Back to our friends at Southampton city farm tonight where they had an inside task for us. We were tasked with filling bags of hay to feed the goats ready for their open day this weekend and folding and stapling leaflets. We got to welcome Hannah back on a Monday night after her maternity leave, great to have you back!

Everyone dug into filling bags with hay and Chris and Helen were on crate cleaning duty to store the bags. We soon worked out that hay gets quite dusty and Wilson won the crown for most sneezes of the evening. Special mention to Ellie for most sneezes in a row. Some of us then moved onto leaflets while the rest continued with hay bagging.

After an hour of hay bagging, leaflet folding and stapling and crate cleaning and packing we were all grateful for a break for some maths where Hannah worked out we had packed 240 bags! A massive accomplishment.

Abby and I arrived early for our run but both decided we were more in the mood for a sedate litter pick around the road by Rose Road. Two bags full collected within 100 metres of the car park. We left the area looking much nicer for families arriving at the centre.

On a mild evening we gathered for our first after-dark task session on the farm. We tackled a laurel of jobs—moving logs, cutting back dense laurel growth, clearing a goose enclosure by rolling up the electric fence and raking up the straw. We tore cardboard for compost and trimmed the hedge! It was a productive and satisfying evening, made even more special by welcoming a new member, Suzanne, to the team. We’re delighted she joined us and hope she had a great time getting stuck in with the GG team!

We are like a well oiled machine when it comes to cleaning vehicles now! Abby set to work instructing the team on the perfect steps for required for cleaning. Is it just water then water and soap or water and soap and then just water?! I don’t know but I know you need to shimmy shammy to get it sparkling! Well done team - I think that might be a record of 5 vehicles cleaned inside and out in one hour. You can all have a winter break from car washing now…probably!

This blustery morning greeted me with sunshine and the glorious company of the friends of the old Southampton cemetery. We picked up 5 bags leaves & grass and tipped them onto the compost with tremendous strength of the volunteers. I was amazed by the volunteers here who were incredibly inspirational, I will definitely be back.

This afternoon we went on a walk in the sunshine through Shirley and were met with thanks from the locals as we picked up an array of trinkets: an umbrella, pink underwear, a car battery, pizza boxes and several plastic bottles, tins and vapes. @tarek received compliments from some locals. The sun kept going and we went for a nice flat white. to be continued!