Sunday June 22nd had been designated as Olympic day at junior parkrun. Four GoodGymers plus Aly Dixon, an Olympic marathoner from Sunderland, turned up to help at Mowbray Park junior parkrun.

A downpour just before the start didn't dampen spirits as the event had its second highest ever attendance!

Heaton Pride Leaflet Delivery Part 2 Rain Avoidance Plan:

1. Get up early and go out 3 hours before the rain is forecast.

2. Put leaflets in plastic bag.

3. Wear waterproof jacket with hood.

Well the forecast was wrong, the rain came early but the leaflets and I stayed relatively dry! Another few hundred delivered after last night’s start at the group run. Part 3 with Aimee on Thursday!

The rain stopped just in time for four GoodGymers to head out towards Heaton from Stepney Bank Stables, armed with many hundreds of Heaton Pride leaflets, without getting wet.

The terraced streets of Heaton are perfect for delivering lots of leaflets quickly. The best part of 1,000 leaflets were delivered in an hour.

Please join Aimee to complete the job on Thursday.

A lovely couple of hours writing thank you cards for Macmillan Cancer Support to express gratitude to its weekly lottery players after reaching £100 million raised!

It really is amazing what funds raised through things like lottery can do and it’s great to have a small role in thanking the supporters!

A walk in the morning mist to arrive at today’s marshalling deed. It didn’t quite go to plan when one of the team forgot to bring the lanyards for the marshals but we still pulled off a great event, keeping the kids motivated and safe from the slippy floors!

This morning’s visit to Magret’s allotment marked a small but satisfying milestone—we finally finished clearing her plot! And just in time, too, as the sun seemed determined to melt us. Thankfully, our trusty new wheelbarrow made light(er) work of hauling weeds and trimmings, even if we were dripping by the end.

It was lovely to see that Magret has already started planting in the areas we cleared on earlier visits. Check out the photos —it’s always rewarding to know the effort is paying off.

As we dug, pulled, and sweated it out, we uncovered a surprising shared memory: Debs and I discovered we’d spent time in Jack’s hometown. That gave us a lovely excuse to pause and reminisce about Chocfest, Miss B’s charming tea rooms, and the irresistible cakes at the community café in the country park. Nothing like a little nostalgia to take your mind off the heat!

Midway through the session, Magret dropped by with Sue to chat. It was heartwarming to hear how much she’s enjoying having access to the plot—it’s clear it means a lot to her, and that’s what makes these sessions so worthwhile.

After what must be six—or maybe seven—visits, we’ve finally cleared the full length of her plot. But the job’s not quite over yet. There are still more plots in need of attention and Sue has plans to strim and mow them in preparation… and so, spades at the ready—until next time!