Leszek led the way getting up with the larks arriving before 6 am to help unload the vans, put up gazebos and a fantastic workout in the process. Nicola, the super organiser amongst us was already there too when Stephanie (who was supposed to be leading the session) strolled in at 8 am! 🤓 There were plenty of tasks left for us all to help with and Nicola came into her forte arranging the book stall. Thank goodness the rain held off and the sun shone.

This evening we decided jobs based on who looked like they were dressed for winter and summer! People looking well wrapped with assigned car washing duties while the short wearers, ouchie hand person and a birthday Wilson went up to the loft. In the loft we split into a painting team and a t-shirt sorting team. The t-shirt cupboard was the Mary Poppins bag of cupboards with seemingly endless varieties of t-shirts to organise. The painters were stuck with other quandaries such as how to get a very stuck sticky label off and how to paint both sides in one evening. We just about got everything folded up and and base coated in time. The beginnings of a human fruit machine ready for the summer events!

Wishing a big Happy Birthday to Wilson and Leszek

i joined the friends of Portswood Rec to clean the local children's playground. The turf has become filthy with dust and debris, and it was a real workout getting it out.

We managed to do about a quarter of the park, but will continue next time!

On a beautiful sunny morning it was finally time for my 300th parkrun and 100th volunteer. I chose Highcliffe Beach parkrun to celebrate as it was my Nearest Event Not Done Yet (NENDY)! It was an excellent choice being at the seaside with great views all the way to the Isle of Wight as it was a clear day. It was lovely to be joined by our GG Portsmouth neighbours to volunteer, parkrun, parkwalk, swim and eat cake! Thank you so much everyone who took the time to come and help celebrate with me. Here's to the next 100!

We were very excited to set off to do our first (amateur) bat survey this evening guided by Lucy with her new bat detector! We didn't have to wait long before we heard pipistrelles both Common and Soprano. We also think we heard Lesser Horseshoes, Serotines and Daubentons so a very successful first attempt. Lucy was matching the sounds heard on the detector to bat sounds on an app to verify they were what we thought. It started to rain a bit harder so the bats called it a night and so did we!

Lots of fun and a good workout for Nicola and Stephanie as we joined the lovely volunteers down at Southampton Old Cemetery. We followed behind the strimmers raking up the grass and weeds. All ready for their open day next Sunday 10th May when they celebrate 180 years since the cemetery opened.