Basket case

Hannah exhibiting safe cycling practices in front of some hanging baskets that caught my eye. We'd had a nice couple of hours over a late breakfast. I'd tried substitute bacon for the first time: fake-on. The jury is out.

Once upon a time lunching with Berry and Helen inside the bar pictured, a fight broke out on the street between some homeless people. It created a strange helpless feeling and a reminder of the division in Cambridge: a life of brunching and gaily cycling about vs the city's serious homelessness problem.

After leaving Hannah I cycled gaily off to wrap up more of the volunteering work I've been doing. One of the stalwarts of our group, Rosemary, has contributed years of her time to people in need in Cambridge. I handed over some keys to a garage we use to store donations, which is itself generously leant to us by a kind-hearted 90-year old. Lots of people are doing lovely things in Cambridge, no doubt preventing a greater number from sliding into the direst circumstances. I dread to think what would be happening if the collective efforts of citizens were removed and this government was responsible for caring for those in need. Perhaps instead of trying to humanise herself at the Tory Party Conference by repeating that godawful dancing, Theresa May should study national homelessness statistics since 2010.