Herbs and Things

I was lucky enough to be able to attend some of the NIMH conference at Crewe Hall hotel a couple of weeks ago. I attended on the Friday which is when all the new members are sworn in, the student awards and (existing member) fellowships are presented and the AGM is held. I didn't actually get sworn in because my paperwork hadn't been processed through in time (the CRB check came through after the last minute) so I'll be swearing the oath in front of a Justice of the Peace which is going to be a whole different blogg post! When I arrived you registered first and got handed a goodie bag with all the literature for the conference and a set of 10ml sample bottles of the whole Salus range (they do Floradix) http://www.salusuk.com/  and  two boxes of teabags from Heath and Heather http://www.heathandheather.co. uk/ , I got Echinacea & Lavender and Sage & Lemon Myrtle. All the new people were segregated off into a little receiving room where we could have tea

I went to the CPP conference for the first time this year. It is also the first year the venue has been at London House. This building is part of Goodenough College and is near the Russell Street tube station. The building is lovely, what I saw of it anyway. Oak panelling on the walls in some rooms, marble floors and walls in the entrances and reception rooms. In the refectory/cafeteria/eating space the wood panelling was up to about 2 feet below the ceiling with what looked like coats of arms around the walls/ceiling and lots of portraits of people on the walls. (I assume Deans or Headmasters) The conference started at 09.30 and I arrived about 10 minutes later while people were still arriving. This was the meet, greet, get tea and pick up your name badge portion of the proceedings. I met Pamela Bull who is amazing, I swear if anything happened to her the CPP would just fall apart at the seams! We got settled and the Chair introduced the first speaker Dr Dick Middleton who was talki