What Did Charles Wood Do?????????????

[Nick Thomas]

In the interest of fairness.........

I'll start us off:

1) He made an awful lot of promises

2) He certainly had a lot of enthusiasm

[Steve Henderson]

Cracking stuff Nick - made me laugh
However very true

[Nigel Wright]

I'd like to see one of you critics do a better job? any takers? no? didn't think so

It's very easy to say someone is rubbish when you're hiding behind a computer screen :p

[Steve Henderson]

I'd like to see one of you critics do a better job? any takers? no? didn't think so

It's very easy to say someone is rubbish when you're hiding behind a computer screen :p

Welcome back Nigel
Who said he was rubbish ?

[Nick Thomas]

I'd like to see one of you critics do a better job? any takers? no? didn't think so

It's very easy to say someone is rubbish when you're hiding behind a computer screen :p

Mmm baffled me as well

Come on folks, I didn't for one second think my list was comprehensive

[Nigel Wright]

thanks steve

I'm not saying this list specifically said he was rubbish, but i'm putting it lightly over what has been said about him in other parts of this forum at great lengths

[Peter Turner]

Since it was Charles who started this idea with his 'What did Martin Reagan DO??????...' I assume that he also plans to come back soon with his list of achievements.

[Peter Turner]

I saw it first - for 'Reagan' please read Regan.

[Charles W. Wood]

In the interest of fairness.........

I'll start us off:

1) He made an awful lot of promises

2) He certainly had a lot of enthusiasm

Great question Nick.... But I thought I would remind you of my level first. I was not a Director I was just a lowly Manager reporting to Peter Wilson then Gerry Walsh as the then ECF board didn't see fit to discuss the Chess For Schools project at board level by the one person running the whole project. What did I do from 17th December 2007 til October 2008......... Liaised with Haulage firms (The second largest part of the whole project), identified how we COULD get schools to make sure they take part in chess after delivery (Through Extended Schools amongst others), Identified a Funding Stream all Chess Associations could tap into (information I still have and freely give out), ensured support from the DoE (Called something else I believe), and contacted 39 of the County Associations to make sure each County had a point of contact even if it was just for the interim. That was just the stripped down version. To you and me dedicated well over 40 hours a week to one single project whilst running a coaching business with 8 employees in the Bradford area alone.

As for the promises: this one really makes me laugh. We had to tell everyone of the plans or we would be coming out of the blue at the last minute and asking 40 odd Chess Associations to make a huge amount of change inside 1 - 11 Months. This would have lead to the loss of nearly all Chess Association support meaning that a successful Business Plan to encourage ECF Academies across England would not come up to scratch and instantly fail. Even with the notice only one or two Chess Associations have done anything at all, what chance/change was there on the ground, next to none. David Robertson's reaction was classic Chess Association scepticism (Which I now don't blame him for) as no-one thinks the ECF should even exist never mind be trusted.

As for Enthusiasm well I have shed loads of that and still do. What ever is salvaged out of this project will be used in one of three ways:
1. Tell you lot as much as possible and get slated for everything that goes wrong. (not very likely)
2. Tell you about developments after the fact so you can't see where things fell apart, you'll only see the successes (quite likely but does need a level of trust between ECF and the Chess Associations/Unions)
3. Not tell you at all; this would involved selling the whole project as a failure then setting up a structure to lay underneath the current Chess Associations waiting for the "Old Guard" to die off (Quite literally) then showing the English chess world of the raft of young talent at the last minute.

Is 3. possible: totally. I am running 14 chess academies across England 12 of which are not know by the Local/County Association, each academy containing far more kids than the Local/County League has got in membership in total and each containing employed Coaching Staff.

Going back to the question; "What did Charles Wood Do?????????????" (thats Charles W. Wood (the W. is my Fathers name, William, the man who influenced everything I do)). I stepped out into the Chess World that rules across this country believing it wanted change but found it wanted shutting down and scrapping. Thats from the ECF itself to the Local and Junior Leagues. The only thing it demanded was change but the only thing it wanted was the Staus Quo. So what had I done, fallen for the rubbish you lot spout; thats the "We want change as long as some-else does it and we don't want to be involved unless you are coming to do it for us, but we must agree with it all first" rubbish. Good luck with that, Oh and well done for being the reason England is in a mess (you blame the ECF but you all look after your own corner its squarely your own fault)

[Matthew Turner]

Charles,
I am interested in these 14 academies that you are running across the country. I would like to help out, are there any in the South West?

[andrew martin]

Yes, its possible the ECF could lend a hand too with a bit of funding,as long as I get full details.

Andrew

[Charles W. Wood]

Charles,
I am interested in these 14 academies that you are running across the country. I would like to help out, are there any in the South West?

Nothing in the South West yet, but that is a massive YET. As soon as this wave of academies settle down and establish them selves I will be on the phone to you. The Renaissance Academy structure though is very detailed and very different to anything else ever done, but as we have worked together before and I know a little about your style, you will get on well with the driving ethos of the organisation.

It would be nice to get more chess players involved too.

[Charles W. Wood]

Yes, its possible the ECF could lend a hand too with a bit of funding,as long as I get full details.

Andrew

I like the idea and the offer on help is greatly appreciated but as Renaissance Academy (Bradford) Ltd has funding applications in for 2 sets of 6 figure sums and is also looking at the possibility for funding to get a building. The ECF has a lot on its plate at the moment and I will continue to support it and help it where ever possible. Andrew I will say hand on heart, a few organisations have contacted me to show them what choices and roads are available to help them become an organisation that can fall into funding streams (Oh yeah the hand on heart bit) I will give help to anyone at all who ask (Even if I don't get on with them).

[Matthew Turner]

Charles,
Looking at your very impressive website I can see that your outreach team is involved at

West Yorkshire Police Authority
Bradford City Centre Project
Canterbury Youth and Community Centre, Bradford
Renaissance Academy - Social Isolation
Park Primary Pupil Referral Unit, Bradford
Southmere Primary School, Bradford

Are these the academies? because I read your previous posting as saying that your academies operated nationwide

[Charles W. Wood]

Charles,
Looking at your very impressive website I can see that your outreach team is involved at

West Yorkshire Police Authority
Bradford City Centre Project
Canterbury Youth and Community Centre, Bradford
Renaissance Academy - Social Isolation
Park Primary Pupil Referral Unit, Bradford
Southmere Primary School, Bradford

Are these the academies? because I read your previous posting as saying that your academies operated nationwide

These are just a hand full of the projects we are a allowed to highlight from the Renaissance Academy (Bradford) Ltd. Due to the way funding works each academy is set up inside that districts funding boarders, as per ECM. Others will follow as each academy settles down.