Paul Cadman on a week of purpose, people and progress, including a Cancer Research UK fundraiser at Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club.
Saturday’s Moseley’s Mud, Sweat and Cheers event for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) was a real high point. We’ve already passed £10,000 raised, thanks to everyone who turned up, got stuck in and gave what they could. The atmosphere, the energy and the sense of shared purpose reminded me why community matters so much.
It was a privilege to host the One Thousand Trades Group at Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club. Good people, strong conversations and a clear reminder that the quality of your environment shapes the quality of your thinking. When you surround yourself with people who care, contribute and challenge, progress becomes inevitable.
Thank you from our Cancer Research UK event
Huge thanks to Tim Stimpson for hosting with real energy and purpose. His ability to connect, motivate and lift a room is exceptional. We also recognised Andrew Beggs with a token of appreciation for his outstanding achievements and contributions. I’ve followed the work of the medical school for years — its global prominence is well earned — and his impact is clear. He also spoke exceptionally well on the day as he always does. A public thank you for his support of me personally which has made a considerable difference to my life.
We were joined by the Deputy Lord Mayor, Ken Wood, whose remarks about our beloved city — and London becoming a suburb of Birmingham — added a brilliant moment of civic pride. It captured the ambition, confidence and identity that Birmingham continues to build.
A special thank you to Amy Deakin for delivering such a polished event, supported superbly by Emma and Jayne. Their work behind the scenes ensured everything ran seamlessly, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
Saturday brought new contacts and new golden opportunities, rounding off a strong week and reinforcing three mottos I try to live by: connect enthusiastically, give relentlessly, lead bravely. Those three lines have shaped the last few weeks and continue to guide the decisions ahead.
The week ahead
This week is about sharpening focus:
- aligning our recent growth with strategic objectives,
- exploring new commercial opportunities across the group, and driving profile and activities through West Midlands News,
- strengthening the foundations created by the 11 new colleagues who joined us last month,
- and keeping a close eye on deliverables across my non-executive roles, where governance, clarity and impact remain central.
Preparation continues for the Defence Procurement Conference and Life Sciences Week 2026 — both major opportunities to showcase capability, deepen partnerships and strengthen the region’s position on the national and international stage.
Running through all of this is a simple principle: everything we do should carry a third-sector mindset. Give back. Widen the path. Create opportunity beyond ourselves. Leadership is not just about outcomes; it’s about the legacy those outcomes enable.
Plenty done. Plenty ahead. The momentum is real, and the direction is clear.
Paul first shared this post on LinkedIn. You can follow Paul on LinkedIn for more.