Each week my Leaders are posted onto our Facebook page and the click-throughs, shares and other engagements give me a rough idea of the interest readers have in what I’m saying. Last week’s Leader performed particularly well and was shared more widely than usual. I’m hoping it’s because you agreed with my arguments and that my piece hasn’t been pounced upon by Extinction Rebellion activists who are organising for my house and car to be splattered with orange paint in protest against my comments! I do have friends and acquaintances who are supporters, so it is a possibility - and it’s through one of these contacts I’m hoping to be able to convince the powers that be that damaging the environment isn’t the way to go about their business. I hope I’m treading carefully enough. 

 

If ever you feel strongly about any of the things I say – even if you disagree with me, please get in touch either via email or by commenting on Facebook. I’d love to be able to use these Leaders as a forum, so I can understand your views and perhaps explore new avenues that haven’t yet occurred to me. I promise not to include anything in Cleanzine without your prior permission! And this is not just for readers in the UK either, for although that’s where Cleanzine’s based (and where we thought our audience would be, when we launched 20 years ago) we soon learned that we had a fast-growing, global readership. It took us by surprise but perhaps it shouldn’t have done, bearing in mind the way the Internet has opened everything up and brought us all closer together. And while we as an industry face many of the same problems, using similar machinery and equipment from the same manufacturers and often the same cleaning methods, because of, say, different climates and cultures, there will be things we do differently. By sharing our news and views we can perhaps help one another to find a better way to tackle the job in hand. 

 

I write this with the threat of strike action by thousands of public sector and NHS workers – and many others – looming its head over the UK. I sincerely hope this type of action isn’t something that goes global! Whether the strikes go ahead or whether money is found to meet the Unions’ demands, there will be huge repercussions for our industry. Facilities managers and those running cleaning companies must feel like corks bobbing around in a rough ocean. I feel for you!