December 13-14^th 2022, Keble College, University of Oxford

In December 2022, we brought together Governing Governors and Directors from across the country for a two-day symposium in the historic surroundings of Oxford University’s Keble College.

Despite a nationwide rail strike and Arctic conditions, 41 Governors made it – sharing their collective wisdom on boosting staff morale and well-being, and managing the pressures of governing – and we captured their insights in two practical, peer-to-peer guides, so their ideas and recommendations could be shared across the estate: Governing Governors’ guide: on boosting staff morale and retention; Governing Governors’ guide: on managing the pressures of governing.

But it wasn’t all work. Alongside the discussions, Governors enjoyed reconnecting with colleagues and meeting new faces over a memorable three-course dinner in Keble’s grand dining hall, and kept the evening going afterwards in the college bar.

The feedback was universally positive, and we include a small selection of it here:

• “I absolutely loved it! It was great to see what others were thinking and doing and not feeling alone anymore. The facilities were brilliant and the hospitality amazing.”
• “It was so good to take time out, and have a safe space to voice our concerns and share our knowledge with each other. The venue was also superb.”
• “It helped me ‘re-set’ my thinking after a really difficult few years and I’ve come back to the prison re-energised and with lots of great ideas.”
• “Thank you for a fantastic two days… I really enjoyed every bit of it, and I learnt a lot.

As one Governor put it, quite simply, “It was a truly wonderful event”. We felt the same way too – it was a privilege to be part of, and we hope to do it all again before too long!