Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society Updates From The Staff – COVID-19
27th March 2020
We usually bring you a Bi-Weekly update every second Friday of each month but this week we have decided to change it and bring you important updates on what has been happening over the last few weeks, the office closure, cancelled shows & events, our Aberdeen-Angus Angels and lots more….
Office Closure
Following the latest statement of the Government guidelines issued at 8.30pm on the 23rd March 2020 for all but essential services to stay at home we have been forced to revisit our planned course of action for the continuance of the business. The office is now closed till further notice, we will keep all the membership up to date as much as we can with this situation. All members of staff are now set up and working from home.
The staff in Pedigree House are all committed to making this work as well as we can and also committed to thinking about everything that we do to streamline the transfer of information to the membership which we will keep you updated on as it happens.
In the current circumstances E-mail is by far our favoured method of communication and systems of electronic transfer of information to you will also be the most favoured route so please embrace this change and let’s make it work and the whole business work smarter going forward.
We are committed to delivering the best level of service that we can to you given the current circumstances that prevail; there are bound to be occasions where for reasons beyond our control we can’t. Please bear with us in our quest to take very seriously the Government’s instructions to “Stay Home” and we hope that everyone stays as safe and well as possible until we get through these difficult and trying times.
To be able to contact the staff, please see email addresses below. By emailing us this is our most favoured method of communication:
Barrie Turner, CEO – barrie@aberdeen-angus.co.uk
Laura Stewart, Office Manager – laura@aberdeen-angus.co.uk
Caroline Ford, Registrations – caroline@aberdeen-angus.co.uk
Fiona Flood, Registrations – fiona@aberdeen-angus.co.uk
Yvonne Buchanan, Registrations – yvonne@aberdeen-angus.co.uk
Amy Johnstone, Pedigree Cattle Services, Stock For Sale, Stock Wanted, Website & Social Media Updates – amy@breedplan.co.uk
Barbara Webster, Pedigree Cattle Services – barbara@breedplan.co.uk
Helena Stewart, Aberdeen-Angus Accounts & Pedigree Cattle Services – helena@breedplan.co.uk
Cancelled/Postponed Events
Over the last few weeks, we have seen our summer shows come to an end before they have even started! To view all cancelled and postponed events please click here
If you hear of any events which are cancelled/postponed over the country then please let us know by contacting Amy – amy@breedplan.co.uk
Spring Society Sales Update:
Worcester – 4th April 2020 – CANCELLED
Aberdeen-Angus Angels
In the light of the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and its anticipated spread we believe the colleges are closed for an elongated break and rather than waste the talent that may well be out there we as a Society are looking to set up a national network of Stock people who could step in to help any farms who find themselves short of labour through self-isolation or family tragedy which it is anticipated there might be some. To find out more and see some CV’S that may interest you then please click here
Breedplan Accredited Scanners
Due to the Coronavirus restrictions in place the scanners are not operating until further notice.
To have at least growth EBVs in place, can breeders please weigh their cattle before turn out. As scan data can be accepted up to 30 months of age hopefully the scanners can catch up with the backlog later in the year if the situation allows.
We are up to date with weights at the moment but with communications being a bit hampered if you would like your weights to be included in the next ABRI run (9th April) please send them in with plenty of time available pre the close off date.
Email is a must on this so please send to Barbara directly: barbara@breedplan.co.uk
Upcoming Summer Competition
With the outbreak of COVID-19 our summer shows have come to an end before they have even started for the year, we have had to unfortunately cancel our Summer National Show this year which was destined for The Royal Norfolk Show. To cheer us all up a bit we have put our thinking hats on and came up with a summertime competition which we will bring more information to you over the next few weeks…..
Staff Updates
To keep you all up to date with the staff working from home here is our working stations and news….
Barrie
Caroline
Fiona
Yvonne
Amy – MOOVELLOUS lunchtimes!
Barbara
Helena
Barrie Turner, CEO:
• Well what can I say like me all the staff are now working from home and it is business as usual now that we all have the creases ironed out.
• To all the staff at Pedigree House I thank you for your cooperation in facilitating this and demonstrating your commitment to keeping things running while we are under the cosh!
• The infrastructure was a joint effort between Laura Stewart and Bob Allen our IT consultant who took this at very short notice and worked hard and long to get it there.
• It has been an ever-moveable feast with preparation for the inevitable, to the actual announcement on Monday evening this week to Stay home from the PM which made it a game changer.
• Life however goes on and we are now at a point where we can function and follow up on the matters that arose at council.
• We have the spring newsletter that will be developed the content is now with Denvir, following council meeting to communicate the business transacted at that to you.
• This will be online only this year on the website, we will not be sending out hard copies.
• We have the opportunity now to revisit the way we do things and go about delivering what the membership needs in terms of information and in the ways that we can deliver it.
• We will be communicating with you all more frequently so please keep focussed on Social Media and the web site for updates on what we are doing in terms of service delivery to you.
• The telephones at Pedigree House are on divert to personal Mobile phones and these will be answered during the normal working hour of each member of the team.
• We are and will keep striving to have as seamless a service as we normally do and will work to improve it going forward. Please be aware of what is happening in the world why sanctions on free movement are being put in place and that it might impinge a little on what we all can and can’t do.
• Above all keep yourselves and your loved ones as safe and well as you can and if we all do our bit, and have understanding of the things that we need to do are life or death, for someone just now, it really could be.
Laura Stewart, Office Manager: The full day Committee meetings took place on 11th March with the Council meeting the following day. All the preparation for the meetings was extremely worthwhile as the meetings seemed to run smoothly and a lot was progressed. Since then, unfortunately, my time has been spent helping to plan the way forward in anticipation of the expected impact that Covid-19 would have on working arrangements at Pedigree House. This has been a huge but necessary task with policies, procedures, staff rotas, and the necessary IT preparations to allow us all to work as best we can at home.
Registrations Department: We are continuing to process your Registrations, DNA requirements from home. We have very limited access to printers so where we have an email address for members, we will forward any invoices, queries files etc.
Please check your Junk Folder to ensure you receive any communications from us.
We are putting our heads together (remotely) on as regular basis, so hopefully we can continue to improve our working situation as and when required.
Pedigree Cattle Services:
With the outbreak of COVID-19 we are all working from home but continuing to process all your weightings etc. If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact any of us.
Please see important information below regarding our accredited scanners:
Due to the Coronavirus restrictions in place the scanners are not operating until further notice.
To have at least growth EBVs in place, can breeders please weigh their cattle before turn out. As scan data can be accepted up to 30 months of age hopefully the scanners can catch up with the backlog later in the year if the situation allows.
We are up to date with weights at the moment but with communications being a bit hampered if you would like your weights to be included in the next ABRI run (9th April) please send them in with plenty of time available pre the close off date.
Email is a must on this so please send to Barbara directly: barbara@breedplan.co.uk
From us all at the Society STAY SAFE & STAY AT HOME
