On Sunday morning, a team of GoodGym volunteers,Sooz, Rue, and Md helped make another fantastic London Fields Junior parkrun possible.

40 children took part in the 2 lapper, 2km run, bringing lots of enthusiasm, determination and smiles to the park. It was great to see six runners achieve new Personal Bests, but as always at junior parkrun, the biggest success was seeing children enjoying being active, building confidence and having fun.

We were especially pleased to welcome eight first-time visitors to London Fields Junior parkrun, including seven children completing their very first junior parkrun. There is something special about seeing children discover the joy of parkrun for the first time, supported by cheering volunteers and an encouraging community atmosphere.

A huge thank you goes to our GoodGym volunteers who marshalled the course, cheered runners on, helped keep everyone safe and brought plenty of energy and encouragement along the way. The difference a friendly smile, a high-five or a few words of support can make to a child taking part should never be underestimated.

Junior parkrun depends entirely on volunteers, and we were proud to be part of a wider volunteer team of 12 people who gave their time on a Sunday morning so local children and families could enjoy a free, fun and welcoming event.

One of the things we love most about supporting London Fields Junior parkrun is seeing the community come together. Children challenge themselves, families spend time outdoors, friendships grow, and volunteers play a small but important role in making it all happen.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered, ran, walked, cheered and supported the event. We are already looking forward to doing it all again next Sunday.

I enjoyed a good laugh with MsT this afternoon. She’s super enthusiastic about sorting out the ivy and other jobs around her garden. The plant in question has probably been in situ for over 25years and has a phenomenal root stock.

MsT actually got to work during the week and cleared the remaining half of the living, rambling wall which has been growing on her adjoining neighbour’s fence for a quarter of a century. I think she enjoyed clearing it but does still need some help and it would be unsafe for her to attempt to dig this out herself.

Today’s task? Attempt to dig up the roots! MsT is an absolute gem and will need some trusty GoodGymers for the next few weeks to help clear the rest of the ivy root and flatten the earth in front of the fence.

Days have been noticeably cooler and damper of late and Stoke Newington Common is looking less parched than it did over the summer. However, the watering team were out again to give the young trees an extra hydro-boost.

Nick made his debut appearance on the Common, combining the task with a training run ahead of the inaugural Shoreditch Half this weekend. Good luck to Nick and everyone else running on Sunday! Stay hydrated!

A very satisfying task clearing ivy for MsT today. She was really lovely and happy with the progress. About 1/3 of the wall of ivy was cut, pulled and bagged up. We’ll need to head back to help clear the rest of the plant and help MsT reclaim her garden.

What a fantastic morning we had at London Fields, with an impressive 47 runners joining us for their weekly 2km adventure. It was wonderful to welcome 10 first timers and to see so many new faces returning, alongside familiar faces making a welcome comeback after the long summer break.

Before setting off, everyone threw themselves into an energetic warm-up expertly led by Sooz, getting minds and bodies ready for action. Then it was off through London Fields, with autumn already making its presence felt as runners charged through the first of the falling leaves.

There were some brilliant performances across the field, including an incredible 8 personal bests. A huge well done to everyone who took part, including our 2 unknown runners, who joined in all the fun and enthusiasm.

One of the most heartening parts of the morning came after the finish, when lots of children took the time to come over and say thank you to the volunteers. We really do like that. Junior parkrun is about much more than running; it is about community, kindness and encouragement, and those small gestures mean a great deal to everyone who helps make the event happen.

As ever, junior parkrun simply could not happen without volunteers like GG ers Hilary,Md, and Rue. The support of the local community, including GoodGym members, is a crucial part of the whole set-up. So if you ever find yourself wondering what to do on a Sunday morning, why not come and join us? And if, like Eva, you have plans for a leisurely breakfast with a friend who does not get up too early, you can always come and join us first!

See you next Sunday.

This week we attracted the attention of at least 10 children (and accompanying adults), who were playing in the nearby children's play area as we filled up our watering cans. After escorting us on our first lap of the Common and helping water the trees, the intrigued and delighted children all returned to the tap and helped us fill up for the next round.

The youngsters were utterly enthralled by proceedings and most remarkably, everyone remained dry!

Hopefully we have inspired a new generation of tree lovers and environmentalists.