Here are links to the blogs for Steph and Josh's marine conservation work with Global Vision International (GVI) over the Summer, and newspaper coverage of  art exhibitions at which Josh is exhibiting paintings and photographs at the Corsham School and the Pound Art Centre.

GVI Seychelles (Josh). He's based on the main island, but will do a short visits to Curieuse where there are giant turtles!

GVI Mexico (Steph).

Pound Art Centre (Wiltshire Times)
2007 'A' Levels (Wiltshire Times)

Original articles included photos which don't seem to be available online. There are similar articles in the Gazette & Herald.

Last weekend we enjoyed a family celebration at Stourhead for Dad's 80th birthday, finishing with fireworks.

More photos.

Last week I enjoyed sailing in the Falmouth area with friends. We chartered the yacht Alcyone from Cornish Cruising. The winds were Force 4 to Force 6, which gave us some exhilarating sailing at sea. We also enjoyed the beauty of harbours such as Fowey and the Helford River, as well as some tranquil sailing up the River Fal: we reached Truro on a high tide. Of course we found some good pubs too. "Glad to be alive 2!"

See album for full set of photos of sailing and scenery.

Three years ago, following growing and enjoyable participation with Bristol Anglican Cursillo, the Bishop of Bristol appointed me as the clergy rep to be part of the leadership team (so a trustee and Spiritual Director) of this growing Christian community.

I've decided to step down from this role, but hope to continue to be actively involved in this valuable ministry. I value the ongoing fellowship and support, and the way people are encouraged to look at their life with God through the three lenses of piety (that is prayer, or devotion), study, and action.

Apart from our regular renewal events (Three Day Weekends) the life of the community centres around regular small group meetings. I was pleased tonight that we held the first meeting of a new group, after rearranging the groups to include the record number of people who joined at our weekend earlier this year.

In my work as management consultant and coach (Finding True North) I've been asked to do some interim management work for Robin Hood Ministries - to head up their staff team part time for six months to help steer the charity through its current growth stage.

The charity is based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and helps alleviate poverty in various countries by supporting projects that help communities to be more self-reliant.

They also encourage businesses to support them through the initiative Business Against Poverty.

At the weekend I found myself talking to someone out walking her dog. She was recovering from Swine Flu and lives not far from us.

She'd been diagnosed as having Swine Flu because of aching greater than that she'd experienced with 'flu before, and having started a course of Tamiflu recovered well and quickly.

Travelled to London on the train yesterday afternoon for a trustees meeting of Accts MMI. The train manager happily announced that we were running ahead of schedule until we were near Reading. Then the train stopped for quarter of an hour while the manager and driver inspected the train and the police arrived. It turned out that children had placed timber and concrete across the rails - and been seen running away so probably got caught by the police.

The train ploughed through this material without most people noticing, and even the braking seemed fairly normal. I feel for the driver, though, as he must have seen this at the last moment and for a few moments had time to wonder whether the train was about to derail and he was about to die.

I am thankful for the care that Toni has received at the (NHS) Royal United Hospital in Bath. The doctors and nursing staff have been encouraging, attentive, caring, sensitive, and thorough. Following a good operation and recovery Toni has been able to go home just 48 hours after her operation. Brilliant!