Super Team Work this morning at Frenford Food Bank. Sharon immediately got on with calling people that hadn't yet put in their orders in while Linda and Eddie started setting up.

Kathryn and Addie were soon on site and got stuck straight into picking and packing. We also had a few non GGers come in to help and the combine team effort meant we were done by teatime.

Kathryn, her Mum (one day we will get her to sign up), Eddie and Addie were helping out with some finishing off bits including making a very tidy job of the beans in homage to our extremely tidy but now Stateside AJ.

Our Peter and Natalie popped in with his parents and a food donation which Peter kindly shelved up himself, randomly placing Heinz Beans (known for not stacking nicely) on what was the tidy beans shelf. AJ has been told and she is not pleased but he meant well and it was nice to meet Mum and Dad.

Meanwhile there was some networking going on between those who stayed for tea and bickies,with offers to help on the job seeking front and finding mutual connections we didn't know we had. Addie kindly offered to help one of the Frenford volunteers with a delivery and was rewarded with a lift home.

Another successful group session completed with 57 (sorry AJ didnt mean to make another reference to Heinz) food packages prepared. Well done us.

Linda was feeling her age and a bit under the weather, regretting setting up a mission to celebrate her 200th parkrun when she had only done 199 so couldn't opt out today 😩.

Fortunately Valentines had more than enough volunteers leaving Peter and James free to offer their moral support trotting round with Linda at a much slower pace than they are used to. Ed and Sharon had been given Marshaling spots so were shouting support from their posts. Jaquie stayed behind after her run to encourage Linda over the finish line and take photos/video to prove the run got done (she also provided a commemorative "200" badge), Katherine double backed after her run to add to the support posse.

Not all were official volunteer roles but technically everyone was supporting a vulnerable older person 🤪 which is what goodgym is all about. 🤗

We then went on to "The Spoons" for a celebratory cuppa and a mini Wiggles The Caterpillar.

4 of us got together to support each other as well as supporting Barking Park Run. It was a beautiful, fresh morning. Not our usual parkrun, Barking was very welcoming -even with a tongue in cheek "get back to your own park runs"- yelled out during a little congestion at the start 😂. Julia and Linda ran while Ed and Sharon cheered everyone on. Dog sitting for a friend Sharon brought two little dogs with her -well it is Barking parkrun after all- and Julia brought hot tea and Colin cup cakes to warm and cheer us on with the rest of our Christmas day.

it is December after all, so some chocolates & mince pies do seem appropriate for our last visit to the baby bank for 2025...

7 Goodgymmers made their way on foot & by bus down to the Cornerstone Church to meet Adam and get stuck into the bags of clothing to be sorted as usual.

Job done, goodbyes said.