Pudding in the effort

If you take our launch run out of the equation, we had a record number of sign ups tonight. Unfortunately motorway chaos, illness and general life-stuff meant that we didn't quite get our 20 pairs of hands on deck at the foodbank, but we weren't far off!

Welcome to family Sceal: Beth, Chloe and Jane joining us for the first time this week (give them a cheer!). They joined the walking group of Tony and Jo who had just left the building as they arrived. Massive thanks to Lou, who is now known as the GoodGym Border Collie, for rounding the 5 of them up and joining them together to form a group.

We all arrived safely at the Foodbank where Carly was waiting for us. Upstairs there were more boxes of donations than we'd ever seen plus a few more to be weighed in. We quickly set to work sorting out Christmas specific donations (loads of Christmas puddings, mince pies and a mountain of Family Circle boxed biscuits), weighing in the new donations and sorting everything else into the relevant crates while desperately trying to keep up with the label writing as the crates were filled.

As ever, everyone wanted to keep going - this isn't a task for "completer finishers"! We made a huge dent in all the donations which will make it easier for the next band of volunteers to make up the hampers for Christmas.

We headed back to Fratton where the running group got to practice their flying 30s - some impressive turns of pace there from the gang - we used the walking group as a timer & once they got back we all did our stretches.

Tony's quote of the evening summed up how a lot of us feel about GoodGym:

I was having a rubbish day until I came to GoodGym and now I feel I've got away and done something good.

Only 2 more Wednesday group runs till we break up for Christmas. Next week is a run only to put up some Christmas decorations at Hilsea Lodge (festive attire encouraged) and the 19th December is a walk or run to Buckland Community Centre followed by a bring and share Christmas celebration back at Fratton Community Centre - all welcome.

Tomorrow is the Fratton Festival of Light if you are free - now starting at St Marys Church (6pm). And Saturday 15th a few of us are checking out DICE - please come along and join the fun!

Until next time, HAPPY RUNNING!