"Yeah Jim, How Do You Know My Name?"

Last hurrah of 2023, forecasted to be a select few, until it became apparent that people just didn't sign up, lovely surprise really. We discussed "what makes you feel old?" as our weekly opener and the answers flowed like Frank Sinatra at a Bingo night.

• Getting told you give off "dad vibes"
• When an adult is born this century
• The severity of hangovers
• Looking in the mirror
• Excitement levels of buying a new vacuum
• Being the longest serving employee (by decades !)
• Seeing NOW 3654 being released when you bought NOW 01
• When someone thinks you were in education in 70's...and your in your 30s. Low blow.

Right, now that's been shared, and I've re-cackled, let's dive on into a superb end of year swansong. Featuring a jog down a scenic Bow Road (think I saw a fox eat a pigeon), then into the church. Matt and I rolled in, doors locked, and another chap was waiting to come in too, clearly not yet of the red t-shirt persuasion. Ajenny opened the door and said "GoodGym?" He said "yeah Jim, how do you know my name" at which my brain caught up with what had happened and started a very noisy internal laughter that meant I literally couldn't speak. After regaining myself, I said to Ajenny, "we're GoodGym, he's Jim". Anyway, he was looking for another church, I hope he found it. Legend.

We were there to butter a load of sandwiches, I've got the figure three hundred in my head, sounds plausible. It's usually done by two people, who start at 530am and finish around 8am. Not this time. We lined up either side of a table and got to it, buttering white and brown bread, then repackaging it for the fillings to be added later. If anything we were too effective, wrapped up in thirty mins or a dash less. We discussed coming back to help again in late January, then we ambled over to the Forest Tavern for our Xmas Do. Excellent night with new and old members, celebrating your evening efforts and what you've done over the year. So many hands lent to some incredible grass roots organisations, quietly propping your community up - marvelous bunch. We eventually had to leave as the pub was too trendy and gave Kev hives, that's gentrification for you.

I'll see you beauties on Jan 3rd, have a few lined up in the NY, but will list and share pronto.

Thanks again for your efforts - and making wednesday a pleasure - hats off to you all.

Till next year XXX

B