ITV BAFTA for Haiti news coverage

ITV, 10pm.  The evening's news round-up highlights the BAFTA award which followed ITV's reporting of the earthquakes in Haiti and their aftermath.  To acompany this news item, ITV provides brief footage of the lives that the people of Hait are living now - whole families living in tents in the most basic conditions and still, their spirits indomitable.

I ponder why it is that my call to my colleagues to come forward and give time and energy to raise money in support of the people of Haiti has yielded - so far - such a limited response.  I am aware that there are many potential reasons.

Of course, our news reporters move on, and new disasters arise.  Around the world our eyes are on the Gulf of Mexico as the best of BP brains struggle to contain the oil spillage and we contemplate the devastating effect on the region's wildlife, economy, culture even.  Closer to home we are aghast at the killing of 12 people and the wounding of a further 11 by Derrick Bird.

And yes, like the people of Haiti though for entirely different reasons, the people of Britain need to call on their own indomitable spirit right now - and for the foreseeable future. Today our new Prime Minister highlighted that, with our current level of debt, 10p in every pound we pay in taxes will go to pay the interest on our national debt. We are entering into hard times.

Also, amongst coaches, one reason seems widespread.  Coaches are working at full stretch to meet their own needs:  only today I was talking with a colleague about the number of people who train as coaches and discover that the journey is more than they can bear.  It's not just that you have to become a salesman or woman in order to build your own business (though this alone may well be enough).  It's also that few are prepared for the depth of the personal and spiritual journey - the learning - required in order to be able to support the learning of others.  Sometimes when you put these - and other - factors together, there's not a lot left over.
 
Still, there are ways to carry the torch and still support your own needs.  Recently, I have cut a deal with a couple of people in my life to carry out a one-off coaching session for which they will make a donation to www.JustGiving.com/CoachingforHaiti.  One has already expressed an interest in becoming a client so I know it's possible that this may in time benefit my business.  And whether it does or it doesn't, I am glad to give to the people of Haiti.