Just to say a big thank you to everybody who were involved on Acorn last Saturday. We had 14 explorers on three seperate checkpoints. Gladiator Winkle has also asked me to pass on his thanks.

The team on my base worked extremely well together, enabling me to sit around all night & do nothing, so well done.

The bunch on the 2nd Fareham base were brilliant, helping Ann sort out last minute emergencies & taking a lot of the pressure off her. She told me that you were all a credit to the unit (no, seriously!).

You all earned your watches a couple of points each for your help on the night, and by earning praise from somebody outside of the unit, I think a bonus point each is in order! Even you Adam & Rob, who were on the 1st Fareham base.

One of the things I find enjoyable about these events is you get an insight into people that you don't see on a Friday evening. For example, I found out that MattJ. finds my jokes funny! Yes, really! That makes two of us Matt. Matt and Jack also now know what very very cold is, and no longer have to try to imagine it. I also discovered that Holly has a pop-up tent that can be put up in only 2 minutes and can also pop-down in less that 90 minutes - maybe quicker if it was empty. She also likes to eat her own vomit for breakfast (could be worse, it's usually someone else's), which isn't nearly as bad as what Abi was eating!

And incidentally, for somebody usually so quiet, at three in the morning, Abi talks incredibly loudly, even her whispering is deafening.

And everybody snores, apart from Tom who sings in his sleep (wish he would snore).

My highlight of the night? Networks emergency radio broadcast for hot water to be flown in as they were oh-so cold & their gas had run out.