I actually started this ride in Mickleton so I could call into the very popular lunch club at The Butchers Arms. What a warm welcome! So fantastic to see older people from the local community coming together to make connections, chat and enjoy some lovely food. I chatted with lots of the clients who were so pleased the club exists and really look forward to coming along each month. Also had a lovely chat to Nick, one of the club volunteers, who told me why he wanted to volunteer and what he enjoys about the role – seeing the community come together!

Next I had an incredibly fun visit to see Chris, one of our befriending volunteers. He told me that he had become lonely after having to cope with the sad loss of family members. He contacted Cotswold Friends about someone coming round to befriend him, but we thought he could befriend others and so he became a volunteer and told me he gets so much out of helping other people. He is also an entertainer, plays the guitar and performs magic. He agreed to sing for the video which was great fun and we discovered a shared love of sixties music! I was also bamboozled by a clever card trick before I left – what a great visit! I’m sure the people Chris visits must have a really fun time.

I then headed off round the rest of the ride, passing the The Bakers Arms in Broad Campden where we have another of our monthly lunch clubs. Then I was able to call in and chat to Helen, the CEO at Campden Home Nursing, whom we partner with to deliver our Men in Sheds project in Chipping Campden. It was great to hear their views about the benefits they see from the shed projects and to hear more about the fantastic services the charity are delivering from Jecca’s house and beyond.

A second day in a row to head to the finish through pouring rain!

End of ride 7!