Tag: england

Waterside summer outings

Published on by Seema RampersadLeave a comment

We are in the middle of a heatwave with the news constantly reminding us of the long spells of dry warm weather that we are experiencing in the UK but also across Europe.  As I write, there are multiple wildfires that are threatening lives, homes, nature and our food supply in Europe and closer in some parts of England.  It is very worrying to see the changes in the climate and more extreme weather reported in the news and evidence by scientists.

With this in mind, this month I was able to still spend some time enjoying the hot seasonal weather. My first trip was by train to Brighton for the Business Librarians Association (BLA) conference which was held at the University of Brighton.  It was great to be there on the theme of strategic partnerships and there is always so much to learn and adopt in the services that we provide, and to see in the physical spaces. The conference was help in the university’s School of Business and Law and it was great to see the big and tangible versions of the UN’s Environmental Sustainable Goals (ESG) blocks in the main reception area. Some of the delegates were actually pleased that they were not making their way to the conference at the height of the recent heatwave in June. 

The conference was great for sharing practical ways that we can help our library users during the ever-present Artificial Intelligence (AI) challenges and opportunities, as well as other aspects of collaboration, research, engagement and development of library and information services.  There were tips for workshops, teaching, predatory publishing, systemic reviews, gaming and general user experience and developments. There were also presentations and exhibition of some well -known business information providers like Clarivate, Mintel, EBSCO, S&P Intelligence etc. 

We also had a tour of the Library on the last day but as the university was closed for summer, there were hardly any students around the whole campus. 

Delegates were stationed at a local hotel near the seafront in Brighton and therefore it was nice to be near the seaside during the summer.  It was nice to spend to evening having dinner in a local bistro and at the Brighton i360 – which is Europe’s tallest (450ft) moving platform in the sky. It was truly nice to see the view with a glass of champagne on a clear evening – from the city, and nearby hills, the pier and beachfront below, as well as the windfarm out in the sea to the south!

In Brighton, it was also nice to visit the Sea Life Centre with some great aquariums with sea creatures big and small.  I love seeing the jelly fishes with their features enhanced with the lighting.  It was humid that day so I didn’t want to stay too long as I had been at the conference for most of the earlier part of the day.  I have been to Brighton before and walking along the seafront, it was nice to observe life during the week with the shops, bars and general place to spend some fun time. I am likely to visit Brighton again one day and I hope to visit the South Downs too.

I was in London for most of the time and mainly working whilst outside we are having this “balmy summer”.  I have been mainly worrying about my plants and the lack of water as there is little rain.  I made an effort to get out and get on the London Underground despite the heat and having to travel into town (again) at the weekend. However, once I got to the Riverside I began to feel better and more excited to be in a part of London that is famous for leisurely walks and celebrations.  I went to the Royal Festival Hall for the 75th Anniversary of the first steel pan bands in the UK for a ticketed programme called Steel Plan Reimagined. It was 75 years ago that the Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra (TASSO) first played at the Festival Hall. It was really interesting to see and hear the history of the struggle of the steel pan – from the banning of drums in colonial time to the innovation of tambo bamboo instrument (musical songs made of bamboo) to the use of disused steel drum brought on by empty steel oil drums around 1920s in my homeland of Trinidad and Tobago.  Out of prohibition came the development of a 21st century instrument that is now recognised and played across the world. 

I am really proud to know how amazing the steel pan sounds in large orchestral bands moving through the streets and stages in Port of Spain as a child…to the celebrations here in London at Notting Hill Carnival to the Southbank.  The evening was also celebrating calypso, reggae, song, fusion music with classical instruments and dance. It was also great to see that the Southbank was a great venue to have this celebration for the community, visitors and tourists in the area.  There was also three days of free music on the riverside by other steel bands, from schools to the more accomplished London bands that you may see at the Notting Hill carnival.  The free concerts were busy around 6pm when I arrived and when I left the concert at around 9:30pm – there were still a lot of people enjoy the good weather and the vibes along the riverside.  I did take it all in as it reminded me of Carnival in Trinidad and there is a distinctive sound of the steel band filling the warm air across the riverside as I went along Hungerford Bridge.

I know that I like that these two outings were near some nicer parts of the UK but I guess with such hot weather, I am looking forward to being somewhere less urban and near water.  I spent the last weekend visiting family in Bedford but unfortunately did not get time to see the river – which I may have showcased on here already. I do hope we do not have sustained drought this summer – touch wood! I do look forward to the rest of the summer, with a some rain, and who knows… I may spend some time just relaxing this time near fresh air and water.

Another vintage year

Published on by Seema RampersadLeave a comment

I have had a lot of time in the last week to relax and enjoy time with family, friends and pets. On reflection at the year at this time of year, there has been a lot that happened in a professional level, and I made a conscious effort to find some time to see more of England. You can see from my previous blogs posts that I have been busy with professional activities and some fun and travel thrown in. This year was busier than expected, and little did I know that I would be unable to have lots of free time.

Some of the highlights are mentioned here for my own reminder of a year well-spent. 

