Five of us began at base and Jane insisted on leading out. As we are like to share responsibility I let Joel choose his favourite lights on Moulsham Street for a photo. He chose....Taco Bell. It did mean I could do a pretty good Jingle Taco Bells joke though. Oh deer (that makes sense if you look at the photo of me with the deer lights).

We got to the village hall and Fay shouted 'Ahoy!' for some reason which confused me immensely. Anyway, we got to work filling five bins with many leaves (between 200k and 700k I would say) being led by the literal professional in Richard. We discussed Christmas dinner, our host David has one a week in December, Christmas desserts, mince pies and more. Sallyann bragged about retiring next week (congrats!!!) while I cleaned paths and wept at the prospect of 50 more years until retirement.

We ran out of bin space and took a serious photo for our serious business. Well done all!

Next week we are getting a pint and maybe takeaway after the group run, come along!

We ordered many plates of food. I think all listed below. Rich got drunk.

• Duck
• ⁠chicken satay
• ⁠prawn crackers
• ⁠chicken dumpling
• ⁠veg spring rolls
• ⁠kung pow prawn
• ⁠beef and black bean
• ⁠tofu
• ⁠veg
• ⁠rice
• ⁠Singapore noodle
• ⁠chicken lung pow
• ⁠chicken with cashews
• ⁠pork char sui
• ⁠think another pork
• ⁠prawn toast
• ⁠ma pai tofu

Hello Chelmsford!

Both our battlecry and the theme of the night's mission. On a freezing Wednesday night we met for a walking tour led by Alan, a bit of a local legend.

Really interesting tour with some highlights below!

• County prison in 1660 was where Toni and Guy now is, presumably where Andy used to go for his crimes against fashion
• Chelmsford is named after Coelmaer's ford, from the Saxon times and that spot is the roundabout outside Tesco!
• From 1-5 July 1381 chelmsford was the capital of England! (Well technically Writtle but Leanne and Jess said that counts as Chelmsford)
• Charles Dickins stayed at the MetroBank, not a Metro at the time but a pub, check out the blue plaque, and clearly lived up to the first four letters of his surname saying after not being able to find a newspaper on a Sunday, "If any one were to ask me what in my opinion was the dullest and most stupid spot on the face of the Earth, I should decidedly say Chelmsford".
• Alan's first blue plaque in Chelmsford was Dr Ben Pugh, just above the Cornish Bakery and there for a legend who helped make Chelmsford one of the first towns to get rid of smallpox and developed a pipe to clear baby's airways after birth which is still recognised today. All some forceps which sounded unpleasant...
• In 1808 there was the great fire of Chelmsford leaving about 11 dead. Glad we don't have private fire brigades now
• Ben studied the difference between a public and a private blue plaque (Marconi on Saracen's Head). Or the drink deals, not sure which took his eye.
• Judge Tindall was the first to use grounds of insanity to not convict someone. I've attempted to use this to my wife when I miss the last train but to no avail
• Only three buildings in England have the same recipe of white stone as the part of the cathedral which retained it after the collapse when they dug a grave too close to a pillar and it all collapsed (sounds like a task GoodGym could have done better!) . The other two aren't as famous as the second smallest cathedral in England - King George Chapel in Windsor and Buckingham Palace

There was also loads more information on the tour - and Alan runs loads of these with the Chelmsford Civic Society. Check them out: https://www.chelmsfordcivicsociety.co.uk/index.html

I will be looking out for the tours of the Shire Hall once permission is received!

Armed with the local knowledge the plan is to use it for our walk and talk sessions to help develop language skills.

Happy running and wrap up warm!

We did our annual foodbank reverse advent calendar collection and got a lovely boot full to donate. Well done everyone who took part, it's for a great cause.

10 GoodGymers made quick work of preparing a bumper crop of leaflets ready for our leaflet drop next week. The leaflets were sorted and folded in no time, which meant we could have a chinwag as we finished our drinks before the run back to HQ!

We will be leafletting along the avenues next week, you can sign up here:

Ms D's front garden had some weeds that were starting to get out of hand, and a blanket of fallen leaves was covering the path and blocking the drains. Ms D has limited mobility so needs clear access. After a slow jog there clutching my garden gloves, I got to work with the rake, broom and bucket, and in just over an hour got it all cleared. After working from home all week, it was great to get out, and on such an unseasonably warm day it was a pleasure to be outdoors. Ms D was very pleased with the result.