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June has disappeared in a blur of activity: finishing the book, organising my 70th birthday celebration and travelling – to places as various as Brussels, Paris and Brocket Hall. But the highlight, beyond question, was Green Swan Day on 23 June.

Over time, it had morphed and mutated, ultimately becoming an event linked to the Green Swan theme of the book, hence Green Swan Day. Carlo and Conor of Twist Creative a great help in getting the visuals together.

On the day, we had around 110 people on 10 tables at the WWT Barnes Wetland Centre, chosen because it symbolises regeneration and because of the links with Sir Peter Scott, whose statue stands outside, surrounded by swans.

Gaia had done some extraordinary flower arrangements, with swan’s nests – complete with wooden eggs – for each table.

All around, the Atlas of the Future film crew interviewed some 15 participants for the short Green Swan documentary we are planning to release later in the year, to trail the book. Stonkingly hot, particularly in The Observatory, where Nyetimber (a rare upside of climate change) was served during the reception.

We were over capacity, a heady mix of family, friends and colleagues, literally from around the world. Over lunch in the Water’s Edge room, we had four speeches at different points in the proceedings: my intro, then Andrew Kerr (Chairman of the Sustainable Eel Group), Tanya Steele (CEO, WWF UK) and Sir Tim Smit (Founder, The Eden Project). Fabulous speeches, though Tim’s was for the ages.

After the event wound down, around 17.00, a line of sherpas wound home, including Tim, with boxes of flowers, wines, cards and gifts – despite the ‘no gifts’ policy. The stand-out gift was the Egg, created specially by ceramicist Judith Davies, who Hania knew – a stunning gift from her, Gaia and Elaine.

We drove across yesterday from Lower Slaughter, via Hill House, to Frampton on Severn. In the evening, we drove along the peninsula defined by the river to what turned out to be an old Roman fording site, at the end of a long tell-tale straight road. We were headed to The Old Passage Inn, which was delightful, but first took a walk along the river bank.

Today, we headed across to WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, where I was due to give a talk as part of a ‘Let’s Write A Different Story’; session organised by WWF (sic). I was invited as a WWF-UK Ambassador, speaking alongside Maria Dyson (Legacy Support Manager at WWF-UK), Emma Keller (WWF-UK’s Head of Food Commodities) and Lauren Wiseman (Environmental Manager, WWF UK).

Only face I really knew in the audience was Andrew Kerr, Chairman of the Sustainable Eel Group, who I had invited along because he lives nearby. The session went very well indeed, with our various presentations linking together very nicely – and the Q&A period could have gone on a lot longer.

As we walked around the wetlands later , we got lots of nice comments from WWF-UK supporters who had taken part. Then back to London, via a ferocious jam around a pile-up on the M4. A reminder, if any were needed, of just how lucky that I need to drive so little.

A wonderfully relaxing few days staying with some of our longest-standing friends, Jane and Glyn Davenport, in Lower Slaughter. Either side of my father Tim’s memorial service. Trout in the stream outside their front door. Lambs gambolling wildly in the fields nearby. An island of calm in a world in turmoil.

One of Tim’s grandchildren, Rory Chambers, is a photographer – and here are some of the images he took during the event: