Last Sunday morning, while many of us were still enjoying a slower start to the day, another group of local people had already pulled on their boots, picked up gloves and tools, and headed into Alva Glen.
Their destination wasn't an organised event or a paid job. It was simply a place they care deeply about.
The volunteers of Alva Glen Heritage Trust meet on the first Sunday of every month to help look after one of Clackmannanshire's best-loved beauty spots.
This month, they tackled overgrown paths, battled giant weeds, scrubbed and repainted picnic benches, collected litter and even rescued a plastic bag that had found its way down a steep bank towards the burn. Afterwards, as always, they shared tea, homemade fruit pie and good conversation.
As I looked through their photographs afterwards, I couldn't help but smile.
There were people of different ages working side by side, welcoming new volunteers, sharing stories and taking pride in making the Glen just a little bit better than they found it.
It made me wonder, when we talk about culture, what do we really mean?
We often think of concerts, exhibitions, theatre or festivals.
Yet perhaps culture is also found in the people who quietly care for the places that hold our memories.
Alva Glen is far more than a beautiful woodland.
For generations it has been somewhere families have explored, children have paddled in the burn, friendships have been formed, and countless walks have ended with a flask of tea and a conversation.
Places like these become part of who we are, not because they simply exist, but because people continue to care for them.
The volunteers' work doesn't stop with maintaining the Glen. Every two years they also create the much-loved Alva Glen Illuminations, transforming the woodland into an evening of light, colour and wonder enjoyed by thousands of visitors.
This year's Illuminations will take place on Saturday, September 19, and the Trust is currently looking for volunteers to help bring the event to life.
If you've ever enjoyed an evening in the Glen, perhaps this is the year to help create that experience for someone else.
Looking at the smiling faces gathered over tea and cake after a morning's work, I was reminded that culture isn't only found in the events we attend.
It is also found in the people who quietly make sure those places, traditions and memories continue for future generations.
Perhaps the true custodians of culture aren't always on the stage.
Sometimes they're simply wearing a high-visibility jacket, lending a hand, and quietly caring for a place they love.
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