Secretary to the Chief Executive, Kate McLaren has worked at the BVRLA. To mark her long service, she reflects on how the past two decades have changed at the association.
“It was November 1998 when I got the call from the temping agency to say that I had got the job at the BVRLA. I was to join as a receptionist / administrator on a temporary basis, joining two other full-time administrators. We were responsible for taking minutes, typing up letters and general secretarial duties. I remember being delighted to have secured some paid work just before Christmas, and it was local too, which made it all the better!
My short-term temping contract didn’t turn out to be so short-term and I became permanent within months of starting. A couple of years later I got the opportunity to apply for the role of Secretary to the Director General – the title then given to the Chief Executive. This was the opportunity I was looking for and I was delighted to get the job.
A lot has changed during the past twenty-years at the BVRLA.
When I joined in ’98 we worked in a world of paper. We received a sack of mail every day and dispatched an almost equal amount as our method of communicating then was primarily by post. How times have changed.
I’d say there have been two significant changes during my time at the BVRLA. The first is a change to how we do things - primarily driven by technology changes. Email has replaced snail-mail and the internet now enables people to get information online rather than phoning or writing in.
The Chief Executive increasingly started to write to people directly via email reducing the need for me to type correspondence, so my day-to-day work evolved, and the scope of my role started to expand into facilities management as well as carrying out my secretarial work.
One of the things I have always loved about my job is the fact that every day is different. I have enjoyed developing new skills that allow me to provide an even broader degree of support to the business.
The second big change I have seen is the growth and expansion of the association. When I started working at the BVRLA there were fifteen of us, now we are twice that number. Much of this growth has come about during Gerry’s tenure in the past five years.
I feel very fortunate to work in the beautiful surroundings of Old Amersham and the people I work with are very friendly - which makes it for me.
There have been challenges along the way – I think I grew a few extra grey hairs when coordinating the building expansion and refurbishment last year – but I can honestly say that I enjoy coming to work every day.
I feel proud to be part of a forward-thinking organisation and take a great degree of satisfaction in knowing that the company I work for is doing something positive, helping to drive high standards across the industry. Here’s to the next twenty years…”
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