It was also great to start the year visiting the Chanel exhibition at the V&A Museum.  The dresses on display were like works of art and the exhibition enlightened me on Chanel’s impact on design and fashion from the little black dress, ball gowns, trousers, and the classic suits she is famous for to this present day. I have recently visited the Medieval Women exhibition at the British Library, and this reminded me of women who have been doing fascinating innovative activities throughout time but whose stories are not always told.  For example, it was great to smell some of the scents made in the medieval ages that would not seem out of place in this current age.  There is definitely a deeper appreciation for those who have gone before us.

One of them was getting ready for a wedding in the family where I had my first away weekend for a hen party.  It seemed like ages ago but spending January doing fun things with family was a great start to the year.  In Birmingham, we looked at movies, danced, tried new drinks, had brunch and had a cake completion.  I do remember all the lovely pink theme items and even now when I wear my bright pink top – I still get compliments when I wear it and I feel oblige to say that I bought it for a hen party.  Fast forward a few months, and the wedding was also a lot of fun! It was great to spend time with family for a big occasion like an Italian-South African wedding with delicious food, good music, dancing in a lovely venue. 

I try to find a balance with work and life. This year I wanted to visit some places where I haven’t been before and they were Bournemouth, Dorset, Swanage, Shaftesbury and more recently Oxford and parts of the Cotswold.  I spent a few nights in the south coast in Spring where we were able to see a few coastal towns.  It was good to be by the seaside and get out of London.  I really loved seeing the Dorset countryside and the Jurassic coast. Durdle Door was such a busy place in lockdown that it made all the headlines and therefore I was able to add it to my list to see this year.  It was a natural geographic spectacular and I still find it amazing seeing people trekking across the steep cliff tops – they have my immense admiration! 

Recently, I also visited Oxford as I have never been – apart for a visit to Abingdon for a library resources supplier visit in the 2000s.  It was great to spend time around such a famous city and we made an extra effort to try some nice local restaurants such as Brassiere Blanc (not to be confused with the more exclusive Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons ) and The Ivy Brassiere.  The architecture and local areas were great to see.  We didn’t have time to do the world renown tour of the Oxford Colleges but it was nice to see the Bodleian Library and building along the city centre.  I do hope to visit for work related visits in the future so just taking in the sights and town were good on this occasion.  I also wanted to visit the surrounding area and thankfully the weather was great for driving to the picturesque village of Bibury and Cirencester which were in an area known as the Cotwolds. 

It is very pretty around there and although it was December – it was nice to see.  I imagine it will be more beautiful in summer when all the flowers are in bloom.  Cirencester was bigger town and obviously the residents looked more affluent and well-to-do.  There were great shops and a town square burst with activity for a Christmas market, festive choir and musical band as well as some street stalls. We were really pleased to fit in Bibury and Cirencester in the day and return to Oxford by sundown.  The Ivy Brassiere restaurant was really good and the food excellent with great atmosphere, décor and service.  I look forward to trying in 2025, the one in London as my recommended by my husband. There are still some places in England that I have to visit, and hopefully I can do that in the near future.   

The two other big trips to the University of Rhode Island, Boston and Italy were great.  SLA had a really great conference in Rhode Island – from the programming, the venue and grounds, to the attendees having a great time at the social and networking events.  The talks and presentations were certainly empowering, especially with regards to newer trends in Artificial Intelligence to best practice in various information systems showcased.  I met old friends and made some new ones along the way.  That part of the country is beautiful – and I am lucky to have a cousin who went out of her way to welcome me.  I was great spending time with family in the surrounding areas and visiting areas I was researching before my visit.  I am truly grateful for their time and efforts.  I hope I can do the same for them in future.

I had a few weeks of work on my return from the USA and then it exciting to visit Italy. In 2023, I was very busy being SLA President on top of my work and family life, so my reward to myself was to have a summer holiday in Italy this year. Looking back, it was such a great holiday to relax and observe life and the beauty under the Italian sunshine.  I am a little bias, and there is so much I find interesting when I visit Italy that I never get bored of visiting.  I am already planning my next summer visit to Italy or perhaps a city break. 

Without a doubt, I have been very busy with work and all the demands a busy schedule requires. On reflection, I  am thankful that all is fine for now.  I know that next month I will no longer be on the SLA Board – this has been an opportunity of a lifetime and therefore I have been fully commitment to my role and the cause.  I will gain some extra time in the new year, and will still be involved with SLA and SLA Europe in other roles and activities. I know the turn of new year will also be a busy time, but I will remind myself to take it each day at a time and look to the future with faith and belief that it will all work out in the end.  Touch wood!

Getaways – Finding some time for balance

Published on by Seema RampersadLeave a comment

As I have been busy on all fronts, I try to find time to rest, relax, do some fun things and go to out. The best thing about warmer weather is that it encourages you to go out to explore be it in the city or countryside. There are still parts of England I would like to see and pencilling time to have a break is essential for our wellbeing, enjoyment and peace of mind. I am pleased to say that this exactly what I did.

