Shout it from the rooftops!

A very social Sunday. The 'Coffee Club' (neighbours Y and K plus me) met in my garden where it was warm but humid and though after 90 minutes we were forced inside by rain there was good craic. We also had the accompaniment of new neighbour E's banging and sawing, but that's ok. They are working hard doing up the house.

Then a quick run down to the Manor to drop off a rota and a card for the physio's new baby. The carer was 75 minutes late so I had to give Mum her lunch.

Home for a brief sit in the garden, arranging a follow up JL appointment and doing some Airnbnb admin..

Then to Bridgend Farmhouse for a celebration and a presentation. You may remember last year I was one of the volunteers on the Bridgend Farmhouse Emergency Food Project and in June it was awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary organisation can receive. The Lord Lieutenant came along to present the certificate and the crystal award. (Frank Ross is also the Lord Provost, hence the chain). It was an enjoyable late afternoon, despite the torrential rain battering the marquee. There was fizz and canapes, a BBQ and entertainment, my first live gig since 2019! Met up with some old colleagues and felt proud and humbled to have been part of such an important enterprise, 75,000 meals provided to over 300 families in EH16 and EH17 during April - August 2020.

It remains sad, however, that in a rich city like Edinburgh, in a rich country like the UK these families still had to rely on volunteers for the basics.