We had a lovely evening putting up posters for the upcoming Somersfest event, organised by PCC. Thank you Katie for sorting out collecting the posters!

We split in to three teams, depending on our energy levels and injuries to cover as many different areas as possible. Each group covered between 2 and 2.5 miles, which was an amazing effort!

There was also some excellent record keeping from Vicki, Jo and Dave to ensure we can find our posters for their removal after the event. We were also incredibly impressed with the reusable cable ties provided by the Council, which will definitely make Part 2 a simpler job!

Val and I worked hard in the sun, tidying the rose-beds in Victoria Park with the rest of the volunteer gardening group.

I removed weeds and stray sycamore seedlings from amongst the rose bushes, while Val was chief dead-header.

After a coffee in the Green House, we did a 15-minute stint of butterfly-spotting for the Big Butterfly Count, led by the Portsmouth City Council volunteer coordinator. (And despite the sympathetic insect-friendly planting in the park, the butterfly population was worryingly low.)

Nia, Val and I enjoyed a glorious sunny morning by the Emsworth shore, with the Friends of Nore Barn Woods.

Nia joined the team already preparing for next Spring: sowing Yellow Rattle and native Bluebell seeds.

Val and I were with the path-clearing team: cutting back the vigorous brambles and nettles.

As always, there were plenty of thank-yous from passers-by, and a green woodpecker rattled out his thank-you from the trees.

Then it was time for the serious business of the AGM, gathered at the picnic bench, with welcome refreshments.

The Friends of Brook Meadow didn't need volunteers today, so we only managed a walk through the area and a coffee.

(Photo from a previous task.)

It was the first race of the truncated Lakeside 5k series.

We were tasked with a little bit of table lifting and shifting; number allocations; important instructions about emergency contact details; finish funnelling and (most importantly) coffee drinking!

There were a few busy moments of numbers being collected and alphabet skills being tested but everyone who came to run ended up with a number on their vest and at the start line on time.

A beautifully warm summer evening for us, a bit too hot for the runners. Fortunately no need for the bucket at the end!