We, as your WYD08 Communications Officers have been very busy since the final preparation meeting on Sunday. With great support from our diocesan press officer, Mary Huntington, we have been able to secure three dates, on which we'll be speaking live on BBC Essex.

Firstly, Frances O'Leary and myself will be at BBC Essex this coming Sunday - on the radio sometime between 08:00 and 09:00 - as soon as I receive confirmation, I'll let you know! As this interview will be happening pre-pilgrimage, I expect that we'll be talking about group anticipations, excitement, anxieties, etc. as well as discussing some of the specific details about WYD08 - but we'll have to wait and see!

Then, while we're out in Sydney, on Sundays 13th and 20th, we will again be speaking live on BBC Essex. On Sunday the 13th, it will be our last day with our host families in the diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, which will include mass in the local parish, a parish BBQ, and maybe a trip out in the afternoon to a local place of interest. It's also the day before we travel from our host diocese into Sydney, so it'll be good to tell everybody how the few days with our host families has gone and what the general mood of the group is like, pre-WYD week. That interview will be held with one of your WYD08 Comms Officers and one young pilgrim from the group so that listeners can hear true reports of experiences out there.

Most importantly, though, we'll be interviewed live on Sunday 20th. Those of you that are familiar with the event will know that the 20th is World Youth Day. The day before, we will have walked to Randwick Racecourse after a group mass in the morning, before a fantastic vigil of prayer and praise with Pope Benedict. That night, we'll sleep under the stars (if possible - we'll more likely be meeting and enjoying ourselves with the many other young people from around the world). Then on the Sunday morning, the Holy Father will celebrate mass with over 500,000 people at the Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park before we make our way back to the hotel to refresh and have dinner together in a nearby restaurant. So when you listen to us on BBC Essex between 8am and 9am UK time, be prepared to hear us a little sleepy after a long but amazing couple of days.

We have also been working with several of the local newspapers and I am pleased to confirm that most (the ones worth reading) are looking forward to reporting on our time in Sydney - I look forward to detailing which ones in due course!

That's it for now - hope you're all enjoying the Sun!

Gareth