Walking Thoughts

  She wrapped her thin coat around her tightly against the chill in the morning air. It was a dull day with a little frost on the street. She walked through the neat rose of houses built for heroes And still knew and well kept by their proud owners. Past neighbours she knew and had known since their days in Saint pancreas towards the new refurbished underground station. It wasn’t overground underground until it arrived in London. Here in Dagenham Essex, everything was so much more rural and it was the best place for her sister’s health. Yeah, I felt sharp on her breath when she proved it into her lungs like ice crystals hanging in the air. The sound of her feet in her new shine shoes tapping on the pavement. It was still quiet at the station, but busy on the porters were friendly. The platform offered a little more shelter from the cold.

  Featured in  episode 56  of the  Changing Construction  podcast, where she discusses the nuances between carbon-neutral and net-zero, misconceptions in climate frameworks, and the proactive role of the built environment . Strong background in  creative problem‑solving, process engineering, digitalization , and  operational optimization through technology and data-driven approaches . Passionate about mentoring engineering teams and bridging commercial and environmental sustainability goals .

  Leaving on Principle: Why I Walked Away—Twice Over the past few years, I’ve made the difficult decision to leave two roles—both for reasons rooted not in performance or ambition, but in principle. In one role, I discovered I’d been lied to. As someone who tries to live by Quaker values, truthfulness is not just a nice-to-have—it’s foundational. Once trust is broken, it’s not something I can overlook. In another role, I witnessed behaviour that conflicted with basic respect and empathy. I joined a support space for carers expecting compassion and solidarity. Instead, I experienced judgment and misinformation around my child’s medical condition—an autoimmune disease that is not caused by diet, and is a lifelong loving privilege to support and manage. When a space meant for support becomes emotionally unsafe, it does more harm than good and becomes impossible to contribute meaningfully to. I don't take these decisions lightly. I know what it means to show up, to contribute, to persi...

  Today’s theme is  friends —and for me, that word carries a very special meaning. My mum was a Quaker, part of the Religious Society of Friends. Her life was rooted in peace, simplicity, kindness and community. She believed in listening deeply, living truthfully, and being there for others in quiet, steadfast ways. That’s what friendship meant to her: not just companionship, but care in action. In the final weeks of her life, I was supported by a close friend in caring for her. Tthe pancreatic tumour caused diabetes and, Just as I do now with my type 1 son, I had the loving privilege of supporting her with finger-pricking, the blood sugar checks, and the insulin injections. So today, as I take these steps for Diabetes UK, I walk for her. I walk for the friends and families who give care in kitchens and living rooms across the country. For the mum’s up all night with hypos, For the friend s walking with you to Support you in recovering your physical health and those supporting...

  CORE PROFILE 29 years’ experience  in engineering, asset management, and environmental consultancy Chartered Process Engineer with  PhD in Process Engineering Delivered £12M nitrate treatment, £250M capital plan, and £75M efficiencies Proven track record with  Anglian Water and @one Alliance Combines  technical, commercial, and sustainability leadership 🔹 KEY STRENGTHS Area Examples From Experience Solution Development Delivered digital maintenance strategy using telemetry, achieving £75M savings Programme Management Supported WINEP planning and CMA enhancement submissions Data & Root Cause Analysis Delivered computational modelling to optimise wastewater treatment options Sustainability (PAS 2080) Developed low-carbon solutions; embedded GHG inventories and reuse strategies Stakeholder Engagement Secured buy-in from ops & execs with costed proposals; trained operational staff Commercial Insight Delivered Opex savings from £400M spend; capex/WLC analy...

  Why do you want this role? Key Messages: Passion for delivering environmental and operational outcomes. Deep alignment with Anglian Water’s purpose and experience within @one Alliance culture. Ready to return to a collaborative delivery environment after gaining external consultancy experience. Example Response: “This role combines everything I value in project work — innovation, sustainability, and cross-functional collaboration. Having spent 18 years with Anglian Water, including at the inception of the @one Alliance, I understand its unique culture and delivery model. I’m excited to return and apply my broadened strategic and consultancy experience to continue delivering capital efficiencies and low-carbon solutions.” 🔹  2. Describe a time you developed a successful project solution. Key Competency:  Solution Development, Stakeholder Engagement Example Response: “At Anglian Water, I led the development of a digital maintenance strategy for sewage pumping stations us...

