Today was just amazing, even though my body aches, my hair is stuck to my head and I have so much dirt on my face it could be mistaken for designer stubble!

We arrived in the township of Khayelitsha ready for work at 8am. Looking out the windows of the bus on the way in and seeing the scale of the poverty did make me cry. I was prepared for the images of the shacks because I’ve seen photographs, but I wasn't’t prepared for them stretching for miles.

Part of my day was spent weeding and cleaning up the flower beds in the local school. The kids are not at school this week, but they came in off the streets to help us. They would just melt your heart. They worked as hard as us, some bare-footed running over broken glass. It didn't’t seem to bother them one bit. I got some fabulous photographs of them and they were so enthralled to see themselves on the digital camera. They’ never seen this before and they jumped around in excitement. When it was time to leave them and go back to the main garden project I had to hold back the tears. Spending the few hours with them was a little bit of heaven and it’s time I will cherish for life. That moment alone would be enough to make me want to return next year.

Message to the fabulous four who know how vain I am: I got into the shower and scrubbed up and felt great again – I even looked shiny – when I got out and wiped my face with the cloth is actually turned black. That’s how hard I’m working!