New Beginnings, Fond Farewells and a Piece about Geese (x2)
Sew we meet again!
As we leave behind the quiet period of reflection marked by long nights, piping hot cups of tea, and examinations of the year behind us, we look toward the Spring. After enduring the fatigue of lockdown, and knowing that paradox of being closer to, yet further away from, our social circles, we look toward nature for the lessons of Spring. Even after the icy embrace of winter, there is new life. After stillness there is a stirring. Spring is finally with us and, as the sun and warmth return and the days lengthen, there is also a metaphorical light in the darkness in the prospect of better times to come. Here at the EEAI, we are pleased to say that this spirit of growth and positive change is very much a part of our current situation with lots happening.
Farewell to our Chair, Rob Lewis
But every silver lining has a cloud and it is with heavy hearts that we must bid farewell to Rob Lewis, our current Chairperson. Rob is stepping down as Chair of the EEAI after two wonderful years at the helm filled with great work and progress. We will miss him and the EEAI will not be the same without him. He has guided the organisation from a state near non-existence to the young but firmly established entity it is today with a committee of nearly 20 people, a strong website and a lot of momentum. I suppose that’s the cycle of life; it was not that long ago that Rob was bidding farewell to the EEAI’s founders, David and Ger. Now it is his turn to bid farewell. He has supplied a personal farewell message which can be read below.
N.B. Until a new Chair can be established, the position will be filled by the Governance Team who consist exclusively of committee members.
At the same time, the ecosystem of the EEAI is one that has recently been enriched by a new diversity of talent. We have added to our teams for social media, newsletter, governance, ethics, membership, research, finance, community and professional support teams. We are excited at the possibilities created by the expansion of our teams: both for the collaboration between them, and the increase in what we can offer to our members.
All our committee members can be contacted by using their respective email addresses, found below. We encourage you to reach out, and eagerly await your participation.
Governance Team: governance@eeai.ie
Finance Team: finance@eeai.ie
Membership Team: membership@eeai.ie
Newsletter and Communications Team: newsletter@eeai.ie
Research Team: research@eeai.ie
Ethics Team: ethics@eeai.ie
Community Team: community@eeai.ie
Webmaster Team: webmaster@eeai.ie
Social Media Team: socialmedia@eeai.ie
We invite submissions for Social Media
Throughout this latest iteration of lockdown we have each found sublime pockets of solace within our 5km. To celebrate these places, we are currently accepting submissions for, ‘Things I saw within 5km,’ so please consider sharing your own experiences. If you saw a rare bird, a pristine river bank, or a family teaching each other about nature, we would love to hear from you.
At this stage, we have mostly learned to adapt to our new circumstances like the foxes and deer that have ventured into our quieted towns in search of nourishment. In both our communities and our newest neighbours we have seen resilience bloom like the flowers now offering their spendor when it is most needed. It has been a testing time, but all winters are. As we witness the return of verdance to our home, we also see in the lengthening evenings a sign of hope: there are brighter days ahead. As we bask in its light, we are reminded that our roots run deep, are interwoven, and that no tree in a forest stands alone.
We offer wishes of wellness to all our members, and gratitude to all contributors and supporters.
The Team.
eeai | Interim Committee |
