Last week's celebrations to mark the bi-centenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale really were fantastic and it was a joy to be able to be at the Abbey for the dedication of the new calling window. It was a shame to be in the rain for the commemoration and wreath laying at Wellow Church, especially given that the sun had really shone for the Awbridge fete the previous day.
This week I have hosted an event for the Migraine Trust in Parliament, hearing about the still patchy awareness of the condition and the loss to the economy for those who miss time off work due to inadequate treatments. I know full well how differently people can experience migraine, and that what works for one does not work for everyone. I used to have to take betablockers for mine, but couldn't bear the side effects of them, so have experimented with some massively different treatments over time. The Migraine Trust are doing some brilliant work on this and great to be able to do a bit to support them.
I have also been with Vodafone and other leading tech businesses talking about diversity in the workplace, how we encourage women returners back into work after career breaks, and what more needs to be done to support disabled employees into work. There are some great examples of companies that are striving to put in place not just policies but practical solutions to help build a more diverse workforce, recognising that it not only helps people but helps their businesses as well.
