Who would of thought it, being made redundant within 30 hours of Christmas day? That is what happened to me Mark Humphries, Chairman of matrics.  Having gathered myself together and discussed my future with the family, I have started 2010 with a fresh start, but, the crazy thing is that I have had no more time to paint the house and clear the garden. I have in the last four weeks, set up my own practice, presented four diploma ceremonies at RICS HQ in Parliament Square,  attended a new UK World Regional Board Workshop, attended an England Board Meeting as well as local events.

The highlight of the month for me has been seeing all the new Chartered Surveyors receive their diplomas, it is encouraging to hear so many stories of busy Surveyors across such a diverse sector. I have met individuals working for the Olympics, Isle of White Council, Agency Practices, Rural Practices and so on, all of which are the real future of the RICS. Having enjoyed the diplomas I had the honour of jumping on the train at Paddington and heading to Exeter to attend the RICS matrics Ball. Of course we are in tough times and Devon and Cornwall is a small community so I hadn’t thought there would be more than thirty people attending, wrong! 120 plus surveyors, planners and lawyers filled the Hotel and it was a huge success. A perfect end to the month for me and I enter February filled with encouragement that whatever the media focus is, the spirits are high and things are on the up.

Mark