This morning I spent a valuable 2 hours helping out at the Slough British Legion Poppy Appeal table with Michael.

We had an array of poppies for sale from pin badges to car poppies to crochet poppies donated by another local community group.

In the time I was there we generated over £50 of donations

This morning I was at Asda for my second stint of selling Poppy Merchandise for the Royal British Legion.

Lots of donations taken and lots of people watching.

Picked a good day to sit in Tesco Extra for 4 hours on the poppy stall, taking donations from passing customers. The store was heaving and we were located next to the exit escalators.

We had a good range of poppy merchandise and were taking cash and card donations so no excuses!

It was a people watchers paradise too with the diverse customer base of multicultural Slough.

Another successful morning at the Pond, clearing brambles, ivy, overgrown bushes, reeds, pond weed and litter.

We filled two industrial sized green waste bins and a skip and exposed more of the surrounding fence and footpath making it more accessible and safer.

We found a small newt this time too, or should that be a minute newt?!

Up bright and early to meet a group of residents and the local councillor who have formed a voluntary working group to restore the village pond to it's former glory.

There was lots to get stuck into - cutting back brambles, nettles, ivy and general overgrowth. Rescuing any litter along the way.

Lots of bending, pruning, raking and digging - it felt back breaking at times but the refreshments supplied by the village pub kept us focussed. Seeing the transformation and watching the frogs emerge and the ducks return was incredibly satisfying. It was nice to receive lots of thank yous from passers by too.

I walked back home armed with my litter picker and collected half a sack of litter on my short walk back too.

This mornings community mission was to support The British Legion with their annual Poppy Appeal.

They had many slots that needed covering in Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury.

Nisha and I rose to the occasion and offered to help on the 10-1 slot in Tesco.

We had such a lovely time, talking to shoppers and listening to their war stories or just stories of how they collect poppy pins and look out for new designs.

We had loads of customers and very generous ones at that.