Statement – Charity Supporter Gatherings Postponement
It has come to our attention that there has been some confusion between the supporter gatherings that the Charity had arranged over the next few weeks and the official communication and engagement process regarding the EMRTS Service Development Proposal.
The Charity's supporter gatherings were not public meetings and were not specifically focused on the EMRTS Service Development Proposal. Moreover, it was stressed within the invitation† that these sessions were not a part of the official engagement process. Engagement in relation to the proposal will be defined and led independently by the Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner.
The Charity's gatherings were meant to be supporter-focused Charity events to talk about its wider strategy, which included aspects such as youth engagement, income generation, its people, and its retail operation. It would also have presented the Charity with an opportunity to listen to comments regarding the EMRTS Service Development Proposal with the aim of informing its own response to the Commissioner's process. Gatherings were scheduled for Mid and North Wales before Christmas and events in South Wales would have been scheduled in the New Year.
The invite was sent to supporters who are registered on the Charity's database and who have given permission to contact them (a legal requirement under the GDPR).
Recipients of the invite were politely asked not to share the invite as the Charity needed to ensure that it did not blur the boundaries between charitable activities and the Commissioner's engagement process.
It is with great sadness that the Charity has now taken the decision to postpone these events until next year. This is due to the confusion with the Commissioner's process. It also follows concerns, expressed to the Charity by some registered attendees, about comments made online indicating potential disruption and protests in relation to the EMRTS Service Development Proposal. The wellbeing of our employees and supporters is paramount.
Confirmation of the postponement has been emailed to those who expressed an interest in attending.
† Excerpt from Invite: "During the gatherings, we'll talk about our future plans for income generation, our focus on engaging with younger generations as well as exploring the future of our service delivery. Our medical service has been the topic of much conversation lately, relating to published service improvement proposals. So, this will be an important opportunity, outside of the political, media and NHS environments, for us to speak directly to you, for you to ask questions, and for us to listen to you. It's important to stress that this is not a part of the official communications process, led by the Chief Ambulance Services Commissioner, but it will help us to inform our own response to the Commissioner's process".
Updated: 6th January, 2023
Author: Steve Stokes