Dear reader,

I usually spend my run-report-writing-time weighing up just how silly I can be without having a good deed docked.

Take this evening. Tea in hand and laptop ready, I was about to set down in print a tall tale about how our trip to the (food)bank resulted in us foiling a (food)bank robbery. Led by Sly Stallone. And Phil Mitchell. Neither any match for Victoria 'SHOTGUN' Sheridan and Steve 'TOUGH-TOUGH' Murtough. Course they weren't. Just another day at GG mission HQ...

But not today. No, it's no use, dear reader. No use, you won't persuade me!

For today was a little glimpse of what we GoodGymers and our fellow volunteers are all about. And I'm quite keen to share my reflections. Without Phil Mitchell.

This morning, Victoria, Steve, and I had the fortune of spending 3 hours with the lovely team at Southwark Foodbank's warehouse in Peckham.

Their work and their existence, at the best of times, means that our neighbours can access food and toiletries. As work dries up and supermarket shelves go bare, their work and existence is even more essential. The team and volunteers at the Southwark Foodbank must know they're life-savers. But you wouldn't hear them say it. Humble, kind, and fun in equal measure, we felt welcome from our arrival.

I can't say we did anything the team wouldn't do themselves. Sorting the weekend's delivery of donations (we even saw some loo roll) and then date-stamping items so they can manage the flow of their stock, maybe we helped them do it a little quicker. I hope so. Regardless, it was a pleasure to join the team, share a little laughter, and be part of their awesomeness.

Thank you, team Southwark Foodbank. Hope we helped.

Plus... it's worth saying that the GG HQ team have been wonders over the last week. It's quite something to be a tiny little part of a volunteering community led by a central team who stand tall and ready to help our neighbours who are going to need it over the coming months. And I'm pretty confident that we're all chomping at the bit to get stuck in. From a safe distance, of course.

Pretty heartwarming in these unsettling times, I'd say. Nice one!

(P.S. Sorry I didn't take any photos!)

Gillian, Samantha and Philippa spent a happy hour sorting peas from beans and rice pudding from custard before embarking on some serious date checking. We made sure that A LOT of biscuits and crisps were fresh enough to go out to Foodbank clients. The prize for most out-of-date item goes to a cake with a SBD in 2004! The regular volunteers were glad to see us and grateful for our hard work. Thanks everyone!

Five goodgymers went to Southwark food bank this morning to help sort donations.

Rebecca and Philippa were soon whisked away downstairs to check the best before dates on some biscuits. Gillian and Emma sorted donations into categories while I took in donations from outside and helped weigh them.

There was too much to get through in one morning, but we achieved more than the regulars could have done alone!

Is ham pork? Is a prune a fruit or a vegetable? Does a steak and kidney pie have pork in it? Is rhubarb sweet or savoury?

All these questions and more were answered at the Southwark Foodbank this morning.

Southwark Foodbank has had an influx of donations over Christmas. In addition, the political news of last week has resulted in even more donations than usual, as the public anticipate more need for foodbanks over the next five years (make of that what you will...)

Three keen GoodGymers therefore volunteered to help sort the mound of donations into different categories so they could be best distributed to local people in need this festive period.

After some confusion about start time, Philippa, Abi and I got to work alongside Lindsey, Emma, Trevor, Kevin and Richard, the regular warehouse volunteers. There were some interesting donations - some more conventional than others, and we all developed cravings for various tinned food items across the morning (rice pudding and custard, more so than spam and fray bentos)

The highlight of the morning was the arrival of a police riot van, full to the brim with donations from local police stations. We (mainly Abi) were very excited to have our picture taken with the police officers.

It was a really enjoyable task - although depressing that foodbanks still exist in 2019, we met some really wonderful volunteers who dedicate their time all year round to this good cause. We all agreed we'd be back to help again.

The next GoodGym session will be in January but the Foodbank needs volunteers any Monday to Thursday, 9.30am-1pm, so if you're interested in volunteering another time, email me and I'll put you in touch with the manager.

Wall of Honour

• Thanks to Dom, Emily & Anna for leading our 3 teams and keeping the groups together.
• Big Shout to Sophie for completing her first run with us!
• Pat on the back to Anna for storing all the donations overnight and transporting to the drop off centre today!!

Let’s have a Recap

Last night 23 runners ran 5km in total up and down the streets of Peckham collecting donations for Southwark Foodbank on behalf of the the Trussell Trust. The trust organise Foodbanks nationwide to provide emergency support to families in poverty.

We had a last minute task change on our last group run of 2019! We split into 3 teams each with a separate destination, armed with shopping lists and empty bags, to ask the people of Peckham to donate items such as mince pies & custard whilst doing their shopping. Dom took his team to Tescos, Londis & another Tesco's collecting donations and also kindly donating bags themselves! Emily's team visited Asda stationing themselves front and back of the store, coming back to Old Spike with 4 full bags, and Anna's team managed to bring back a whole trolley-full all the way from Morrisons!!

With more bags than expected and a need to store them overnight, in true GoodGym spirit Anna offered to store them at her flat, so we gathered all the shopping and transported it to her flat 5 minutes away. Leaving time for a quick lampost sprint drill through Peckham Rye while Dom & Abi returned the trolley back to morrisions.

FACT OF THE DAY A custom from the middle ages says that if you eat a mince pie on every day from Christmas to Twelfth Night (evening of the 5th January) you will have happiness for the next 12 months!

What a feel good evening of GoodGym! Finished off by drinks food and merry Xmas wishes at Peckham Levels.

See you Next Year for our next group run on the 8th January collecting Xmas trees!

Have a wonderful time, run, eat and be merry!