Shula prepares to do battle over the school, while Roy and Hayley face unresolved issues over Phoebe.

Radio Times: Anger in the school hall.

Characters: David, Hayley, Janet, Kathy, Roy, Ruth, Shula

• David is determined to ease back into work in spite of the broken ribs; he reckons that, in another week, when lambing starts he will be able to cope with it. Maybe in future they will be lambing in December or even May, as the Hassett Hills production schedule demands.
• Hayley is happy to lend moral support to the campaign to save Loxley Barratt school but she cannot be at the meeting. Outside the school, she confides in Shula that, although Phoebe seems to be taking everything in her stride, she is worried about Kate’s intentions: she has a nagging suspicion that Kate will want to take her to South Africa. When Shula moves in on some more parents to enlist their support, Hayley shares with Kathy some memories of April Cottage, which she has heard Kathy hopes to buy.
• At Brookfield, Kevin has the day off now that Ruth is beginning to get back into her stride; they will keep him on until after lambing though. Ruth is happy to support Shula’s school campaign by attending the meeting but David can only go if Jill can babysit. Truth to tell, he is not really very keen on going. He would rather be making preparations for their first Herefords, which are arriving on Friday, earlier than planned, and the accommodation is not ready.
• The wedding plans are going well for Roy and Hayley: the church is free on 7th May. They are still wrestling with details like whether to have the bells and which hymns. They definitely want the organ. Janet’s advice is to have it as they want it, rather than what their families want, but she really wants to talk to them more about the marriage than the wedding. She persuades them that a Marriage Preparation Course would help to equip them for whatever the world throws at them. After all, there are certainly some unresolved issues about Phoebe.
• Shula has given the school governors a hard time at the meeting. The area is being drained of resources and she is determined that the school shall not go under as well.