New Career New Challenge at the Food Standards Agency

It was good while it lasted but my time at the Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust has come to an end.

Admittedly, being a Training Programme Coordinator for a number of specialties including Paediatrics, Haematology, Oncology and Radiology did have it's ups and downs. However, the people I worked with were generally okay and relatively easy to get on with.

My last day in the office was Friday 25th August. I start my new post within the Food Standards Agency on Monday 4th September. It's great having a week between jobs to recharge my batteries and relax.

As a Secretariat Manager my role is to look after the FSA Board Members by being their first port of call as regards to any information they require. Essentially it is about building and maintaining good relationships with important people. In many ways that is what I did in my previous post but with Consultants.

This is a new chapter in my working career and I'm confident it will go well. Frankly, if it does not work out I have nowhere to go. I do not have a plan B; only the fact that I envisaged myself selling the Big Issue if all goes to pot. The only thing I am dreading is minute taking that's my Achilles Heel. I need to work on that especially if I am going to be the minute taker at the next FSA Board Meeting on 20th September  in Belfast. It is already giving me nightmares and I have not even entered the building to commence work. I am crossing my fingers to make sure it goes okay.

One thing for sure I will either be great at the job or complete pants. There is going to be no in-between not for me. All or Nothing!

Below is a video of my leaving drinks. A nice turnout.

First Dates on the MayFair Power & Tower Race

It has been an eventful time at the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People where I am volunteering on my sabbatical from the NHS.

As part of my internship gaining experience in Event fundraising, I was tasked in helping organising the annual Mayfair Power and Tower Race held on the 26th May. We had nearly 100 competitors taking part. The event consisted of running 5km through Hyde Park, then entering the lobby of the iconic Hilton Hotel Park Lane before taking on the daunting challenge of ascending 28 flights of stairs to the Michelin-star Galvin at Windows Restaurant. Our intrepid Olympians were well rewarded with a medal and a lavish champagne breakfast to feast upon. This year’s winners were Mark Apsey who did it in a record 19:52 minutes and Louisa Lingley who completed the event in 21:40 minutes. All the money raised on this unique and exceptional challenge was donated to Galvin's Chance an into work programme for disadvantage young people in society.
http://galvinschance.co.uk/

My own claim to fame on that blistering hot Friday morning was I had the great fortune of having a selfie taken with Fred Sirieix the star of Channel 4 First Dates, and also the Co-founder of Galvin's Chance. He did a wonderful speech at the end of proceedings firstly, congratulating the runners and the event organisers plus talking about Galvin's Chance describing how the money raised by the participants will assist vulnerable young adults.  

In summary the ninth running of this event was a tremendous success with a record  number of contestants racing and a large amount of money donated to a worthy cause. If that wasn't  satisfaction enough, my new best selfie pal Fred remarked he would put in a good word for me to appear on the next series of First Dates. I replied that  I would only star if I was paired up with either Alesha Dixon or Beyoncé, preferably both. I maybe waiting a long for that phone call from the programme producers! 

Fred Sirieix and I

All the volunteers who made this race possible

Not Resting On My Laurels On Six Month Sabbatical

To date it has been 4 months since I took the monumental decision to take time off work to principally volunteer my services to work in the Charitable Events Industry.

I have no regrets over my decision especially as I am learning a great deal from my internship (funny to use that term considering that I am as old as Moses) at a charity called DM Thomas Foundation for Young People. It is a grants charity dedicated to helping disadvantaged and vulnerable young people and children transform their lives across the UK and Europe. Their website if anybody is interested in finding more about the organisation is: http://dmthomasfoundation.org/

For me there was always the imminent danger that my sabbatical could turn out in one of two ways. First as above that I find stimulating work giving me insight and valuable experience in the business of events fundraising. The second alternative that I feared, was that I did not secure any suitable position and that my time spent would be watching the Jeremy Kyle show and feasting on KFC. The only benefit after 26 weeks would be that I would be a distinguished expert on dysfunctional families who love to appear on daytime TV and possessing  an elephantine backside which Kim Kardashian would be envy of. Thankfully, the latter did not materialise although I did come awfully close on occasions.

In fact the time away from the NHS has also given me the opportunity to attend the gym on a regular basis, take up a new sport in the form of squash and increase my competence on the culinary front. It's highly unlikely that I will star on Masterchef  anytime soon but I can whip up a mean meat casserole if so desired. With me eating far more healthily than before combined with my spin cycling, squash and Zumba classes I have been able to shed a few pounds along the way. I confess going to Weight Watchers has also helped enormously in not becoming the size of Milton Keynes.

Overall, it has been a positive endeavour taking time off from paid employment to join the voluntary sector. Apart from not having much money thus restricting my normal routine binge on drugs, sex and rocknroll I would recommend it to anyone who has the inclination to learn something new and has the wherewithal to finance it.

Enjoying my Sabbatical at the Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet Disco in Greenwich. 

Gala Dinner to celebrate money raised by supporters for the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People

Fred Sirieix from Channel 4 First Dates fame speaking at the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People Awards Ceremony