Oxford Speed Dating

Back in November I was honoured by two invitations to attend fantastic events:
One, the celebration of our host partner, Elmore's, 30th birthday at the inspiring Modern Art Oxford.
The other, a supper with other charity bods at the house of Tim Stevenson, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire.

Now Tom Hayes had asked me to represent the College at Elmore's celebration some months ago, so when the second invitation rolled in for the same night, with an overlap of around half an hour, I'm sure you can understand why this was my message when I forwarded the letter to my partner:

To cut a not-very-long-but-very-frantic story short, I spent around an hour talking to the great and the good at Elmore's event (complete with our very first branded roller banner!) before then legging it just before the speeches.

Cue me running in 3-inch heels through the cobbled streets of Oxford, to arrive in a state of some disarray at the home of Tim Stevenson about 10 minutes later. Thankfully he and his wife, Marion, were incredibly welcoming and quickly sat me down at a table of likeminded people and plonked a glass of wine in my hand. We collectively reflected on the strains that hamper our work, and the resources or opportunities we've found that may alleviate some of these pressures.

I have to admit that my first thought when I received the invitation was to consider what opportunities meeting the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire might present to the Discovery College; I didn't really consider who else might be there and how we might be of benefit to one another. However my main take away from the evening was a forceful reminder of what a diverse, dedicated, and fascinating sector we are, and how supportive we can be when we're given the opportunity.

Overall TripAdvisor rating: 10/10, fantastic food, inspiring conversation, and a small work out (if you run to the venue like I did) to boot. Would definitely recommend.