It may just be me this week - is what I believed...

...BBC Weather had given up - your evening will be bleak - is all they'd said since Sunday... apparently the Daily Snow in Alaska led with - At Least We're Not London... and my Mum texted - surely not shorts, darling? 

Yet our sign ups kept rolling in...

...first it was the GoodGym Central Team, with Chalomi, Ivo, Jacob, Jack, and Kieran - perhaps they want to check up on me, I thought...

...then it was our good-deeding regulars Alison, Jackie, John, Katy, Lici, Louise, and Steve - they sign up for *every* good deed, this lot, I thought...

...and then it was our newer (and very welcome!!!) faces to our community, Akshay and Bozena - did they even know what they'd done(!!), I thought...

Yet - standing in Winter's dark and cold - our wonderful group convened. Thank you, all, I genuinely went through Wednesday feeling like I had a party awaiting in my evening :) 

We kicked things off with our warm up, replacing London for the Wild West, and I do wonder whether passersby were curious about cries of SNAKE IN MY BOOT. A quick few minutes later, our merry group wove our way through Euston and Bloomsbury and onto Tottenham Court Road, where we jumped swiftly into the wonderful American International Church. 

Here for our usual fortnightly slot to set up their C4WS Winter Shelter, we were met by GoodGym friend, Brooke, who set to briefing our team. 

One group (John, Katy, Lici, and Louise, I believe!) quickly set off to do some heavy lifting - shifting AIC's Christmas decorations and recycling 16 large boxes (and thanks for the photo, Katy!)- whilst the other group got to moving chairs and tables, unfurling beds, and fitting clean and warm linen for the evening ahead. We finished by laying out towels and toiletries for the night's guests, leaving a welcoming space. 

I know just how much Brooke and the AIC team appreciate your time and work, everyone - the shelter is a 100% voluntary endeavour - and it wouldn't be possible without the likes of your help - thank you :) 

Our final act was for regular (and lovely) AIC volunteer, Russell, to kindly take our group's photo. On the way home and enjoying Russell's handiwork, twin brother Steve turned and said to me, Alex, why do people always take better photos on your phone than you do...

Here's to next time, all!