This week is the only week I am working during July, as I was at the SRP Annual Conference all week last week and I am on leave for the next two weeks. Therefore I have a narrow window to write this month’s blog. And it being July there is lots happening. 

Mr H is on wind down along with the kids as they all finish for the summer holidays, whereas I am under major stress to get everything covered for two weeks as my colleagues will have to continue to do my work while I am away, unlike schools who all take holiday at the same time.

The little one is about to turn 7, so she had her traditional early birthday party the day after I got back from the conference, as her actual birthday is a few days into the school holidays. She requested a Frozen 2 cake and while Mr H and the girls did the actual baking, I was in charge of decoration. Here is Phoebe with her cake. She had a small number of friends around for a garden play date and they had a whale of a time playing on the trampoline, hide and seek and a few games of musical chairs, bumps and statues. 

The eldest is leaving primary school which is something to be celebrated but COVID has stopped the usual leavers’ assembly, so we had a video instead. The photos of the whole class from when they started school to this year, were enough to make anyone cry. 

Her new uniform arrived this week as well and the blazer is a little too big, but Mr H reassured her that every Year 7 has to have a massive blazer with room to grow into. She isn’t convinced…

I can’t write a blog for July and not mention the SRP Annual Conference. It was EPIC! Yes, there were learning opportunities with the technology but the COVID controls were implemented well and while we were all a little unsure to start with on how things would work, we soon settled into it. There were some really interesting presentations in lots of different sectors of RP, we celebrated 10years (+1) of the RGG and selected the next UK representative for the Young Professionals Award at the IRPA European Congress in May 2022. Jim Thurston has taken on the mantle of SRP President and has exciting plans to renew the SRP Strategic Plan, as well as continuing the key themes Pete Bryant set out when he took on the role 2 years ago. 
The new look SRP website went live during the conference – click the link to see the improved version  Welcome - The Society for Radiological Protection - SRP (srp-uk.org) and Radiation Protection Today, the new SRP magazine, was officially launched. You should have got your copy with your printed Journal of Radiological Protection and here is a link to the fancy electronic version where you can get longer versions of some of the articles and more interactive bits Radiation Protection Today Summer 2021 (srp-rpt.uk).

From a personal point of view, the Sellafield Ltd group got there and back in one piece, without losing anyone, which was my big worry. I also enjoyed being involved in the assessment of some of the awards at the conference and chairing one of the conference sessions. The Annual Dinner was a little different, as there were smaller tables and no dancing, but we still got to celebrate the SRP Awards for 2020 as well as 2021. A certain football match was also included at the last minute, but if we had thought about that too far in advance England wouldn’t have got that far in the competition. Plans are starting for next year’s conference, 5th to 7th April in Llandudno, so put it in your diaries now.

We are off camping while I am on leave so by the time you all read this I will be sitting in a tent, having a barbecue and enjoying a well-deserved Gin and Tonic. 

Happy summer!

You can get in touch on the usual details.

Jennifer Humphries
SRP Director of Engagement
Twitter - @jenkhumphries
Email - Engagement@srp-uk.org