Very grateful for the NHS and staff within, today I had to go in for something unpleasant and they were all kindness personified.

A little personal update 🌿 I’ve become a #TropicAmbassador because it feels so aligned with my work around kindness, wellbeing and sustainable self-care. For me, skincare can be a small ritual of self-kindness, a pause, a reminder that we matter too. tropicskincare.com/pages/helenr...

Yesterday I ran a wonderful session for Ulster University library services. This is my fave post it about what is good ....

The next 3 weeks are going to be busy with in person training, birthdays, Empower and starting some regular paid work to give some stability. It's tough freelancing at the moment.

Lovely HE friends my friend Nicky is doing a PhD in Compassion and is looking for HE people to interview. More details here - app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/chichester...

In the old days, good writers got famous for selling books. Nowadays, bad writers sell books by being famous.

HE keeps saying it values care and compassion, yet people are left carrying fear, loss and exhaustion after every round of cuts. I wrote this about what happens after restructures end, when organisational trauma quietly settles in, and why repair cannot wait. www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-c...

Feeling a bit meh about being back at work? I am running my Uncover your purpose group coaching starting 13th Jan for 5 weeks - share.google/DFBwuqmZfWCh... (Free to Empower members - you can join for £19.99 a month)

So I'm asking for help now. Do you have a story or initiative about Queers and Libraries that you'd like in the book? Let me know! FYI, they don't have to be positive if that doesn't reflect your experience. forms.office.com/e/SRh70ukEeN 1/2

Been busy adding some group coaching, training amd forums to Empower. It's looking like an exciting year ahead. I've set a goal of one new organisation and 10 new individuals a month joining...

They seem to have left The Kindness Toolkit off this list ... but it is going to spread kindness even further isn't [email protected] ?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2e6nw1w40o

I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite

For Christmas i have been gifted an anyibiotic resistant infection deep inside my wound that won't heal from the surgery I had in October.

Busy Empower day today - community call for members at 1 and workshop on Human Advantage - advocating for libraries in AI age. Empower members sign up inside the community and non-members can come to the workshop here - share.google/sUH72r5eIQlW...

I thought the earlier news from A&M was bad, but this is incredibly bleak. It’s close to the point of not having a functional university.

Enjoying the Sussex Kindness Research Centre Symposium with Janet Leighton from Timpsons. It is fantastic to hear their approach, their vision and that they get that kind culture and cash in the bank go hand in hand.

As Kindness Week is coming to an end, reflect on kindness in the workplace and libraries with Helen Rimmer's latest article🌎💙 https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/article-detail/kindness-as-cultural-infrastructure/

i fully agree with this theory and in my actual field, british architectural history, The Problem is that Salisbury Cathedral is built on top of a lake and no i am not exaggerating

Pre-recorded talks all live today and tomorrow a day of live kindness. I think this is my Christmas! Get your tickets and watch today and tomorrow... kindnessunites2025.heysummit.com

Last few days to get tickets for The Kindness Unites global summit. Pay it forward tickets still available... share.google/bsePGZocRnWu...

The fun starts today! Join the 12 Days of Kindness, small, joyful acts leading up to World Kindness Day (13 Nov). Download your free Kindness Bingo and help create a ripple of compassion around the world. kindnessunites.co.uk/kindnessbing... #KindnessUnites #12DaysofKindness #WorldKindnessDay

We know times are tight, many of our speakers have agreed to turn their honorarium into pay it forward ticket. So if you have been thinking of coming but money is tight please use them. Kindness Unites 2025 share.google/6vHETcNE7196...

#ProofOfCat They have been very attentive throughout the last month of rollercoaster hospital visits.

3 weeks post op and still daily nurse trips but slept better yesterday so hopefully the light is at end of tunnel.

