What a fantastic session joining Mac and other volunteers at Millers Pond Nature Reserve/ Sholing Valleys Study Centre to plant trees around this vital green space allowing nature to thrive. Nicola, Leszek, Ashleigh and Stephanie had great fun planting a lovely variety of trees Dog Wood, Hazel, Hawthorn and more. We then dug up a few other saplings which had grown up in the wrong place although a few were rather reluctant to come out of the ground. Leszek and Nicola also took part in the afternoon litter pick around the reserve. We will return to see how the new saplings are getting on later in the year.

This task was led by Final Straw, a fantastic charity organization fighting plastic pollution. We joined them along the Itchen River at a spot where thousands upon thousands of nurdles wash up. It required nimble fingers to collect as many nurdles as possible for Final Straw to use in their school visits. These tiny pieces of plastic are tough to pick up, making beach cleaning seem daunting, but every effort counts.

Wilson had the best find of the morning—a plastic AEP training bullet!

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.

Tonight we had a last minute switch of task to tidy the car park flower beds up. We'll have to come back soon to sort out the Acorns garden again. Armed with many appropriate gardening tools and Sarah's chisel (trick of the trade!) we set to work. The flower beds are part of a sensory garden so we got to appreciate all the lovely smelling herbs as we tried to free then from the weeds. We don't know what was more tricky, getting the grass out of the dry soil or not pulling all the plants apart that were tangled in the bind weed! We were rewarded for our efforts with some lovely bunches of roses in need of new homes. We look forward to joining Rose Road again next month.

It was a lovely eve down on the farm yesterday. Abby, Ellie, Leszek and myself went for a short run session beforehand using local roads to run to various paces.

It was our first task of the year in daylight and we got to work shifting barriers and shoveling sand to help make a new enclosure for two ponies soon to arrive on the farm.

It was a good workout and we had a great time - many hands make light work!