This week we celebrate International Volunteer Day (5th of December).

The day was set up by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. It’s a day where volunteers are acknowledged and the spirit of volunteerism is promoted at the local, national and international levels.

It’s quite apt as we draw towards the close of our 14th year of volunteering on the path, and I for one can happily say that volunteering has brought me a whole load of personal satisfaction, taught me the joy of giving without expecting something back, given me purpose in my life, and helped me to make a load of friends along the way.

This week we tried to fight back the double-nemesis that is, water where it shouldn’t be, and the dreaded brambles.

Whilst I wait for a lightbulb moment in my head to deal with the blocked culvert, we have no choice but to clear the slightly higher ground and make that a new path, whilst the overflowing water seems to have claimed the old path and turned it into a flowing stream.

The flow of air and sunlight will dry out the new ground and give people a decent place to walk, whilst admiring our new water feature. If push turns to shove and we have no choice but to keep the stream, and the new higher path works out, maybe we can work with the water by making small holding pools and little weirs. It just makes it work better for the wildlife and more interesting to look at. It’s just a back-up plan B if we need it.

We also worked southwards to where we got to last week. It’s just about getting the width now, and maintaining it when everything goes on a mad growth spurt in the spring.

So far, it feels like we are on the right track.

We broke off for coffee and ginger-crunch cookies at our halfway point. As promised, I brought extra coffee for anyone who is not feeling the Christmas spirit, when it seems like everyone else is hopping, skipping and quite literally gambolling towards the holiday season.

Pop along and say hello, we even have an extra all-terrain mug to share the love, along with a great selection of cookies. If you want to join in, you are more than welcome.

Lastly, I have topped up the stock in our Etsy shop. If you know someone who enjoys walking on the greenway, why not give them a personal gift. And it’s a great talking point over Christmas.

Enjoy a brew in one of our mugs, then go and walk or cycle the path, maybe enjoy a biscuit at one of the benches whilst reading about the crazy adventures of us lot, and then commit to a New Year’s Reso to join us next year.

Until next time!