This week’s group run was a full-body charge. We powered up our fitness and helped Farley Hill residents save on their energy bills. In celebration of This Girl Can’s “Lift the Curfew” campaign and marking the seasonal shift from Diwali’s glow to Halloween’s shadows, we lit up the night with colourful flashing wristbands to stay visible and vibrant.

We jogged out from the town centre, climbing the gentle incline toward the foot of the Dallow Downs. Our fitness challenge for the evening was sprint-walk intervals between streetlights, pushing up the mighty Winsdon Hill with serious leg wattage and heart-thumping effort. It was a high-voltage workout that sparked plenty of team spirit.

At the summit, we paused to recharge and admire the panoramic views. Spotting a dumped mattress dimming the landscape’s beauty, we moved it to the roadside and reported it to the council. First good deed done and civic pride fully powered.

With our batteries restored, we switched gears to our main task. We delivered flyers for Groundwork’s Green Doctor scheme, an outreach effort to help households facing fuel poverty find practical ways to reduce energy consumption and lighten the load of winter bills.

As we lit up the streets, our glowing wristbands caught the eye of curious locals. Their warm encouragement boosted our morale and added a spark to our steps.

We wrapped up the evening with one last look over the Dallow Downs and cruised back into town feeling connected, uplifted and fully charged. One friendly shopkeeper even gifted us each an orange to keep our energy levels up for the final leg. It was a juicy boost of natural fuel. It may have been a dark night, but our lights and our purpose made it brilliantly bright.