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Jeff Grist | 0117 372 6043 |
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Hello and welcome to Proud!
My name is Jeff Grist and I am the Joint Regional Representative for Proud in the South West with Gary Lloyd. I am also the Chair of Proud.
I have just moved from the Department for Education to a new and challenging role in ‘The Planning Inspectorate’ (which is an agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government) as Head of Branch for Enforcement, Costs & Decisions and Special Casework. With 5 Teams and 50+ staff, I am now office based (which was a big culture shock after nearly 6 years of home working). As well as the Department for Education, I have also worked in HM Revenue and Customs (when it was HM Custom and Excise) and also DWP (when it was Department of Health and Social Security) so I have been around a bit!
Within PCS, I am a trained Lay Tutor, Union Learning Rep and a Personal Case Officer. My change of Department has meant that I have had to give up my many Group roles. I have also decided not to stand again for the LGTB seat of the TUC Disability Committee for 2011 as I need to get settled into my new work role and there is so much time in the day!
To be totally honest with you, much of the LGBT related activity of previous years in the South West has all but ceased now. Many of the networks and groups I belonged to have disappeared either through lack of interest or cuts in funding. I am really pleased to be ‘job sharing’ with Gary this year as I could really do with his fresh ideas and enthusiasm to help support the SW members of Proud to the best of our ability.
You will know as well as I do that the South West is recognised as the most ‘geographically challenged’ region in England, stretching from Cheltenham to Lands End, so it is virtually impossible to arrange meetings that will be accessible to all Proud members in the Region.
If you have not done so already, register on the Proud Forum and visit the South West Region page for information. Between us, Gary and I will post news and articles – either for information or for comment, please don’t be shy – get forum active and let us know what you think! There are also other ‘pages’ containing many and varied threads for discussion and/or information – it is well worth a look.
When not working or dealing with PCS business, I spend a lot of time satisfying my fitness obsession at the gym and weekends I travel the country competing in the motor racing sport of ‘Autograss Racing’. Building and preparing my race car also takes up a lot of my time.
I really hope that you enjoy being a member of Proud in the South West Region. Please do not hesitate to contact either Gary or I if we can be of any assistance. (anything sent to my office should be marked ‘personal’)