  Dr Torill Bigg, CEng MIChemE 07563 200 117 TorillBigg@live.co.uk LinkedIn Profile [Date] Recruitment Team @one Alliance Anglian Water Dear Recruitment Team, I am writing to express my interest in the position of  Project Solutions Manager  within the @one Alliance. With over 29 years of experience across engineering, asset management, and environmental consultancy — including 18 years at Anglian Water — I bring a deep understanding of solution development, cross-functional collaboration, and outcome-driven project delivery in the water sector. In my former role as  Project Manager for Performance and Risk  at Anglian Water, I delivered over  £75 million in efficiency gains  through the design and regional implementation of digital processes informed by real-time telemetry data. My leadership was instrumental in developing maintenance standards that enhanced asset serviceability, compliance, and operational effectiveness across a diverse portfolio inc...

  examples: ✅  1. Leading Solution Development and Stakeholder Collaboration Job Requirement: Lead the development of project solutions. Engage with project teams and stakeholders to facilitate acceptance of preferred solutions. Your Experience: At  Anglian Water , you developed and implemented maintenance standards and digital processes informed by telemetry for pumping stations and treatment assets. Delivered  £12M of nitrate treatment processes  and influenced senior management with  evidenced and costed reporting and presentations . Facilitated  collaboration across compliance, regulation, and operations  to deliver a £250M investment plan. Example Statement: “Led the development of digital maintenance solutions and nitrate treatment strategies, engaging operational teams and senior stakeholders to secure buy-in and implementation across the region.” ✅  2. Programme and Project Management Job Requirement: Develop Solutions Stage project p...

 While I was at walking yesterday, I found it very healing and allowing me to process my trauma. It Occurred to me that instead of suggesting going to university Childline should have suggested processing and healing of the trauma. Going to university means moving to an an Inner  city area which is far from nature. That means taking on a course, engaging in a busy social life. These aren’t conducive to healing from the trauma. For three years, you are cold and hungry and afraid. There’s a lot of threats and hazards as you walk home late at night from the library as a young woman alone on the street. You can’t afford buses or taxis and you can’t afford to live in halls. Male students chat you up and try and pick you up which is exactly the opposite of what you need to heal. It was just not the right place for Childline to suggest a person should go to heal from trauma. Let it alone in the route to getting there; Five years of sleeping with a paedophile in order to have accommod...

  Here are tailored interview questions for your interview with  MWH (now part of Stantec) , one of the @one alliance partners with  Anglian Water . These questions show your interest in the alliance's collaborative model, sustainability goals, and project delivery approach: 🔹  About the Alliance and Collaboration How does MWH’s approach to collaboration differ within the @one Alliance compared to standalone projects? What does a successful partnership look like within the @one Alliance, and how is that measured? How are cross-organisational teams integrated to ensure seamless project delivery? How does MWH balance its own corporate objectives with the shared goals of the @one Alliance? 🔹  Project Delivery and Innovation Can you walk me through how the Design and Build model is implemented within MWH’s work with the Alliance? What role does digital engineering (e.g., BIM, digital twins) play in MWH’s current projects with Anglian Water? How do you incorporate ...

 0613 Wake up naturally. Spend time scrolling playing iPad games doing my banking and social media. 0854 Make a plan for the day. Today I plan to take a two hour walk and get the grocery shopping in and have a meeting with my health coach. I expect to hear from a recruiter about a job opportunity at some point during the day too . The plan is approximately 0930 breakfast  1000 Brain training 1100 walk 1300  shower *13:05* receive and accept invite to interview!!! 13:15 lunch 1400 health coach 1430 grocery shopping and spend time with my child. 1600 write an article about a peaceful place

  Week 1 37000 Week 2 43000 Week 3 51000 Week 4 65000 +

  What is now an SSSI, Cribbs Meadow, was once the site of a historic boxing match in 1811 between Tom Cribb, England’s “champion of champions” and Tom Molineax, knew a former slave dubbed “the champion of America”. It was attended by 15,000 spectators. Tom Cribb was 40 and had already retired once Tom Mullen was younger. He had been born into slavery in Virginia in 1784. He fought his way to freedom and made his way to New York City around 1804. He sailed to England in 1809 “in quest of glory and renown”. Cribb defeated Mulan you in the 11th round of a rematch here to retain his title after 19 minutes and 10 seconds. That is about the time it takes to walk 1 mile.