I went to Wales for an Intellectual Property Masterclass training course which I have been meaning to go to for a number of years.  It was good to visit Newport again, and this time we were based on the waterfront.  The train journey and the views were amazing. I also like that the IPO’s office is in a governmental complex in the same location as the Office of National Statistics (ONS).  These are two great governmental department that I have used many times in my career as an information professional. It was also very nice to meet other partners from other locations in the UK.  I didn’t venture to Cardiff as I did last time but it was good to see some towns (e.g. Bath Spa) in the train journey that I hope to visit another time.

I have planned a more relaxing getaway in a seaside town but it was reliant on good weather. Luckily the weather was okay for a trip at the end of May to Bournemouth. I have been before but it was a cold windy day to be on a beach.  The weather was nice and it was a pleasant time to get out of London – which can be claustrophobic if you stay here all the time.  It took about three hours to get there with clear traffic and I can certainly visit again especially if the weather is guaranteed to be good. Bournemouth had a nice seaside but liveable vibe about it and I liked the sandy beaches.  I obviously made the most of the views and one of their best restaurants down there. I like looking at the homes and the spaces they have and therefore the drive and country roads are also interesting whilst down there.

We were on the Dorset coast and the first time I heard about the region was whilst studying Thomas Hardy’s poems.  So it was interesting being in Hardy country.  Our book actually had an image of the hedgerows and therefore it was truly interesting visit World Heritage site Lulworth Cove (better known as Durdle Door) and Jurassic Coast. The drive was along rural roads to country lanes, and therefore there were some nice sites to see along the way.  Durdle Door was really impressive and one of the best social media attractions in the Covid years and therefore I found out about it when most people were visiting it then.  The coast is amazing to see and I admired the persons doing the cliff walk on such a really windy day.  You really have to be fit and wear the right clothes and gear to do these extraordinary cliff walks.

We stopped for a few hours in Shaftesbury on the way back to London.  I have seen beautiful photos of the town over the years and it known for being the famous location in Gold Hill for a Hovis Bread advert.  Apparently, the advert showed people with a Yorkshire accent but obviously the setting was in Shaftesbury.  The drive to Shaftesbury was interesting and seemed popular with local people for the hilly roads, bends and turns!!  It was nice to take some photos on Gold Hill and have a wander around for a little while.  The Friar’s church was good to see with the views over the rolling hills – which were truly beautiful and picture perfect. 

This was a short break outside of London but closer to work and home – I had some other outings.  I attended a celebration of SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) at Small Business Research and Enterprise Centre (SBREC) – previously known as the City Business Library.  I have been visiting this library since the 1990s and it is great to see that they are still around.  It is great that they are funded and based in the Corporation of London. In a right reflection to the city, it was a pleasure to spend their celebratory event in an old Roman Amphitheatre whilst networking to jazz music from the London Guildhall School. In my past role and currently, we have supported each other for providing research and business support for users.  Most frequently, we have been cross-referring to SBREC as we navigate our cyber-attack recovery.  It was great to hear about their current strategy for business in the city and best wishes to SBREC and their staff!

The E17 Art Trail was back aging in June, which celebrates and showcases local artist, arts, crafts and designs. I made time to visit some of the locations in my neighbourhood with a friend who was displaying her artwork in a florist and also checked out the art studios and venues in the vicinity.  It was nice to see some of the regenerated areas of Walthamstow and how new businesses are repurposing old and new spaces.  There was an established artist space for an exhibition and newer multifunctional spaces such as an indoor climbing wall – which in itself looked like art with the multicoloured climbing wall.  The venue also had co-working spaces, a gym, café and family activities.  It is great that this has evolved in this area and it was a great use of space as well as building communities around these activities.

I guess you know by now that I like gardens and plants.  It was really good to take some walks around the neighbourhood for longer spells or just for my routine walks.  I was planning on visiting a garden in East Grinstead today but I had to change my plans.  However, I still have so lovely photos here of the community gardening in a local church and some of the nice plants in the front gardens in my neighbourhood. 

A David Gurteen Knowledge Café at Ipsos was another event I made time for recently.  It was in the lovely St Katherine Docks in London.  I held a birthday party there once and it had lovely memories for me.  It was nice to finally attend David’s café and be inspired but the discussions, meeting new people and seeing a venue and host in town.  Ipsos presented some interesting and provocative insights on Demography and Politics in their ‘Ipsos 2024 Generations’ report. The discussion was interesting to hear how the world population figures are being predicted and the impact it may have our own lives and resources.  I also live the concept of the Knowledge Café (having hosted one with David at London City Hall and at the British Library).  I hope we continue to use these café in-person to share our knowledge, insights and make new connections.  Over a decade ago, I met someone at one of these cafés who became a friend who then frequently met me at the British Library, presented a session at City Hall for me and even played in the Notting Hill Carnival with me. This friend passed away about three years ago.  So sometimes something as easily accessible as this can have deeper meanings. 

I am likely to be a bit busy the next couple of months with work, conference and family.  I hope to be able to spend some time balancing all these commitments.  Life is short and therefore we have to do everything in moderation but I will certainly make time for balance.