Great day

Up at 05:30 and off to Head Office an hour later. Great journey; made it in two hours - not bad for a big lump of M25 and then the northbound M1!

The gig was the OU's Offender Learning Conference and this was the biggest we've arranged so far - people from the university and from partner agencies working in prisons as well as the prison service were there. Our VC did his usual, and amazing, dynamo welcome and we talked about what is happening in prison education (at all levels) in the face of recent changes. The keynote speaker was an OU honourary graduate - Terry Waite. He started by apologising for having to be seated for his speech as he's just had an operation but, frankly, anyone who has spent nearly four years chained to a wall without seeing anyone and without a book or writing materials can sit as long as he needs as far as I'm concerned; I think he's earned that.

The workshops got great reviews (I was working in one so didn't see the others) and the panel discussion teased out some interesting stuff about partnership working in the face of the recent changes in OLASS provision and the cuts we all face.

Now I'm doing beer because I'm worth it.

The image is the OU logo over the entrance to the Berrill building, the main entrance to the university for visitors. As an OU graduate this will always be special and I'm one of many people who is proud to work for "my" university - a great day :-)