Another Sunday, another junior parkrun for Peter, joining the volunteers' briefing before taking up his timekeeping duties.

Always time to enjoy a coffee too!

Yee-haw! 🤠

With a batch of Hospice Hoedown leaflets left over from our flyering in Bexley a couple of weeks ago, we headed out into the residential streets around Sidcup High Street to deliver the remainder.

It didn’t take long to get to the bottom of the pile, and hopefully our efforts will help drum up a few more bookings for the Hoedown! 🤠

Sunday morning in Avery Hill Park, and three GoodGymers arrived bright and early to help the Demelza Hospice team get ready for their first Rainbow Run.

Our job was to set up five colour stations, where later in the day other volunteers would be throwing clouds of coloured powder at the 400 runners and walkers taking part.

Each station needed a funnel of flags and bunting, so we got busy with hammers and sturdy stakes, battling against the baked-hard soil to get the flag poles firmly in place.

Walking between stations took us on a lap of the park with plenty of steps, and it was great to see each colourful setup take shape, flags flapping in the gentle breeze.

Just as we finished, the party music started and runners began arriving for what promised to be a fun event, raising much-needed funds to support Demelza’s children’s hospice services.

Peter is a regular hi-viz hero at Avery Hill parkrun, and today was no exception.

First up was holding the ‘Quiet Please’ paddle during the briefing, before taking on the important job of timekeeper and helping make sure everyone got their finishing time.

Helping at parkrun is a simple way to get involved in our local community and be part of an amazing Saturday morning event. If you’ve never volunteered before, why not give it a go? There are plenty of different roles to try!

Laura and the team from Holy Redeemer Pre-School had asked us to help get the outdoor area ready for back-to-school tomorrow.

When we arrived - between us walking, running and cycling to get there - Laura pointed us towards the fruit and vegetable garden where nature had run wild during the summer holidays!

The brambles had thrived, the gourd plants had launched a full-on invasion of the strawberry plants in the raised bed in the other side of the path 🎃 🍓 , weeds were rife among the strawberries, and sneaky bindweed had wound its way around pretty much everything!

Gloves on, and secateurs and shears at the ready, we got busy cutting back and pulling-up. Then we more gently untangling bindweed from the tomato and gourd plants plants, careful not to damage their precious fruits that the children will be so excited to see.

After filling the garden waste bin to the brim and a quick sweep up, we were done.

Now the path around the plants is clear for the children to walk around and explore what's growing. We hope they'll be delighted to see the colourful fruit and vegetables, and our guess is that there will be some tasting going on too!

We'll be back again at the end of the month, helping turn old pallets into storage for music instruments! Come and join us - the more the merrier!

🍃 Starting with a Clean-Up

I had a fantastic first session with GoodGym Bexley, helping at Bexley Bike Club's family bike day, and really enjoyed getting involved. It was lovely meeting Sarah and Johnny, and working alongside the amazing Bexley Bike Cub coaches and Access Sport team, a charity dedicated to helping young people access and enjoy sport.

Before the children arrived, we started with a litter pick around the pump track, helping to keep the area safe for riders and tidy. Then we turned to clearing puddles from the track itself.

🪖 Getting Ready to Ride

Once the children arrived, we helped them get ready by fitting helmets and other safety equipment, making sure everyone was comfortable and prepared for the activities ahead. It was great to meet the children and see their excitement as they got ready to take part.

🚧 Cones, Limbo & Lots of Smiles

Sarah and I were in charge of one of the activity stations, where the children completed a fun obstacle course. They weaved around cones and ducked under a limbo bar, showing lots of enthusiasm, determination, and confidence. It was brilliant to watch them challenge themselves while having so much fun.

🛹Taking on the Ramps

After the obstacle course, the children moved on to the ramps to continue developing their bike skills. The kids were all fantastic throughout the session, listening well, encouraging each other, and giving everything a go.

Finally, the riders moved on to the pump track and we were stationed at various points in case of falls and to give lots of encouragement.

⭐Looking Ahead

Overall, it was a really positive experience. Seeing the impact that Bexley Bike Club and Access Sport has on helping young people get involved in sport was inspiring, and I can't wait to get back in the saddle for the next session! 😊

Thank you to everyone that came today to help such a lovely morning!