STAFF GROUP
A knit and a natter by Vanessa Osborne, senior dietitian (community)
We’re a sociable bunch here in the nutrition and dietetics department. We’re a family and, as families do, we like to share with one another. But sharing our experiences and skills doesn’t stop at the clinical setting – we share and teach each other fun skills too! Many moons ago, back in 2019, we set up a ‘lunch club’ where we gathered over lunch once a month to have some fun. We shared our talents, our passions, our pastimes with one another. As a team, we learned how to cook a perfect Spanish tortilla, learned how to best look after indoor plants, how to meditate and shared our favourite books with one another – even going so far as to set up a little library in our break area. The themes are all chosen based on people’s interests so it’s a really good way of getting to know more about what someone enjoys. It’s lovely to hear about our colleagues’ hobbies and if you learn a thing or two, well, it’s a bonus.
Our lunch clubs have been a really fun addition to the working day. They can help to be that break away from work, taking your mind off your busy schedule, even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes. A personal highlight of mine was learning how to knit. I’d never considered learning this before, not until I was at least 60-years-old anyway. Now, it’s a skill I’ll likely continue for the rest of my life. I found it very challenging to begin with but I stuck with it, leaning on my pals at work for support and guidance. Since then I’ve knitted loads of things – from clothes for my baby nieces, even a hat for my husband. But recently, I used this new skill to knit a little dietitian for my team leader for her secret Santa present. (Shh!) We’d been a little short-staffed and all she wanted for Christmas was another dietitian. Being able to make this gift brought me a lot of joy and was the perfect way of giving back to my little work family. 15.
