An outing to Dunstable Downs for our local Ukrainian refugees took place on 18 May. The day dawned misty, but there was much excitement as we met on Saturday morning to board the Harpenden Hopper en route for Dunstable Downs. There were seven ladies and six children along with our trusty driver, Richard, and three volunteers. When we arrived at the Downs, we had a short orientation with the friendly staff in the visitor hub, where we were able to find out about walks/other activities in the area and borrow footballs and binoculars. We then headed to the souvenir shop to buy kites and other goodies. Although it wasn’t the clearest of mornings, the rain stayed away and the magnificent views began to appear, as the mist lifted a little. The breeze helped those flying kites and others enjoyed a gentle stroll or just sitting to take in the view.
The highlight of the morning was the delicious ‘cream tea’ laid on for us. The staff at Dunstable Downs were most helpful and gave us a special area to enjoy excellent scones, made on the premises, washed down with tea, cappuccinos or juice, as we chatted together.
There was time for a final play and photo shoot before heading back to Harpenden after an uplifting morning in the countryside, which was much enjoyed by us all.
Thank you, Harpenden Trust, for making this trip possible.
28 May 2024