  0500 I wake up, but I stay in bed. I can stay two or three hours if I want to. No work! I Check my son’s glucose levels , read emails, social media, The news, Check my bank account, Plan meals, Place an order for groceries, Online shopping, Make digital art, Create videos and post them on YouTube Or share them with friends, Write articles and keep a blog. 0700 I get up. I put the kettle on. If it’s school day, I make my son a packed lunch. I load or unload the dishwasher, I load the washing machine, then put anything that needs going on the line out on the line to dry or air. I drink tea, learn a language, Learn music or chess, Chat with my child. I do some more social media and iPad games Well, I keep my son company until he leaves for the bus. 0745 I go out. I walk 2 miles. I take photographs. I identify birds. A process my thoughts. I get fitter with the exercise. Sometimes I encounter people briefly and have a short conversation. 0830 I come home. I put out the rubbish and th...

  July  Summary Week 1 - 18th to 24th - 6 units F 18 - 0 S 19 - 0 S 20 - 0  M 21 - 2 T 22 - 1.3 W 23 - 1.3 T 24 - 1.3 F 25 25

  From Hamsters to Hybrid Teams: Why I Understand the Real Need for Pet Sitting I didn’t grow up with holidays. Or travel. Or even the idea of packing a suitcase. But I did grow up with a house full of animals and a fascination for exploring the natural world. The OG were Tate and Lyle - the cats my parents had before they had children, so sweet they were named after sugar. Two "female" hamsters from the local pet shop followed. One morning, we had eight. (Biology it seems is not always a strong point of small-town pet shops.) Over the years we added a school rabbit, a rescue cat named Matthew, some mysterious guinea pigs, and a birthday budgie. By the time I was a teenager, I was working at a local vet practice and living in a house with 13 cats. We never went on holiday, so finding someone to care for our animals was never a concern. Fast-forward to my career in technical leadership with a big fat emphasis on driving inbound leads through engaging writing that demonstrated ...

  Cunliffe says: “nutrient pollution from farming can damage water body health by causing algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and habitat destruction. The River Wye is an example of this, where over 70% of excess nutrients and sediment in the English stretch of the river have been identified as entering from agricultural land. “The water industry is the sector with the second most significant impact on water quality. Urban and transport sectors are the third highest sector of impact.”  

  The Red Arrows have been flying at a popular air show with fuel made of vegetable oil. The  RIAT event  at the Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Fairford, Gloucestershire, is currently under way and celebrating its 40th anniversary, with planes showcased from across Europe. The RAF's Red Arrows are flying on all three days, with 35% of their fuel being sustainable, which includes hydrotreated vegetable oil. Discussing the use of sustainable fuel, senior engineering officer of the RAF Red Arrows Andy King, said: "As we scale production and that increases, what you actually get is the costs come down and you become more self-sufficient as a country." He added that using the fuel could provide an "added operational resilience" if the UK entered into conflict with "countries to the east". "We'd be no longer be reliant on their fuel," he said. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to visit the major aviation event, which started on Friday...

  Aqua Innovative and emerging technologies to meet resource and financial restrictions Remote Tell me Remote operation of a scientific team Leading Authority Scientific expertise Fully Remote Angling water Innovation Research development Digital conversion Remote work across widely geographically dispersed team

  20 years ago when I first did my leadership training (I have updated it with a new course since) We were taught the concept of rational lies. This is essentially when you tell yourself that you can’t do something for a reason that sounds plausible. It was taught to us as a bad thing, a motivation stealer. However, since I started walking to raise money for charities important to me - the pancreatic cancer that took my mother far too young and far too fast, And the diabetes which changed mine and my son‘s life forever - I have found that rational lies are a helpful motivator. Today I was asked by another walker what they can do to motivate themselves as they were getting behind in their steps. I thought on this during my morning walk. And the answer is rational lies. On days when I don’t want to get up, let alone dressed I tell myself that I will only walk down the street. That’s maybe one minute. Having got there I might walk as far as the shop. That is three minutes. Throughout ...

  My Life Story: A Guided Writing Template Chapter 1: Where I Come From Theme: Origins & Early Impressions What I remember most vividly about my early childhood: People who raised me and their influence: The atmosphere of my childhood home (sights, sounds, smells): Optional Prompt: “The first place I ever felt safe (or unsafe) was…” Chapter 2: Becoming Me Theme: Identity, Labels, and Longing How I saw myself as a child/teen: Times I felt different, unseen, or unsure of who I was: Labels or roles I was given (and how I felt about them): Optional Prompt: “For a long time, I thought I was supposed to be…” Chapter 3: Cracks in the Foundation Theme: Loss, Disruption, and Change A memory of when something important broke, ended, or shifted: Who or what helped me survive that time: What that hardship revealed about me or the world: Optional Prompt: “I became someone different the day that…” Chapter 4: Love, Trust, and Connection Theme: Relationships That Shaped Me People who deeply im...