What a stunning day to volunteer at a half marathon and support all the runners and their amazing and diverse reasons to run. It was a pleasure to support the Headway volunteers and the police cadets. The Goodgymers were stationed on East Hill around the three mile mark to encourage and cheer runners and to become amateur traffic police! We are a bit biased so the loudest cheers came for Louise, Emma and Dan!

Despite the event highlighting how (needlessly?) reliant people are on driving into our city centre, the runners looked happy, safe and quite pleased to be running downhill after the effort of North Hill and with the gradual Ipswich road incline ahead!

As I write WhatsApp is buzzing with news from end of the race...the volunteers and cheer squad went for a coffee and a cake and I hope the runners relax and recoup however they enjoy the most!

Well done everyone, you all managed the same distance, and well done to the organizers and volunteers for doing Colchester proud.

Our second visit to the hidden oasis that is The Headway Centre started by meeting the speedy Naomi and getting some documents checked. Welcome!!

The team arrived with some using their own steam and some not and we got to work. Along with Jade and Ella we chatted about the weekends epic community missions before cracking on with grouting, weeding, sweeping leaves and tying up sunflowers! We made a remarkable and obvious positive difference.

As a reward I set up 5 stations for a circuit with shuttle runs, burpees, squat holds, abs and press-ups on the menu! The effort was a big as the smiles!

Well done team, great to see you all.

Goodgym Colchester have supported Headway in promoting some of their fund-raising activities in the past and prior to the pandemic we were due to support them to marshal Colchester Half Marathon. So our first Community Mission task was a special one. (the second will be even better).

The Headway Centre is an oasis hidden in the midst of the Colchester United stadium, a new housing estate and the building sites of more houses. I am so glad it is there and serving the community for people with brain injuries. Indeed Ella and I took a few wrong turns on our bikes and Sally too in her car but we found it and got to work!

We mowed, weeded and swept and hopefully made a difference. The front porch area was grouted and de-weeded, the lawn was mown as far as the electric lead would allow and we stuffed a few bags full of garden waste. It is always a good sign when a curious and grateful Robin snaps up the bugs that we uncovered! As we gardened we chatted about the new freedoms we have currently as it seems many people are going to pubs and restaurants!

The weather was on our side and we avoided any rain and we look forwarded to work underneath the beautiful ancient tree!

On another note I broke a GG tradition and used the timer to take a photo instead of a selfie! As controversial as Russia's Eurovision entry right?