Andy and I did our bit for tree collection - Andy managed to be less white van driver this year. We also set the record for Farleigh's tallest ever tree collected, bagged ourselves a 13 footer!

This year’s treecycle will raise over £70,000—an absolutely fantastic achievement!

Farleigh Hospice has been providing care and support to anyone affected by life-limiting illness and bereavement in our local community for over 40 years. We support people affected by any life limited illness, including lung disease, neurological conditions, heart failure and cancer, and help people to live well and die well by providing physical and emotional care, and your kindness makes this possible.

It costs over £21,271 every day to provide the care we do to our local community across mid Essex. We are part funded by the NHS but still need the support of our community to help raise vital funds to enable us to continue providing care completely free of charge to those who need it.

I went to Farleigh donation site in chelmsford to drop off some stuff for them to raffle off to raise money for their excellent work.

Gave them wine and mugs. Sallyann and Fay gave toiletries. All helps!

they were very grateful and chatty. Christmas tree donation next!

On easily the coldest night of the year we ventured out to deliver a double message: 1. Recycle your Christmas tree and support Farleigh Hospice 2. Come to Goodgym!

There was a full moon and a variety of Christmas lights deviating the Avenues but our very own Joe out shone everyone. A beautiful sight to see running around Chelmsford!

The speedy delivery done it was Christmas Social time! I hope you all warmed up and thanks to Laurie for organising.

No sign of Tom Hanks anywhere but Fay and Angela braved the cold to deliver some leaflets, admiring the christmas decorations as they went!

Next week is our last task of the year, and we're heading back to St John's Church Hall for some more leaf clearing. You can sign up here

We've also got our Christmas do this Saturday, there is still time to sign up if you'd like to come.

Andy: “Where are we going after Joe’s last run with us then?”

Joe: “It’s wings night at NO FREE PUBLICITY – we could do that?”

And so it was decided. Joe’s last night with GoodGym Chelmsford as a local would end with drinks and wings. Before that though, we just had to reach Upper Bridge Road, delicately pick leaflets with gloved fingers, jam hands through letterboxes and try not to leaflet the same place twice. Game on.

'Twas the first run of Christmas, and all through the streets
The lights were all sparkling, switched on late last week
The stone bridge and roundabout were bathed in a glow
So we stopped (and Rich jumped) to take a photo

The traffic jams parted and Dave – pretty quick
Stood in the middle to take a few pics
Then onwards to the centre for more snaps by the tree
Posing – dare I say it – almost elegantly

Then out on by the underpass there arose such a din,
Ben and Richard racing to see who would win
Past the shopfronts in Moulsham done up for Christmas
Despite our speed and our numbers, blink and you’d miss us
But if missing’s the subject there’s only one name around
Joe will miss you all when he heads out of town

"Bye, Laurie! Bye, Russell! Bye, Sallyann!
Sorry I left my glittery flares in the van!”
To the top of the road! To the top of the hill!
But the actual top of the road, not the one for Joel!"

And then, in a twinkling, a letterbox closes
Jess’ poor glove its metal jaw encloses
As she drew back her hand she exclaimed with a yelp
But Andy was too busy backmarking to help

His leaflets went fast, he was onto a winner
Like a lycra-wrapped Santa, just older and thinner
With leaflets delivered we headed back into town
Our stomach to fill, our sorrows to drown

This was the first time that Kate had seen us at a pub
But she'd heard the stories of crawls and pre-parkrun clubs
Our Wednesday night mad one became more insipid
They’d run out of wings! Fuming. #Livid.

Erin was gutted but the solution was easy
An alcohol-free espresso martini
Fay came to discover what tater tots are
(Basically hash browns, but smaller by far)

With leaflets all leafletted and all the drinks drunk,
We contemplated whether all our waistbands had shrunk
Some emotional hugs and drawn-out goodbyes
Could’ve been warm, but we did them outside

So up the A12 with memories galore,
Joe disappears to go and explore
Chelmsford will miss him, and he’ll miss their fun
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good run!

On a chilly November evening we met at the old factory gym ready for a bit of leafleting.

After regaling others with mine and David's firewalk last week we set off into the night.

We met Sallyann and Leanne in the Lidl carpark with the leaflets expertly folded from last weeks task.

Richard got stuck into the task and was galloping between the houses as Andy started to feel the cold and regretted not wearing the extra layer.

Walking and chatting through the winding streets we came towards the end of pile of leaflets and Kate wasn't sure which way was her home until we turned the corner and realised we were back at Lidl.

Back at the Sallyann's car we talked about what we were having for dinner when Sallyann realised she had missed a dark carrier bag full of even more leaflets. lol

So next week we shall be clearing leaves at St Johns church hall and the following week we will finish the leafleting (with maybe some litterpicking too)

Great to see you all, and hope to see you again next week

remember....

RUN HAPPY

Rich