The HLPA Wellbeing Event took place on 5 August 2026 in Regent’s Park and, judging by the quality of the rounders on display, there may have been a few secret county-level players lurking amongst the membership.
The day got off to an entertaining start thanks to David Foster, who arrived fashionably late with Julie Obiamiwe in tow after taking what can only be described as an alternative route through Regent’s Park.
Having missed the agreed meeting point at the café, David embarked upon a tour of the park, approaching every group playing rounders to ask whether they were the HLPA team.
After a number of unsuccessful enquiries, he eventually located the correct group. Thank goodness, as they were the last group we could find. By that point, we had probably completed a wellbeing walk before the wellbeing event had officially begun.
Julie Obiamiwe arrived carrying a backpack that appeared to contain everything required for a week-long expedition, with the notable exception of the items specifically mentioned in the event flyer: snacks and a picnic blanket. It is what it is.
Once everyone had assembled, the real business of the day began.
There were some excellent catches, impressive hits and determined running between the bases. A number of participants also demonstrated remarkable commitment to chasing balls across large areas of Regent’s Park. Whether this was due to sporting prowess or enthusiastic mis-hitting remains a matter of debate.
Julie Obiamiwe, exhausted from carrying her enormous backpack around Regent’s Park, took up a position on the sidelines and cheered enthusiastically throughout the match, although not always with complete certainty as to which side she was cheering for.
Special mention should also go to David Foster, who demonstrated his versatility by contributing as batsman, bowler and part-time umpire. Few participants managed to combine all three roles in a single evening.
Most importantly, the event delivered exactly what it was intended to deliver: an opportunity for members to step away from work, spend time outdoors, enjoy some friendly competition and reconnect with colleagues in a relaxed environment.
A very good time was had by all and, judging by the laughter, the competitive spirit and the determination of some participants to squeeze every possible run from each batting opportunity, the wellbeing event was a great success.