Mr. R is a bona fide London gem. Though he is having a hard time now he is on his own, he was really grateful for some help today in getting some shopping in.

Mr. R has always been local to the area, and over a doorstep natter we discussed his time as a young child in London during the blitz, being evacuated away from the city to a household that couldn’t care for him and his siblings, and being back in the thick of it soon after. These experiences led him to clock up 15 years caring for others in the Salvation Army (he fetched me some photos of his days back then to share with me). He also pointed out a certificate behind his front door, congratulating him on over 20 years service on the London Underground as an engineer before he retired. It was that story that made me realise that a couple of years ago, some fellow GoodGymmers and I helped Ray tame his allotment as he was struggling to tend it himself. Lovely to see him again, and support him in a new way while he is shielding from the pandemic.

I made a couple of trips here and there to gather some groceries for a Sunday roast and some essentials. The walk around Highbury featured some beautiful architecture, though I fear it may melt in today's heatwave.

His local butchers knew not only who he was, but knew every item of what I was about to order for him. The butcher behind the counter also asked after him, and she asked me to pass on a message saying they were all thinking of him.

Mr. R has clearly held the local community fabric together all his life, so it’s nice that it’s now looking out for him too.