Welcome to the first NIPF CEO update.
I’m planning on providing periodic updates (hopefully, quarterly) to the membership in an effort to help better communicate what’s going on behind the scenes and give you all direct insight into what and why things are happening. Whilst I’m conscious that the CEO is elected each year at our AGM, I’m hopeful that whoever comes after me will look to continue this trend to keep you all informed with regular updates.
So with that, what have we been doing recently?
NIPF CEO Update: Building Relationships
While many were gearing up for Christmas or New Years, we were busy meeting with stakeholders and developing relationships with strategic partners. It’s important that we grow both new relationships and reaffirm existing ones for the longer term growth of the sport. The NIPF is just one piece of the strength sport community, and we can only deliver these opportunities working in collaboration with gyms, businesses, institutions, government and more. While we’re not in a position to announce anything yet, we’re excited to continue conversations with our stakeholders so that we can provide bigger opportunities and more value for our members in 2026 and beyond.
NIPF CEO Update: Deepening inclusion
It’s no secret that identity plays a huge part in our society and our communities. One of the key values within the NIPF (and echoed in our Constitution) is equality. We want to make sure that prospective and current members feel included, represented and that their voices matter. Behind the scenes, we’ve provided a gentle steer on decisions around language and imagery on marketing and communications, from NIPF level and above. While we won’t always get it right in everyone’s eyes, we hear you and we’re committed to moving forwards together.
NIPF CEO Update: Developing a long term vision
Over the Christmas period, I’ve been reflecting on what the NIPF might look like in 5, 10 and even 20 years. Within the last couple of years, I’ve seen the Federation grow and change. We’ve seen an explosion in growth of members seeking consideration for national team selection at an NI and GB level, but we’re eager to provide more opportunities both domestically and internationally. The question that it’ll be asking myself over the next year is “What can I do to set members up for success, even for when I’m no longer around?” Ultimately, I’ll look to develop a formal strategic plan that will feed into the objectives of British Powerlifting and can be used as a rough roadmap for the journey we’re all on together.
NIPF CEO Update: Seeking Feedback
One thing that I’ve consistently heard from people is that communication can always be better. I’d really encourage that to work both ways and for people to give the Federation constructive feedback on what works well, what doesn’t and suggestions for how to improve. Whether it’s emailing me directly, messaging us on social media or speaking face to face during a training session or a competition, I’d love to have a conversation. While I can’t guarantee that I’ll always be able to do something about every issue or that you’ll agree with my response, you can rest assured that I’ll always approach the conversation with an open mind.
Josh Bell
CEO