Day 17 - round and about in Brighton and Hove

I am being really lucky with the weather this week. Today I had a whole day on the Brompton visiting various sites and the sun shone throughout. The main challenges, apart from the hills, were the various quick changes from cycling gear into work clothes and back again - seven changes in total throughout the day.

I visited Mill View Hospital to look at progress on an extension and total refit of our intensive care unit and emergency facilities. I also talked with staff and patients on two of the wards. I did some planning and training on video conferencing - another way we are saving on travel and being greener. I had a baked potato and salad lunch in the canteen with our Head of Communications Ranjeet - that's him with me in the picture outside the Sussex Education Centre. Then it was down to Aldrington House on New Church Road for various meetings.

I was home relatively early and out again on foot to our local cinema to see Brighton Rock - not exactly a feelgood film. I was home in time to write this, deal with some emails and try and stay awake for Question Time.

The Brompton is a talking point wherever I go. I can now put it up or collapse it in about 15 seconds while talking about it or anything else. The other main talking point is why I am doing this. Here are my reasons:

1. I want to help people in the area of Pakistan where my colleagues have been doing voluntary work since 2005.

2. I want to raise awareness about the importance of education for all children everywhere.

3. I want to give something back to a country that has given us so much.

4. I want to show that I can do my job without a car and get to all the places I would usually get to by bike and public transport, when people said it couldn't be done.

5. I want to set a green example within and beyond the trust.

6. I want to share my love of cycling, and especially the benefits to physical and emotional wellbeing.

Thank you to everyone who is reading this blog.If you would like to read more about the children from Pakistan we are helping, please click HERE Thank you.

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