Today we start year six trading as Hunt ADR.
Despite facing setbacks every business has faced during the pandemic, we have continued to develop and innovate, diversify and collaborate, with relationships developed and strengthened with the likes of the Mediator Network and CCODR and a network of universities across the UK, most notably the University of Ulster.
With Travel Arbitration cases just starting to grow following an increase in travelling in recent months, training has been our main activity with continued growth in our online five day mediator course and the return of face to face training, with two courses in the last three months for more than 20 participants. We have now trained more than 100 mediators over the last three and a half years - two of which were in lockdown conditions! More is to come in year six, with our next course going ahead in London later this month. Thank you to Ankura for hosting as they did back in March 2020, just before COVID struck. A huge thanks also to our faculty led by Chief Executive Gregory Hunt and supported wonderfully by Kelly Thornton and John Jarrett and in recent times by guest faculty. Thanks also to the independent assessors who ultimately decide whether a trainee passes or fails the course. Finally, thank you to everyone who has taken our training to date - there is something different about people who want to train to be mediators they are on a different level, to a person we have loved working with you all.
We haven't done too much on the CPD front recently but tomorrow sees the first for a while with Andrew Goodman delivering a very special event on evaluative mediation - this is online and you can book here.
Our panels have continued to grow and we have leading mediators and arbitrators and construction adjudicators ready for appointment. ArbEx continues to be a success with 50 arbitrators now completing the programme.
We also started our own regular YouTube video blog we call 'The Journey'. Two episodes have been published to date and there is much more to come. View Episodes One and Two here.
For Gregg year five saw some personal differences, with him becoming a Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council, joining London boutique law firm RS Law as a mediator and most significantly, with him becoming a member of Arbitra International. Gregg's mediation practice is now managed by the team at Arbitra and you can read more about this on Gregg's latest blog on his mediator website here. Gregg also became a volunteer expert for the Federation of Small Businesses.
Last but certainly not least, we continue to support foodbank initiatives wherever and whenever we can with our Cycle for Foodbanks initiative. Gregg is still cycling on his static bike on his 2,000km+ ride to raise awareness and funds. Progress is slow, his alloy knee sometimes needs a rest, but he is determined to complete the ride in 2022.
We continue to develop and look forward to announcing new innovations and collaborations during the next 12 months - there might even be a new special one to report later this week! Keep those eyes peeled!