Thursday 15 May we enjoyed a visit from 60 or so of our neighbours the Kelston villagers. It’s remarkable and diverse local community which has changed a lot over recent years but retains an underlying rural farming character through it all.

We owe thanks to many villagers, including Rob our neighbour who is very practical and always helpful, Paul and Gerald Robinson who use the upper fields and do an immense amount of works across the whole farm, Doug for advice and Harriet for landscaping, Graham and Hugh Padfield who lease the land, graze cows and use the milk to make some of the finest cheeses in the world, and Andy Dinham who farmed this land all his working life and still keeps a watchful eye. There’s also people who have been inconvenienced one way or another including cars guided by satnav up a dead end, parcels gone astray or taxis showing up in the middle of the night. Thanks for your forbearance.

Anyway, it was a treat to meet so many of the neighbours who could come, bearing wine, salads, brownies, cheeses, and a case of fabulous honey (gratefully received, even if it came from distant Wiltshire). Let’s do it again next year.