GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

a way of collaborating where you do not feel under threat, so whether you are

an HR officer, a finance officer, an IT officer, whatever it might be, those people

are now routinely coming together talking about their pressures, because they

do not have a natural peer group and most of them are saying, “This is

fantastic because we work in isolation generally in our unique setting and

where do we go for that support without spending a lot of money going to the

industry conferences or whatever?” We can provide that just by coming

together and talking about collaborative work.

So shared services, you will hear some more examples shortly about how it

works, but we are always up for somebody coming along and saying, “Is there

a possibility that we could do this together?” because by doing it together it

might make it better for other affiliated unions, for the movement, for members,

improving the life of working people. Thanks. (Applause)

THE PRESIDENT: I would like to invite Mark Dallas from Lighthouse Financial to say

a few words. Whilst he is walking to the rostrum I should say that he helped us

revolutionise our levels of return on our own investments earlier this year, so

thank you, Mark.

MARK DALLAS: Good morning, everybody. Thank you very much for giving me this

opportunity to talk to you this morning. It is nice to see some familiar faces, but

equally there are some new friends I have made and it has been very nice to

meet you all. Maureen last night says she is going to win the Apple watch, so

everybody else apparently just throw your tickets away! (Laughter)

As has already been said, I am Mark and I am with my colleague Helen and we

represent Lighthouse Financial Advice. It has been interesting over the last 24

hours just to understand a little bit more about how you all work and I was very

entertained when Steve stood up yesterday and he was talking to us about his

Cortina nights and I was having a little bit of a chat with him yesterday. It threw

me back about 30 years to when I first started in the industry and I started

advising and I know some of you are thinking, “30 years? He doesn’t look old

enough!” (Laughter) Thanks! I remember getting my first car. It was a red

Ford Escort Popular Plus. Has anybody had any of them? I don’t know what

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