Friday, 18 January 2013

Braving the Winter Weather


After returning from toasty Australia 2 weeks ago (sadly I mean that literally following the recent bush fires in Tasmania) it is quite a shock to the system getting acclimatised to the brutal British weather. Amy and I lead the membership recruitment team  and spend much of the year travelling the length and breadth of the country, encouraging participation and gathering support from the British public for their local NHS Trust. As a result we are now veterans at braving all weather and delivering recruitment campaigns in the harshest of conditions. Here are our top tips when it comes to being prepared for all eventualities:


  1. Plan ahead – check the forecast use Met weather for the most accurate reports
  2. Check BBC news to make sure that there have been no catastrophes which will impact on the campaign (floods, landslides, helicopter crashes or similar)
  3. Dress appropriately – there is always the temptation to try to travel light –RESIST! Wear as many layers as humanly possible although be prepared for mobility to be hindered as a result. This can prove a problem when exiting vehicles and operating machinery such as mobile phones….
  4. Always carry an emergency stash of chocolate and/or biscuits and most importantly liquids (not gin) in the event of being stranded at a remote train station in the middle of nowhere with no mobile phone signal
  5. On the subject of mobile phones always carry a charger – never underestimate the battery life of the smart phone – they may be smart but they do not last the day without charging
  6. Do not assume that all villages and towns will have an ATM which will be accessible at all times – there inevitably will not be and this can anger cab drivers if you do not have adequate fare. Carry cash at all times but not so much that you need to be accompanied by Securicor
  7. There is nothing worse than being stranded at a station with no waiting room because you missed the hourly train by 5 minutes - download an app or check in online for trainline or similar to keep abreast of train departures times

We hope that for those of you that have to work away from the office or travel any distance for work that the tips above will be of use. Learn from our mistakes! As a final, and appropriate, service to readers, hereis a link to the weather forecast – today summing up exactly why the above tips are so fabulous!
Posted by Elouise Smith

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