Having recently enjoyed reading the autobiography of the world’s leading Rugby Union referee Nigel Owen aptly titled “Half Time” as it takes us up to 2010. Life and business affairs, with the fresh onset of C19 challenges feels as if we are at half time rather than the end of the current game, even more so with our impending departure from the EU – particularly as significant uncertainty still prevails.

The year has seen disruption across every aspect of society, so I was extremely pleased to see cricket over the summer as the English excelled at home and the return of top flight football and Rugby Union – needless to say great to watch with pleasure the Argentinians overcoming the All Blacks for the first time and England winning the Autumns nations cup.

So, what will we remember of 2020? It has been months of challenge, rapid change and adaptation; unexpected heroes emerging such as Captain Tom Moore and the Health service to name the obvious from the many; a tumultuous end to Trumps’ presidency, the wildfires in Australia and closer to home on Saddleworth Moor and the amazing sunshine we had through the early summer that took away some of the pain of our initial lock down. A new look Celebrity Get Me of Out of Here and Strictly Come Dancing adapted for the Covid era! As we prepare for Yuletide, we must hope to see the successful deployment of the vaccines to enable a speedy return to unrestricted lives in 2021.

In recruitment discussing career planning and recruitment seems more to have been more aligned to counselling and providing short term, rather than thinking medium to long term as is my wont. However, it has been pleasing certain features of our lives remain constant e.g. David Attenborough’s latest offering ‘Extinction: Attenborough has spent sixty-nine years working in television broadcasting to our homes the beautiful world that we live in. His first TV appearance back in 1954 showed him chasing anteaters around scrubland. He has released many documentaries that allow us to visit the farthest reaches of the planet and its importance without having to leave our living rooms.

I reflected afterwards that both David Attenborough and Nigel Owens lives and careers are stories of our time in that we in our daily existence impact on our societies, personal circles, careers, environmental and economic. Achieving success whatever that means to oneself in your career or otherwise is not achieved without overcoming obstacles often of our own psyche and make up without persistence, bravery and the support of our “networks”.

It is a sobering time for all of us and we need each other more than ever and ABPM will be doing our best to provide the support we can. So, let me finish by wishing you a peaceful, happy and Merry Christmas from all of us at ABPM Recruitment Ltd.

Rej Abraham, Managing Director