PINeS and NEEDLES with excitement for Christmas - A TREEmendous effect

Some unusual but festive characters turned up at Wholefoods this evening, including a couple of reindeers, an elf and a santa or two! We must have looked great as the head of Wholefoods jumped in to take our group picture around the tree! After hearing about the amazing community missions completed over the weekend and some information about ones coming up, we got outside into the cold. A quick head count and into an active warm up in Mark's new favourite alley and then we set off up the hill that is Church Road, and back down the Star and Garter Hill, before heading along Richmond riverside (luckily avoiding Nightingale Lane this time - Phew!) then over the bridge. Once over the water we did a hard left to continue along the river on the other side before our staggered arrival at Lynde House Care Home in East Twickenham (some of us may have got a bit lost - Oh deer!!!).

It was wonderful to return to the care home after visiting last year for a Christmas carol sing-a-long with a local choir. We gathered in the main room then dispersed to assemble and decorate not one, not two but SIX Christmas trees in different rooms of the care home. Many of us had to put our temptations aside to avoid the delicious mince pies and mulled wine that were kindly put out for us to make sure we got the trees finished in time. (Mulled Wine and Mince pies - ho ho ho!!! we are spoilt!) Debates began to rise: Beads or no beads? Red or gold? Tinsel or no tinsel? Less is more or more is more? Fortunately we were able to put our stylistic differences aside to focus on the job in hand and all six trees were completed. The big one even had impressive decorative presents under the tree that light up!

We rounded up our Bing Crosby scene with a mandatory FESTIVE group photo beside the big tree and a quick Jingle Bells on the piano then we tackled the much shorter 2km route back to Wholefoods. Have fun deciding who decorated their tree the best - check out the photos!

Welcome to Jon for his first run with GG tonight!

Next week is a trio of tasks so look forward to making good things happen with you all once again!