Almost simultaneously, a surprisingly punctual crew of Chloe, Sam, Kareem, and myself converged on St. Margaret's Garden on Saturday morning, with Emma arriving shortly afterwards.

Task owner, Emily, was ready and waiting, armed with gloves, paint, and brushes. We were to give three benches and three sets of tables and chairs a fresh coat of paint ahead of a memorial event at the end of the month.. Splitting into groups of twos and threes and making the most of a welcome patch of shade, conversation inevitably turned to everyone's plans for where to watch the evening's football match as we made swift work of the first coat.

After an hour and a half, the first coat was complete. Another session is pencilled in for the end of July to add the finishing touches before the memorial takes place. See you for the second coat!