I have been lucky enough to perform at Cadnam Methodist church twice over the last five years and have been welcomed and encouraged by everyone there. It is always a joy to go there and when my dear friend Julia suggested I help her with the Soup Cafe that takes place once a month, I jumped at the chance, and not just because I love feeding people!
Julia had done the hard work by preparing two batches of soup (parsnip and chunky vegetable) and when I arrived at her house she had already loaded her car and we were soon on our way to the church.
Cadnam Methodist church is a small chapel like building tucked away behind the White Horse pub at Cadnam and you really wouldn’t know it was there until you were right outside. Inside it is welcoming and beautifully maintained with room for around 80-100 people. It has a well appointed community space behind the church which can be accessed either through the church itself or, as we entered today, around the side.

We set up four trestle tables with tablecloths and placed a small poinsettia plant in the centre of each, together with water, glasses, plates, cutlery and salt and pepper. We added 6 chairs around each table and the end result was very Christmassy and inviting.

When Francoise arrived she added broccoli soup to the menu and, around 12.30, the room started to fill up.

Soon every seat was filled and the three of us were pretty busy taking orders, serving soup, keeping the bread baskets topped up, and chatting away to everyone. Such a lovely atmosphere and a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
As it was the last soup cafe before Xmas, we warmed up and served mince pies and sang carols (with music provided by Howard and his accordion). Clearing up went on all through lunch and with added help from those who could, we were cleared away by 2.30
I understand there are several similar schemes run at various churches in the area and it is such a great idea.  Well done to all who are involved.

My first GoT hour was spent litter picking at Nursling and Rownhams. This suggestion was made by a singing friend.

On a bright and sunny autumn morning in November, armed with gloves and wearing our walking boots (both recommended), we parked at St John’s Glebe and met on the corner of Bakers Drove and Rownhams Lane. No time for many introductions, but the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming.  We were issued with hi-vis jackets, litter pickers (grabbers), a bag for recycling, one for glass and one for general rubbish.   The organiser outlined the various areas to be covered and then we divided into teams and decided which area we would work on.  Myself, J (my husband) and a local lady joined forces and  searched the leaves and verges for an hour.

Not much litter at all at first which was (absurdly) disappointing. However, my first bit of litter – a tiny receipt, was excitedly received into the general rubbish bag. The large number of leaves on the ground meant that we had an excellent excuse for leaf kicking, something I have always enjoyed since childhood.  As I chatted with our new friend, she told me about the gardens opposite Town Quay which have volunteers helping on a Sunday morning-another opportunity for GoT, perhaps? It would be the first one in Southampton.

When we met back at the organiser’s car, we had a small amount each of general waste and recycling, three empty vodka bottles (which J found) and a sand bag clearly left over from weighting a road sign. Some of the items found by others was a car seat (bottom half only), four car tyres, and a small wheeled suitcase. The organiser then took it all to the local waste recycling centre.

There is a litter pick meet in Rownhams on the first Saturday in the month between 10-11.

An hour is a very small amount of time to give to ensure an area is kept as free from litter as possible. Out in the fresh air, meeting new people and doing something worthwhile,  gave us a great feeling of satisfaction. We both really enjoyed it and would definitely do it again.

I will be 60 next year. Wow, that seems an extraordinary thing to say, but it is true.  This blog is about the project I have decided to work on to celebrate those years.

I knew I wanted to do something out of the ordinary during this year.  I am sure that my husband, family and friends will want to celebrate the actual event with me and I look forward to that, but I wanted to do something over the whole year.

It struck me that at this time in my life, the thing I have most to offer is time.  For a long time the idea for this project just would not take shape and floated around in my mind for several months.  I decided the best thing to do was to go and chat with my lovely (future) daughter-in-law in the hope that talking about it would help solidify things.

I told her that I was thinking of donating 60 hours of my time through the year to good causes.  It would be a great way of meeting new people, having new experiences and finding out about the things that are going on in my local area.   She was really encouraging and immediately came up with ideas that might be appropriate, litter picking, coastal clean ups, volunteering at libraries to name but a few.  Her response to this fired me up further and by the time I got home, the title The Gift of Time had marched solidly into my head.

I emailed a few of my friends telling them about the project and was delighted with  their replies.  They had ideas I hadn’t thought of and keep sending through ideas as they come to their attention.

Some of the hours will be actual volunteering, and some may be time I spend perhaps making things to donate – knitting, sewing or baking. Who knows what the year will bring and I am so looking forward to it.

As my 59th birthday approached in November 2018, I had already got my first GoT hour under my belt.

60 here I come!

 

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton