I mentioned a while ago that we had a meeting in Newcastle aimed at anyone who is involved in supporting researchers in data and information handling. The workshop was attended by delegates from a dozen institutions across the region, including librarians, researchers, data specialists and trainers and there was a consensus about the value of such a group. We felt it could be used to share of good practice and exchange views between different professional groups. It might also provide a mechanism for joint responses to consultations and reduce duplication of effort. It was good to have such a mix of folks in the room and I felt that we all took the opportunity to listen to other perspectives and learn from each other. RIN sponsored the event, so you can find more details on their website