5 GGR foodbank regulars turned up today to pick and pack for Frenford Foosbank.

Ed and Linda started setting everything up soon joined by AJ who was keen to start her last shift with GGUK before moving to the USA. AJ has been a keen supporter of GG food banks across the boroughs and has already scoped out food banks stateside so she can help out across the pond. 🙌🏻

Massive kudos goes out to Peter and Kathryn who gave up days off work to come help out, especially as Kathryn was under par due to dental work and also roped in her Mum to help. 🤩

Along with other volunteers we soon got 47 packages picked and packed ready to go just taking a small break to snack on Victor the Vegan Caterpillar (made from fruit as we've had too much left over cake lately) to help celebrate Peters belated 50th Birthday and AJ's forthcoming adventures 🤗

Perhaps not the most successful of alliteration attempts, but also not the worst?

Regulars James & Peter went for a stroll and collected 2 bags of litter, with 2 more large objects to be logged on the council website for their attention.

interesting discussion about linguistics - might need more input in future sessions!

P.S.... is James guarding the door to control who comes in, or who can go out....? 🤔

P.P.S.... the phone number on the card leads to UCKG helpcentre, in case one wondered.

As the title already implies, the planned babybank session this evening sadly fell through - locked doors and nobody appearing with a key and the code to the alarm.

WhatsApp message left, number called & voicemail left, but no response so there was not much else to do than to pack up and make our different ways home again.

On the positive side, we did get the chance to meet the lovely Jo on her first Goodgym experience - not quite the best 1st impression with the task dropping out like this. Do give her a cheer for at least making her way down on a day where transport options are very much under pressure.

The same traffic issues led to regulars Linda & AJ having to pull out, with apologies received.

Fingers crossed a babybank sessio will be re-instated soon - watch this space, or better said the Goodgym website!

Sadly not quite a stadium of rugby supporters singing 'sweet chariots' to the all conquering Englans Ladies.... but more a series of low hanging branches forming issues along the pavement.

As usual, local council (Epping Forest County Council) has not been paying attention / read reports, so a decent pair of secateurs came to the rescue!

Just myself this time, with no other tasks lined up, litter picking it was, picking a route to Wanstead leisure centre underneath the roundabout and back over the other side. Along the way found pizza boxes, Christmas lights, and loads of bottles plastic and otherwise, unfortunately as it was slightly wet, the bag was heavier than it would have been, but an hour an a half and done. No run happened.

• same location - Valentines Park
• same 3 people available - Ed, Linda & Peter
• unfortunately not quite the same 3 tasks - Linda & Ed did, but after 2x tokens it was marshaling at the boat house instead for Peter the week