The future looks brighter for Susan with an offer of work in the dairy.

Radio Times: Bridge Farm finds a new recruit.

Characters: Kirsty, Neil, Pat, Susan, Tony

• Can it be? Is it possible that Susan is lost for words? Well almost, when Pat visits the shop and offers her a part-time job in the dairy. Pat explains that she needs someone reliable. Susan would soon pick up the work and Clarrie would show her the ropes. Susan agrees to think about it.
• Meanwhile Susan’s better half is delivering a batch of weaners to Bridge Farm. Tony is waiting for the team who are going to plant willows in the new wetland, though they have diplomatically declined his offer to help with the work. Tony compliments Neil on Tuesday’s bell-ringing; it was done with feeling: Phil taught Neil most of what he knows about animal husbandry.
• On her day off, Kirsty has been bittern-spotting at Arkwright Lake – on her own this time, and in vain – so Pat has invited her for lunch. It seems that BL have granted quite a long lease on the lake to Borchester Wildlife Trust, enough to do some worthwhile conservation. Good green PR!
• Pat is not known for taking ‘no’ for an answer: over lunch she has persuaded the willow-planting team to let her plant one end of one swale – a token involvement in the project and enough to make her happy. It’s something for the grand-children, though this thought leads Tony back onto the subject of Helen’s proposed baby. He is fearful that she will not cope but Pat is resolved to get behind her; she can’t wait to become a grand-parent.
• Susan and Neil celebrate their wedding anniversary with a take-away, the one they didn’t get last year! Susan is minded to take up Pat’s offer; dairy work may turn out to be more secure than the Community Shop.