Join us on 5 November 2025 at 9–10am UTC for Wayfinders #6. "Diamond OA communities-of-practice in action" will dispel myths and explore the facets and features of diamond open access: bit.ly/47CAwla With Femi Arogundade, @jbuggle.bsky.social, @creaght.bsky.social & Malavika Legge. #OA #OpenAccess

Sorry I refuse to entertain the complete non-existent world where white people don’t know that countless cultures, including some of their own but certainly diasporic racialized ones, call their mom’s cousin’s friend’s sister they grew up with “cousin” and call close women elders “aunt/auntie”

3 hours this time. I was exhausted, glad I have a week's worth of gp nurse appointments this week.

The tip to get to Urgent treatment early on a Sunday is not so helpful when the world and his wife has also arrived early. Last week was in and out in an hour. Week before 2.5 (but arrived at 11:30). Wonder how long today... but very very grateful for the NHS!

Solidarity with all the other parents woken at 4:30 this morning...

British Library staff are out on strike from Monday 27 October until Sunday 9 November over pay: please do not undermine their action by attending this exhibition (or any other events at the BL) during that time. www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...

I wrote about organisational trauma on my substack, partly because I see the impact daily but also because this is what is happening in HE, as a sector we need to acknowledge the trauma being inflicted, the systems, teams and individuals absorbing it. share.google/08MVH7rBkiTa...

What #animal related kindness examples do you have? #kindness isn’t just restricted to people. Last week someone shared a story of how they had always been drawn to helping animals. This prompted someone else to talk about a time when their younger sister had saved a bee from a puddle by […]

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Greg Newby, who led Project Gutenberg ( @gutenberg.org ) with passion and purpose. Greg’s belief in free and open access to knowledge continues to inspire us and so many others working to preserve our shared culture online. gutenberg.org/about/newby....

Looking forward to delivering my coach like a leader session today for Empower and my Meetings that Work session tomorrow then half term break.

Yesterday we had our monthly evening connection call for Empower, members from US, New Zealand and UK all joined, sharing shared and unique challenges and successes. It was wonderful.

Kindness Unites 2025 12–13 Nov | Online Two days of connection, courage & compassion at work. Inspiring speakers, honest conversations & practical tools for kinder leadership. Tickets from £9.99 kindnessunites2025.heysummit.com #KindnessUnites2025 #KindnessAtWork #Leadership #Wellbeing

ooh my next book is on The Facet Website to pre-order www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/...

We used to be a country

Really looking forward to this week in Empower - leadership space and then Coach as a leader session on Wednesday, meetings that work on Thursday and two community calls. Pop along here and see what is happening- www.empowerlibraryskills.com/home

Z has first PE lesson today. Very excited. Very different to his brother (or parents).

Consultation on proposed rate per loan for the 2024-2025 Public Lending Right (PLR) www.gov.uk/government/c... deadline 6pm 7 Nov 2025. A great way for librarians & authors to support each other

How do you recover from surgery. I watch a lot of medical dramas.

Running my burnout coaching for Empower this morning - have checked myself as still recovering but am up to it. It is a powerful experience doing group coaching, something I am passionate can support others.

Challenge for everyone- in every meeting ask "what are we avoiding here?" Ask it of yourselves to.

I have encountered so much kindness over the past week from NHS staff. So busy but gave me care and time, held my hand when I needed it and never made me feel unimportant. Until the receptionist at the wound dressing appointment yesterday. A masterclass in uncompassionate customer service.

This past fortnight has been a lot. I think my body has finally seen off infection (with the help of surgery) and hopefully each day will be easier. Thankful to E's best friend's parents who are taking both boys tomorrow for a bit. Z is an extrovert like me and not socialising has been torture.

As well as all the awesome CPD it is the community connections which bring me most joy in Empower. This thread on books keeps growing and is connecting people across the ocean.

RIP Peter Hall, legendary local winemaker share.google/3YCWz9Gvyjk1...

You know you have good friends when they let themselves in, make you tea (and themselves) and bring biscuits because you are in too much pain to get up the sofa. Always grateful NCT brought Jenny and Emily into my life.