Antonia Hynd is the Senior Advisor for Procurement Capacity Building
Friday
Today I'm in Worthing at the Crown Agents training centre, facilitating a module on 'Risk Management in Procurement', this is day five of the Crown Agents' Certificate in Procurement for Senior Executives training course. It's the last procurement course of the year, but we have a staggering 30 delegates attending. Managing this size of group is quite challenging. I like to make sure each delegate has the opportunity to ask questions so that they feel like they are getting value for money from their course fees. Getting the balance between delivering the material and stopping for questions and discussion can be tricky.
The day goes well ending in a case study for the delegates so they can consolidate all the theory they learnt through the day. We have fun with me pretending to be the permanent secretary of a ministry they work for - they have to make group presentations to me.
I have to hand out an assessment at the end of the day which the delegates must complete over the weekend. Not all Crown Agents courses involve assessment but this particular course (Crown Agents Certificate in Procurement of Senior Executives) offers a qualification awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority if they successfully complete all modules.
I then leave the training centre around six and get the train back to London.
Saturday
I am up early to do washing and pack to travel. I have been in Worthing all of the previous week, so there is a lot to catch up on. I've been invited to speak at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply's (CIPS) annual member's conference in Nigeria and Ghana on Monday and Wednesday next week.
I get to Heathrow Terminal five for the first time since its opening and I find it, clean, quiet and efficient.
Sunday
Arriving in Abuja around five in the morning I am pretty tired as I can never sleep on airplanes.
I go straight to the hotel and meet Susan Keighley the CIPS Manager for the African Region and the other speakers on the 
conference who are a mixture of UK and African specialists in procurement. We also meet Bola Afolabi, the CIPS President who for the first time in the history of CIPS is an African - he is Nigerian and keen to look after us, so invites us to a wedding he has to attend that afternoon. So after about two hours sleep we are off to a Nigerian wedding. It is his employee that is 'tying the knot' so we are all asked to sit at one of the top tables. I get an excellent view of the goings on. There are about 600 people in a very hot marquee which is booming with music - everyone is in traditional dress including spectacular headdresses for the women. It is great fun - and a people watchers dream. The Nigerians know how to enjoy themselves at a wedding!
Monday
The conference has150 people attending - we have to get up early and go to the conference centre and set everything up.
I make a presentation on Risk Management the same topic as last Friday as I didn't have time to prepare anything else. There are lots of Crown Agents training Alumni at the conference who all come and greet me warmly - that's one of the best parts of the job; when people recognise me and tell me how much the training they have received by Crown Agents has helped them and their organisation make changes for the better.
The day is long and tiring but rewarding. I have to sit at the top table all day. There is also an award ceremony for CIPS graduates and CIPS Nigeria AGM after the conference and we finally get back to hotel about 8pm.
Tuesday
It is a long day of flights; first from Abuja to Lagos, and then Lagos to Accra, Ghana. Unfortunately my luggage gets left in Lagos.
Wednesday
We hold the Ghana CIPS conference today and again there are around 150 people.
I go to the airport at 10am and luckily my suitcase is found at about 11am so am able to go back to the conference centre and change. I am fortunate that my presentation is moved to the afternoon to accommodate this.
There is so much to do to make these conferences for 150 people work smoothly. Susan has a lot of behind the scenes work, so although I'm only speaking for 45 minutes, there are endless things to do to ensure the conference goes smoothly.
I rush to the airport as soon as the conference is over and get on the British Airways flight back to Heathrow.
Thursday
I arrive back at Heathrow airport at 6am and jump in a taxi and then train. I am heading straight to Worthing so that I can be with my Procurement training course for Senior Executives for the last two days of their course. Thursday afternoon is when they write their action plan which is their final and most important assessment.
I get to Worthing at about 10am and get a couple of hours sleep before heading to the training centre. Luckily Rebecca Ditchburn, Paul Phillips, Saam Osborne and Robert Graham (my colleagues) are all already down there. Even with this level of support all five of us are required to run around assisting delegates with their formal paper work which is required for the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
The Mayor of Worthing visits in the afternoon and the delegates get to meet her which they are quite excited about. We finally leave the training centre around 7pm and take the delegates for a celebratory meal to mark the last night of the course. I finally get back to hotel around 10pm.
Friday 
I am in the training centre by 8am to prepare for the delegates to present their final action plans. We have to split the group into two as there are so many delegates. Paul and I take one group and Rebecca and Robert the other. Luckily to my relief all the delegates create great action plans so they all qualify for the qualification.
One of the delegates has his birthday today so we arrange a birthday cake which he is delighted with!
I get back to London about 6pm - only to unpack do three loads of washing and repack! Tomorrow morning I'm off to speak at the Kenya and Uganda CIPS conferences.