A trio of Goodgymmer’s helped out with the annual Rotary Club Santa collection in Thurmaston tonight.

Weldone Stu number 299! Can get reach 300 before santa comes?

Jingle in the rain !! Five Goodgym runners helped out tonight with the annual Rotary Club Santa collection. Buckets were shaken , Santa selfies in demand and lots of goodwill and Christmas greetings given . Our very own Goodgym Santa was only to happy to have his pic taken with children and adults alike . Our Goodgym elf Ashley is now captured on 100s of ring doorbells pre warning residents that Santa was on his way . Mel, Stu and Nick eagerly shook the buckets collecting monies that will be given to local charities. Christmas spirits were high despite the rain . Merry Christmas!!

Fantastic festive turnout tonight, 10 Goodgymmers came to help the Rotary Club of the Wreake Valley raise money on their Santa Sleigh. We met Santa and his Elves! I did ask Mel "Where's David?" Apparently washing his hair and beard.

Off we set around all the cul-de-sacs bringing Christmas joy to adults and children, loved seeing Katy elf skipping along. People gave very generously, the charities the Rotary support will be very grateful.

We huddled like penguins for our group pic, Sarah's favourite, then myself and Jimmy were on our way cycling the scenic route under the Xmas lights and around the Christmas tree, mostly concentrating on cycling, Jimmy gave a wonderful cycle profficenty lesson, which I was grateful for. Weldone everyone hope you all defrosted quickly at home!

A wonderful way to round off GoodGym 2021 as we ran to help the Rotary Club of the Wreake Valley raise money on their Santa Sleigh! We actually met Santa!

The runners ran the scenic route to Trevino Drive to meet the sleigh and off we set around the cul-de-sacs on the estate bringing joy to adults and children alike.

Fundraising buckets were filled, the comedy highlight being a man trying to throw a five pound note from his upstairs window and the wind blowing on to next door's garage roof! Fair play to him, he threw another one down for our buckets!

We'll have the fundraising total in the coming days but a fantastic effort this evening everyone!

Have a restful break, enjoy your running and we'll see you in 2022!

HD

Mel was race director at today’s Watermead Winter Warmer, accompanied by Dan as Assistant RD. A festive 3 mile run raising funds for Rainbows Hospice and other local charities. Tracey, Gwynn,Huw, Stu,Dave and Jen dug out their Christmas attire and volunteered to keep runners safe. Jen,Stu and Huw managed time to fit in a run of the course too . Big thanks to you all.

A fantastic evening at Watermead Park as we supported Dave, Mel and the team deliver an absolutely brilliant Watermead Challenge.

Our involvement in the event began a couple of weeks ago where Dave gathered Team GG in the dance studio at The Peepul Centre to attach the timing chips and safety pins to the race numbers of the 600 runners. Tonight our main task was to distribute those numbers to the runners in time for the start of the race.

Organising an event of this scale in the current climate is no mean feat, especially when most of it had been planned around restrictions having been lifted in June as originally planned. However, Dave and his team had all the bases covered and swiftly moved to plan B, delivering a safe and efficient event for everyone involved.

Katy, Jimmy, Rob, Mel, Jen, Ashley and Huw manned the number distribution tent, this year masked up and with a one way system in place. Luckily the running clubs had their numbers distributed to a club representative so this meant that any potential queues didn't materialise and all runners received their numbers in good time to run. Stu and Nick used their transferable skills from the vaccination centre to help on the car park while Lindsay was a Medal Marshall at the Race Village. Stu and Jen added another string to their volunteering bows by holding the pacing boards designed to spread everyone out before the start into estimated pace groups which were kept apart to ensure there was no crowding pre-start. Every base covered!

Great work gang! Then it was time to run...