This morning Eltham junior parkrun marked its 10th birthday, and we were there to help the celebrations go with a swing while also helping making sure the event ran safely for everyone taking part.

It was bucketing down when joined the other volunteers to collect our hi-vis jackets and high-five hands. Spirits were high 🥳, even if the weather wasn’t playing along 🌧.

Then, as if by magic, the rain eased off as we headed to our positions; Peter as timekeeper, Ivar marshaling at the 'Corner Out of the Bushes', and Johnny and Sarah doing a double act at 'Split Point'.

Three-two-one-GO!

Fifty-five youngsters and their grown-ups set off for two dry, albeit ridiculously muddy laps, slip-sliding round with plenty of smiles.

Once the finishers were through, we helped pack everything away before enjoying some birthday treats - a fitting way to celebrate a decade of junior parkrun with our friends at Eltham juniors!

This very fine Saturday* 11 of us arrived at Mycenae House, some after already volunteering or running at one of the Parkruns, or swimming or just successfully rolling out of bed, hey we don't judge and it's all an achievement on a very fine Saturday.*

We joined the Friends of Mycenae Gardens who were busy getting on with planting over 400 tree whips by the dead hedge which we've spent many a day building up. We got to work, digging, planting and stamping (and playing hide and seek) and soon they were all in place and it was time for cake.

AND Today was a very special day because it was Johhny's 50th and a bit birthday...Aka his 60th 🤫. Which is particularly exciting because he will shortly get free travel, eye tests and all sorts of discounts now that he's gracefully moved into the 'Seniors' category. But it's only a number - there's nothing senior about Johnny other than the wisdom and life experience he carries with him, not to mention his many good deeds! So very fitting that after the task we enjoyed coffee and cake together to celebrate our lovely friend.

A great morning with an amazing group of humans - thank you all!

Tomorrow we have litter picking in Charlton

Wednesday we have a run to Dee's Nursery to help out in the garden.

And next Saturday it's Gardening at the Hospice in Bexley.

Until next time!

Rachel

*(not fine, not sunny, just grey, grey forever grey but let's pretend we experienced some finer weather just for a moment, please 🙄)

2 GoodGymers powered through (in record time!) a busy afternoon at Borough Food Co-op.

Ivar put his strong muscles to work unloading a massive delivery from the truck, packed with heavy crates full of fruit, veg and cans. Once everything was inside, Ivar and Chandrima got stuck into quality checking and crate-mixing apples, pears, bananas, oranges, onions, carrots, parsnips, big potatoes, leeks and sweetheart cabbages to create colourful, ready-to-go displays for distribution.

The tin taskforce then took over for a very satisfying sorting session. First up were towers of canned tuna chunks, sardines and mackerel fillets in every possible liquid (brine, sunflower oil and spring water), all unloaded, separated and stacked so the right tins were easy to find. That was followed by a sea of store-cupboard staples: cans of baked beans, butter beans, chopped tomatoes, marrowfat peas and mushy peas were all sorted into neat groups. On top of that, crates of Diet Coke, Dr Pepper and Korean lemonade were unloaded and arranged so the shelves looked full but tidy.

With Ivar now very close to the brilliant milestone of 200 good deeds – and plenty more deeds to come for 200+ – the pair rounded things off with a quick clean-up, sweeping the floors and wiping down desks so everything was left spotless for the next session.

Big Cheers to Ivar for being a champ and an inspiration to newbie GG-ers! 💪🏻