User:Peter

From Norfolk RCC

Peter Smith
Enterprise Officer

1 My Role
2 My Background
3 Interests
4 Dislikes
5 Likes
6 Loves

My Role

I am not as many have suggested somebody from the new frontiers of space!
My role at NRCC is to help communities be more enterprising and commercially minded. It is an unfortunate fact that gaining grants is becoming increasingly difficult. As a result, communty groups have to seek ways of becoming more self financing and sustainable. This is not easy when in the majority of instances groups are run by enthusiastic volunteers and business and strategic planning or project management make the skin cringe!
This is where I come in. I am here to help your organisation be more forward thinking in your outlook and ease the increasing strain of needing to keep finding money
This does not have to be hard work, in fact it is possible to be more efficient and enjoy being so! - Maybe looking at approaching problems in a different way most definitely banning the use of the phrase I don't want to be negative but...! There will be occasions when we have to follow the strictures of form filling, but we are here to help you through the pain barrier.
A large amount of my time is currently spent on helping communities set up Hubs. Norfolk RCC has taken the lead in this innovative way of making the village shop & Post Office more sustainable

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My Background

I joined NRCC in July 2006. Previously my whole career was spent in the advertising & marketing business working with some of the worlds largest advertising agency groups. In 1990 I was asked to help develop the new markets in Central & Eastern Europe, which was a really exciting time, as I found myself working with countries which were undergoing massive change after years of restrictions. This was a huge challenge and was great fun and I can bore for hours about my adventures - Death threats in Russia, Arrested in Tel Aviv and Belgrade airports (you would have thought that they would be glad to see me leave the country). I became an expert in spotting major corruption and minor fiddles! Most importantly I learnt a lot about some wonderful cultures and made some lasting friendships. The last few years, I was moved to Dubai and had the brief of sorting out the Middle East. Dubai is probably the World's largest building site and the national bird is the Crane! My knowledge of corruption and fiddles was eventually not welcome in this market so I decided to change direction and moved to the quiet backwaters of Norfolk!

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Interests

I love sport, but unfortunately these days most activity is from an armchair or a terrace. I play golf occasionally and would like to play more to try and improve, but other commitments seem to prevent this. I am one of those strange animals that used to be a Football Referee, so I am well qualified at fending off insults and if I am at a game, find myself quietly taking the side of the ref. (best not to make your views public in certain situations) I have recently taken up digital photography which is a cheats way of getting a good shot - I work on the basis that out of 400 one must be acceptable! Having moved into Norfolk, we have signed up to both the Wildlife and the National Trusts, which provide hours of relaxation and stimulation through nature.

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Dislikes

'I don't want to be negative, but ....' You are going to be
'I don't know about you, but I disagree with what they said in the meeting' Raise your point at the time not after the decision
Raw tomatoes

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