The lavender and rosemary in the Bernards Close flower bed were getting very overgrow, narrowing the pavement and a potential trip hazard. Ed and Linda also had some new lavender plants to put in so we got out there. Starting with one of us at each end doing general weeding and dead heading, swiftly moving on to Ed planting out the new plants while Linda did battle with the overgrowth. It didn't take long and made things look a lot better, all in all a very satisfying little task.

SHP helper Chris wanted to harvest the fruit from the Green House Project allotment and needed company as they have a policy that at least two people need to be on site. Linda and Eddie were available so signed up and set off to the allotment.

Sadly SHP have not had much opportunity to attend the allotment this year so things were very overgrown. Ed set about freeing a sapling walnut tree from bind weed while Chris and Linda went foraging for fruit. Until the SHP are able to get back to it in September there was not much point in doing much else there. Chris took the goodies to the chef at the local shelter where they were well received.

It was a big day on Saturday celebrating 7 years of GGR and 7.5 decades of the NHS plus AJs 100th mission. Actually our birthday is nearer the end of the month but when we had a plea from Valentines Park Run Director to provide extra Marshals for the additional NHS participants Julia had no hesitation in agreeing to move our proposed take over/celebration forward a bit.

10 Good Gym helpers were allocated our various posts . We had a welcome visitor in John from GG Tower Hamlets on his first visit to Valentines. John was pleased to be given token sorting allowing him to both run and volunteer in one go. AJ wasn't needed until the end so she joined Ed and Linda on the Boat House/Carpark areas where we photographed her with her belated 100 missions banner 👏🏻

Other pre start activities were Sharon pointing out a litter picking opportunity, reports of ducks on the track, Anit announcing track all clear on his patch and Peter stripping off due to the heat🙈.

It was a great atmosphere of fun an enthusiasm from all the participants, some were not used to exercise so things took a little longer than usual, Jenny's tummy must have been rumbling as a cry of "any one seen the tail walkers" went up. Luckily they weren't far away and we were soon sat down and tucking in. A lively discussion on pros and cons of going vegan struck up with James taking the helm on the pro side.

With the threat of thunderstorms looming we packed up our picnic and hopefully all made it home before the rain.

Three GG Amigos arrived post ParkRun activities to assist at Valentines Forest Garden.

Ed and Linda went with one of the Forest Farm volunteers to collect tools from nearby. Meanwhile Peter got talking to a couple of passersby and soon had them inspired to help out.

One of the new volunteers was allocated to helping us and we soon had a nice little chain gang going. Ed was breaking up the sodden wood-chip, our assigned helper loaded the rusty, very squeaky wheelbarrow and Linda transported it to Peter who neatly smoothed it out across the paths. The efficiency of this system and the fact that the annoying squeak was subdued if the wheelbarrow was pushed faster meant the job soon got done.

It was hot and thirsty work so the provision of mint and lemon flavoured iced water was most gratefully received and then we were our way.

The SHP allotment struggles for support as their clients are so transient. They now have a client who is a keen grower and anxious to get going on the project. Sadly the allotment had been very neglected over the winter and the recent clement weather has made everything very overgrown. With the task being too much for one the SHP requested GG to go in and help clear the pathways.

Ed and Linda got started at each end of the path between the shed and the water butt with AJ a welcome addition to the team working from the compost up towards Ed. AJ and Ed share a love of similar books and films and were merrily chatting away as they worked to clear the waist high grass. Linda was using the strimmer and not able to talk to anyone. 😁

Either way the time passed very quickly and we ended up doing an extra 30 mins so not only did our little areas of path clearing join up together nicely we had also managed to clear a little bit around a couple of fruit trees and detangle the rasberry bush from the undergrowth.

AJ then cycled off for her second mission of the day and her 100th with GG 🥳🥳