There was a great turnout for the first GoodGym cheer station at Ealing Half Marathon. Many from the earlier Warm Up came to encourage the runners, along with a few more who felt that the 7:55am warm up was too early a start on a Sunday morning 😂. They lined the route at their commandeered bus stop, standing in front of the GoodGym flag.

Milly took control of the motivational tunes while Tish brought her race cheering experience, with shouts to charge the runners up. There were a few problems with the flag... the gaffer tape wasn't great and keeping it stuck to our bus shelter, so running repairs were needed which kept people busy.

The runners passed at 1 mile in, then again at mile 11 with many GoodGymers, current and lapsed being spotted. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves were cheered on, as was a half-man-half-T-rex and thousands of other runners who took part in the amazing community driven event!

P.S Milly also gets a bonus 🌟 for helping a runner tighten up her running belt.

It wasn't just one, it wasn't two or even three, but four Good Gymers that came to help at the cleaning up session at 3 pm in Ealing Kitchen Soup today, as there were not many of the regular people around. It was Miriam's first session and she got involved with everything like a pro, from the kitchen to the tidying and to the all important final mopping! I managed to save some recyclables and food waste from the landfill this time, Harvey helped with the tidying up of the heavy stuff and Stephen was involved with everything, being there from 9 am until the end, making sure the place is up and running! (which he knows very well...). And all that in his day off!! Hats off to Stephen🧢🧢🧢

Friday Hub lunch service: both Miriam and StephDucat stayed on and worked as a team to plate the dishes for the guests. Spuds were on the menu. Pieces of meat with beans for starters, followed by the main dish Patate Al forno with as usual a meaty and veggie version. Italian chicken Patate Al forno which is oven dish with layers of roasted chicken, sliced potatoes, cheese and cream. Chicken replaced by vegetables for the veggie option. Then dessert was option of oven-baked peaches with ice cream or bread pudding with ice cream. Steph had a special was to scoop the ice cream : as the ice cream was rock solid and impossible to use a normal scoop....used a knife to get the cream of of the tubs 😀 . We can't forget that freshly made sandwiches were also handed out with some bananas. Have to also mention that it was Toby's last day as he is moving to Brighton : regular ESK volunteers.

StephDucat stayed on as usual and was joined by newcomer Miriam, who just joined Goodgym Ealing and joined the team for her 1st mission. Nice Tea meet you Miriam and welcome to the Tea station service. While this happened, StephDucat went to join Marie and the chef Sabbah in the kitchen to start peeling, chopping and cooking delicious food for the 1pm service. Do you know Sabbah and the Giant beanstalk? Or was it Steph?! Check the pics with the beams! What is the kitchen staff up to or what dish is on the menu? Try and guess 😀 . Salad chopped, carrots grated, spring onions diced, cheese grated, chicken cooked, spuds peeled and cut in slices, bread 🍞 sliced, vegetables boiled, cream and milk mixed/whipped and peaches sliced. See the finished dishes in the next chapter or report. Miriam joined the kitchen team once the tea service was over at 1230.