A great session with Friends of Portswood Rec trying to cut out as much bramble as we could from the hedges to keep on top of it. We started early at 8.30 am to beat the heat as it was forecasted 29+ that day. Two full bags so a great success although I should have remembered that the Mahonia bush is just as prickly as the brambles. Next time longer sleeves and perhaps not climbing inside the hedge might help.

What a relief to have a cooler day for today's task joining the Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery FoSOC on their monthly session. Lucy and I got stuck in with the regular volunteers tackling rampant brambles, clearing around some gravestones. We certainly didn't mind the odd shower although rain did stop play at 11.45 but we managed to fill plenty of large bags. They always offer refreshments at their hub in the old chapel which are most welcome when you are a tad damp.

I volunteered as a barcode scanner, and then went to help token sort (my first time doing that job). A quieter one, only 954 ish people at parkrun today.

Finish tokens and Token Sorting 😊

Friday fun volunteering at Ludlow school fete . Wilson ran the “Hook a Lollipop” game, where children had five hoops to toss onto a colourful board covered in lollipops—if a hoop landed over a sweet, they won it! Meanwhile, Leszek managed the “Ball in the Hole” challenge, where kids had three chances to throw a ball through either a small or large hole to claim a prize. Both games brought smiles and a steady stream of excited players. It was a lovely experience and 2 hours passed really quickly.

ellie and i had a lovely evening along weston shore. We litter picked and walked around 1 mile before jumping in the sea for a dip!

We abandoned our plans to run as it was too hot but got plenty of activity in otherwise whilst helping clean up the shore line