I am not sure you can get more of a contrast than last week's Ethelflaeda Festival lecture and this week's Nomads performance at Woodley Village Hall. But one was very enjoyable and I am sure the other one will be this weekend. I love going to Nomads performances, they are just so much fun, although as this one is a murder mystery so perhaps not the usual laughter.
It has been a serious week, with work on the Levelling Up Bill and an evidence session for my Select Committee on sexual assault and harassment in the NHS. It is just miserable - hearing accounts of male dominated sectors where women are facing abuse in terrifying numbers but are too scared to report, out of fear for their own careers. I have heard too much of that this week, and victim blaming and shaming remains rife.
But I did enjoy catching up with the Hants and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on Wednesday morning, to discuss chalk streams. Hampshire has 85% of the world's chalk streams and it was a fascinating discussion about the unique biodiversity of our local rivers.
It is also National Lorry Week 2023, which I have marked with Meachers Transport locally. It was great to visit their headquarters in Nursling and hear about the work they have done to make sure the fleet is as green as possible. It is not easy when vehicles have to travel huge distances with large loads to find alternatives to diesel, but they have always been early adopters of the latest vehicles to minimise the impact of them.
