Well, we could hardly have asked for better weather could we?

It was a pretty short run today to Dame Emily Park where we helping Urban Buzz with a variety of tasks around the park. Chris, David and Nick began with the removal of a large bush before moving on to reduce the amount of sage in one of the flowerbeds. Richard and Josh got to work on the compost whilst Dave and Russ took to raking the area. Everyone else began planting wildflowers around the area, making use of tiny tools (See pics!) and green fingers.

We made quick work of all the tasks that were planned for us and were able to enjoy a quick tea break. Perhaps the highlight was the fact that we were allowed to take home as much the Sage we cleared out as we wanted - it's not every week we get fresh herbs! Ursula was overjoyed with how much we had got done, we completed everything that needed doing - good work everyone!

And a big shout out toFrancis, Ani , Luci and Todd for attending their first task!

Welcome today to new runners Kate and Bella who accompanied us along the Malago Greenway to meet Martin and his MVCG companions down at the secret orchard.

Once there, they joined a group tasked with planting some wildflower bulbs being sure to distribute them in a 'casual just as nature might have done' manner.

Most others worked to cut back any new brambles and make sure they can't get re-established while Chris and Patrick did some excellent lumberjack work on a couple of unruly elders.

Great to be back in the orchard and looking forward to many more visits in 2019! Thanks to Dave for the pun.

Lots of people today - attracted both by the propect of helping establish a brand new community garden and just possibly also by a very manageable 1k run to get there.

The community garden is to be located in the open patch of land behind a block of flats and is the joint project of one of the residents and our host for today, Jane from Jump Start. Jane runs a fitness session for kids in the space and was keen to get them involved them in the work today - they seemed to be having lots of fun carrying roots and branches to the compost pile, and having a go with some of the tools!

That's not to say there wasn't fun to be had for our runners - with spades, pick axes and rakes supplied by the excellent Park Works project, we made great progress clearing a wide band of land around the newly sited benches so it could be used for planting and be a welcoming place for some of the parents and more elderly residents to hang out for a bit of a chat.

With almost 30 of us working we made great progress and we're hoping to get back and continue working on the space later in the Spring so it will be fun to watch the project develop.

With such a short run it was great to have Danica step up and volunteer to lead a longer run back and there seemed to be plenty of folks who were happy to join her. Thanks Danica - and well done to all of you for taking on Constitution Hill and the Zig Zag on the way back to base.

Thanks also to Danica and Matthew for back marking today, to Fi for helping me carry a few tools and Paul for services to health and safety.