
help - although I hope some of you will. But I just wanted to mention my position so far
as helping charities is concerned.
I am happy to provide a platform for you provided that YOU are doing
something yourself or it is connected to the cab trade. Please don’t ask for space to
publicise your favourite charity if it does not follow the above criteria. Otherwise there
will be little space left for anything else.
CALL SIGN
And while we are on the subject of Call Sign, I hope that you are still
enjoying it. But don’t forget that it is YOUR magazine and without your input, there
is little left. So please continue to write in - not just with letters, but also titbits
of information, articles and anything you think may be of interest. I can’t guarantee
that everything will make it, but I’ll certainly try.
