This week I'm off to Birmingham on retreat. A bit of a strange place to go on retreat I think, but given that it's a National Network retreat, which involves all those involved in training trainers in Mindfulness across the UK, Birmingham makes sense. I'll be intrigued to see what the centre is like, given that Birmingham has never struck me as the centre of quiet and contemplation... but we'll see.
I've only been to one of these events before. You have to be invited, so it's not something anyone can sign up for. The last time was 18 months ago and I had been in my current NES post for just under a year then. I only got the nod to go because the person who's job I took was invited but couldn't go and so she pointed those in the know to me. I felt very privileged.
It's one of those retreats that is all work, but comes in the guise of a lot of personal time for reflection as well as opportunities to network and get some solid work in. Last time we came out with some guidelines that have now been adopted across the UK which was very pleasing.
Of course now I shall spend the next 24 hours contemplating my wardrobe. Retreat trousers - tick, comfy shoes that are easy to put on and take off - tick, suitcase full of various tops from vests to warm winter gear - still a work in progress.
After all, these days just because it's July means nothing weather-wise. Yesterday we had sun, followed by downpour, followed by hail, followed by thunder and that was all in the space of an hour, so a whole few days in the centre of Birmingham in what is supposed to be mid-summer means a girl's got to be prepared for anything.
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