Last Sunday, was a grey miserable day with intermittent showers threatening to cascade down on those of us naive enough to walk round the lakes.

However, pet owners and seasoned keep-fit enthusiasts were not going to be put off, by rain drops that couldn’t make their minds up as to what they wanted to be.

Be that a shower, light rainfall, full blown thunderstorm, or just an infernal nuisance.

Like most British people, I too like being by the sea, river, streams, and lakes on bright warm days. However as other hay fever sufferers know, it’s simply a ‘no-no’ for the likes of us.

So, with my trusted TVBC litter picker bags, gloves, rucksack, refreshments, and wearing matching trainers and cap, I set off to what is after all, one of our town’s famous tourist attractions - Rooksbury Mill Local Nature Reserve.

It wasn’t long before I met up with readers of the Andover Advertiser Jan, Val, Vince, Dave, Maria, Geoff, and those are just the ones I can remember.

What an absolute joy to wander in the countryside, whilst still technically being in the town.

Not so long ago, Sue Risdale and I completed a litter pick at the other end of town. Had we continued along that path, we would have accessed the lakes at Charlton.

This leads me organically to mention the litter pick that Beryl, along with her husband Cllr Ian Carr and I did, one summer afternoon many years ago. Tony Noakes was on photographing duties on that occasion, bless him.

Just up the road is Charlton Cemetery. For me, undisputedly the most beautiful in our county, possibly in the country.

Readers of this paper will be aware that I have litter picked my way back to the town centre from Winchester Road, Smannell, Picket Piece, Picket Twenty, Clatford, King Arthurs Way, Weyhill, Monxton, Charlton – in fact all the ‘Welcome to Andover’ signs.

So, it will not surprise anyone that I believe Andover to be bigger than the Chantry Centre, Bridge Street, and High Street.

Estate agents thrive in our town because their bustling market comprises of clients that wish to raise their families here.

Cllr Phil North’s vision for our future will encompass a modern town we can be proud of grow into and enjoy. Long Live Andover.