Day 23 - in the Boardroom

I only cycled eight miles today, to the Sussex Education Centre and back for our monthly Board meeting in public.

We made a number of decisions about new services and improvements to existing services. We discussed all the things we are doing to prioritise the care of older people in our hospitals and at home. And we congratulated our 4,500 staff on managing with less money but at the same time continuing to improve our services. Things are really tough in all public services, and it is no different for us or our staff. Plus, because we provide mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services, demand is of course rising fast.

My knee was better today. Not many people know that I had major knee surgery when I was a student nurse - all that running about, or was it the dancing? So I've only got one knee-cap, and the capless knee always aches when the weather changes. Cycling seems to help.

Somebody asked me today why I love cycling, even when it's raining - a subtle way of mentioning by my bedraggled hair perhaps??

1. I love fresh air and I like to get as much natural light as possible

2. Exercise makes me calmer and sleep better

3. Cycling makes me feel strong and in control

4. I love to swoop down a hill and zoom up the other side - it's the closest I have come to flying

5. I like the efficiency of travelling and getting exercise at the same time

6. I care about the environment

7. I love the mechanics of bikes - they are beautiful but also simple enough for me to understand

8. Cycling is inclusive - all ages and almost all abilities can do it.

9. You see and hear things you would never see in a car - the wet sand at dawn, or a flock of starlings cheeping in a bush.

10. Cycling gives you time to think but also just to be

Today's picture was taken first thing yesterday morning by Tom, who runs our hospital kitchens in Worthing. Chairman Miaow, as I like to think of him, has been visiting our HQ for over 10 years. One hot day we were having a board meeting in the room I am standing outside in the photo. As the chair of the trust was speaking about something very important, CM slipped stealthily in through the open window, stood on his hind legs at the table where the lunch was waiting, and helped himself to a prawn sandwich...

In these more economical days we only have cheese or egg.

I only have 3 more working days to go. Please click HERE to check out why I'm doing this and to see my sponsorship progress. Thank you!

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