In recent weeks, we have also experienced the devastating loss of two employees who chose to call Opencast home. The loss of Jake Powell in November and Adenike Idowu in December is still raw for many of us who had the pleasure of knowing them.

Jake had only been with us a few months as a Business Analyst, but he had already made a significant positive impact in the company. His People Experience Partner, Practice Lead and I attended his funeral earlier in the month and it was clear that Jake was a very special young man who touched lives through his personal and professional life. He will be dearly missed by his family and by everyone who knew him at Opencast and across the industry.

Adenike had been with us for over four years, contributing to numerous projects, including at HMRC and the NHS as a Senior Agile Delivery Manager. In addition to her core role, she was an active part of our EmbRace Employee Resource Group, the Opencast Choir, and our Black History Month celebrations to name but a few. Above all, she was a wonderful human being whose kindness, commitment and energy touched everyone who knew her.

As Joe Strummer of The Clash expressed in both song, and is written in our company handbook ‘Don’t Step Over the Milk’,: “Without people, you’re nothing.” Jake’s and Adenike’s deaths are a stark reminder of just how precious life is, and how much every individual in this company brings, personally and professionally, to the rich tapestry of humanity at Opencast. I hope that our continued collective commitment to building a company in that image can be a fitting tribute to them both.