Anwen Greenaway

If you fancy volunteering in Oxford, cheering your fellow runners along, and earning yourself a free or discounted place for a Limelight Sports Event next year race next year, this is the opportunity for you!

Help keep the runners spirits up at the Oxford Half with cheers or by helping on a water station: An opportunity to spread some real GG love to runners along the course.

In return you’ll receive FREE ENTRY for you or a friend to a Limelight Sports running event next year - Asics London 10k, Hackney Half Marathon, or Oxford Half Marathon - or a 50% discount off entry into London Duathlon, Blenheim Triathlon or London Triathlon 2022.

Details of volunteering:

Time: 07:30 –13:00
Location: They would like us to volunteer on Aid Station 2, which is the energy station.
We will be based in Marston, at around mile 7.5. The meeting point is Marston Ferry Road, junction with Oxford Road, Oxford OX3 0PH. They've asked us to be there by 7:30am (but to be honest, the race doesn't start until 9:30am, so although we'll have some prep to do before the runners come through I think the meeting time is so early because there will be road closures after that time. Let me know if you think you'll be arriving a bit later than that.).

Admin steps:
So that Oxford Half organisers know who to expect, and so that they can keep in touch with you to send you your code for a free entry for next year (in due course), we all need to sign up on Rosterfy. If you've never registered on the Rosterfy website before use this link to sign up.

If you already have a Rosterfy account then login, Select 'Apply Now' on Oxford Half Marathon, then click through to the 2nd page of shifts and 'apply' for Aid Station 2 - Energy'.

We will all need to do a lateral flow test in the 24 hours before the race and register the result on the NHS website. You will be asked to show the text or email confirming a negative result.

Our duties:
* Cheer on runners!
* Setting up all tables in the designated position.
* Setting out water bottles/energy bars/energy drinks on the tables.
* Handing out water/energy drink/energy bars to runners as they pass.
* Replenishing the tables as items are handed out.
* Tidying the water station after the final runner has passed.

We'll be provided with a volunteer Tshirt to wear, but do layer up, as you will be outside for several hours.

They normally provide a packed lunch for volunteers, however if you have any dietary requirements I suggest you make sure you bring some snacks in case the food isn't appropriate for you.

It was a fructose frenzy at Oxford City Farm this morning.

After meeting Faldo the mule we were delegated to direct the apple pressing, with strict instructions not to be too efficient (“I know what you GoodGymers are like, you’ll have them all pressed in no time and none of the kids will be able to have a go.”).

Expecting a zen couple of hours of slow-paced, mindful apple pressing we happily accepted the role. Well, it was certainly neither zen nor slow-paced, possibly verging on chaotic at times, but it was wholesome, sticky fun! Crucially, no-one got their fingers scratted or pressed, and lots of delicious juice was made.

It was wonderful to see the farm humming with activity and happy people trying the apple juice and filling bags with pumpkins and squashes.

Annual apple pressing task - done!

ARK-T centre is a community-minded arts centre and the home of the Waste 2 Taste cafe. Along the side of the centre it has a playground space which is open for members of the public to use every day. Over the summer months the play space has been heavily used, and has also attracted some anti-social behaviour, so the space had to be closed for a couple of weeks to tidy-up. We've been called in by Ark-T a couple of times previously at this time of year to help get the play space ship-shape, so we're old hands at it now.

While 4 of us disappeared off to get extra tools and a wheelbarrow from the Waste2Taste garden all of the other GoodGymers got straight to work weeding, digging out mushrooms (best not to take risks on whether they're the poisonous kind or not!), clearing out the storage benches (SO much rotten wood and heaps of wellies inside), and pruning back the buddleia and willow which were eye-level hazards.

The litter picker team whizzed around the playground, along the lane and plogged the surrounding roads, striking gold early on with a bucket (repurposed for our garden waste) and an onion, as well as the usual cans and (literal) crap.

Back in the playground we rigged up our portable lights and deployed the head torches to keep going as the daylight faded. Leaves swept up, brown garden waste bin filled and several trugs of gardening detritus and plastic tubing were piled up ready for the skip which will be arriving soon.

I call that a highly effective hour's work - Great work dream team!

Welcome Bryony and Sarah - really good to meet you both!
Well done on your 10th Good Deed Vanessa.
Congratulation son completing Manchester Marathon Trev.

It was panic-stations this morning when we realised we were down to 2 GoodGymers on our foodbank shift this afternoon. However, I should've known better than to worry, as Rachael jumped in to help (thank you cancelled jury duty), Sarah came along straight after work to help get the parcel list completely packed, and Cassy pedalled over to help restock the shelves and put away donations.

With Ben and myself we were almost a full team so got parcels packed, food waste binned, donations put away, and some restocking and portioning up done. That should make tomorrow's shift easier, which is great since they're a bit short-staffed Thursday too!

Very much appreciate the team pulling together on this task today.