A Record-Breaking Blend of Learning, Laughter and Tea! ☕✨
The much-anticipated West Mid Trainers’ Residential returned to the magnificent Cumberland Lodge on Friday, 14th November 2025 – and what a brew of a day it was! With an incredible 54 trainers attending throughout, this was our most well-attended trainers’ residential yet. The room was overflowing with warmth, curiosity and that unmistakable sense of community that makes our scheme so special.
It was heartening to see how our trainer community continues to flourish year on year. The collective energy, camaraderie and shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of GPs created an atmosphere that was as uplifting as it was inspiring. Truly, the perfect blend.
☕ Tea, the NHS, and the Art of Supervision
We were once again delighted to welcome Dr Giskin Day, who opened the morning with a beautifully brewed exploration of tea in the NHS – not just the beverage itself, but the cultural, historical and human meaning wrapped around it.
From stories of tea once being served in NHS waiting rooms, to reflections on how tea breaks have quietly faded from clinical spaces, Giskin invited us to consider what we may have lost along the way. Far from being “idleness”, moments of shared tea historically offered comfort, connection, reflection, and a sense of humanity. Their gradual disappearance tells us something meaningful about how organisational values have shifted – and how morale and collegiality may have shifted with them.
It was fascinating to hear trainers compare experiences across practices:
• some still proudly maintain dedicated tea rounds, seeing them as acts of gratitude, love and grounding
• others have watched them dwindle through busyness, health concerns or “efficiency”
• many reflected on how these small rituals once shaped the fabric of teamwork and trainee support
The message was clear: while tea cannot solve the NHS’s many challenges, its symbolism is powerful. A shared brew can be a marker of connection, reflection and psychological safety – all vital ingredients for training.
Staying with the metaphor, Giskin then invited us to create our own tea blends for good supervision. Trainers crafted imaginative recipes, capturing the values and qualities they believe create the perfect educational infusion. These creative contributions have now been brought together in Curated Teachings: The Brewbook, a delightful memento of our collective learning (access below).
There was something truly special about the relaxed tea breaks, informal conversations and shared laughter woven through the morning. It reminded us how important it is to pause, connect and recharge together.
🎲 Playful Learning in Practice – Introducing the SUPERvisionary Game
After lunch, we shifted gears and turned theory into playful practice. Led by Dr Nadeem Ahmed, the afternoon introduced the brand-new SUPERvisionary card game – a tool designed to help trainers explore, recognise and stretch their supervisory styles.
Using real-world scenarios, trainers were challenged to:
• identify habitual patterns in their supervision and debriefing
• experiment with alternative approaches
• examine the benefits and trade-offs different styles offer in trainee-specific situations
• reflect on the impact of flexing and adapting their method
The room buzzed with creativity, insight and the occasional competitive glint as trainers embraced the task with enthusiasm. It was uplifting to see playful learning at its best – sparking reflection, deepening self-awareness and encouraging trainers to stretch their educational muscles in new directions.
This session captured the spirit of why we gather each year: to grow, to connect, to experiment and to strengthen our shared practice.
🤝 A Warm, United Community
Across the day – and indeed over the whole residential – what shone through was the unity, generosity and supportiveness of our trainer community. The camaraderie, the conversations, the willingness to share openly and learn from one another… it all made the event feel incredibly special.
These moments away from the demands of clinical work give us space to:
• reflect on our achievements
• celebrate our strengths
• reconnect with our purpose
• and continue our lifelong commitment to improving clinical and educational standards
It was an absolute joy to spend this time together. Thank you to every trainer who attended, contributed, blended, steeped and played their part in shaping such a memorable day.
🎁 Wrapping Up
We’ll be updating the website with next year’s dates shortly, so please keep an eye on the Meeting Schedule and share the details with your Practice Managers.
I sincerely hope the day offered you a refreshing pause, renewed inspiration and maybe even a new appreciation for the humble cup of tea. I thoroughly enjoyed the residential and I’m grateful to each of you for helping make it such a fantastic event.
Looking forward to seeing you all again soon, as we continue our shared journey of learning, curiosity and creativity.
Warmest wishes,
Nad
