it didn't quite snow, but it was indeed cold, windy and damp, so a warm coat was a sensible choice for the marshalls!

Luckily the rain slowed down in time for the start of parkrun.

As with the title reference, sofar not found any circumstances that stops Ed from effortlessly balancing the cheering & cajoling with oontrolling the traffic flow in & out of the car park.

Although it seems tea might be a soft spot when the weather is like this....

P.S. give Julia a cheer when you see her next - she set herself the challenge of parkrun every week till the end of the year to reach 100 before 2026, not an easy thing with this weather

Three of us arrived at Frenford Food bank to find 50 food orders to be packed. Luckily we had four lovely friends of Frenford to help too. As usual both teams gelled really well, working together and helping one another out or facilitating rest and refuel breaks. Just as we thought we had finished another two were added so in the end 52 packages were picked and packed.

Linda and Ed had already been there twice this week prepping for today and must have done a good job of organising things as we seemed to finish really quickly and a shout out goes to Peter for using his valuable annual leave to give the task his invaluable help.

The day started with one dropped out (due to another engagement), two missing it (they overslept) and another (who wasn't even signed up) explaining why they couldn't make it.🤷‍♀️ Two of us marshaled and one ran at Valentines Park Run. Post Park Run we three GGR PR regulars, all from Hainault, decided to switch the social venue to our local...which turned out not to be open🤦‍♀️. In the end we had a mini social breakfast in a nice little local cafe 😋. We are adaptable and dont give up easy in GGR 😁

4 Good Gymmers and 4 friends of Frenford joined forces to provide 49 local families with extra food supplies this week.

A massive welcome to our newest GGR member and Foodbank Helper Nav. It was Nav's first mission and with very little training she was picking and packing like an old hand.

Linda was having a clumsy day and had to jump out of the way of low flying tins of tomatoes and Peter nearly got hit by a Milk carton that shot through a bag which didn't have a bottom in it 😬 Maybe a need for GG toe protector image wear 😂 Ed as always kept calm and carried on throughout.

The rest of the session went very smoothly and we even had time for a little tidy up before making our weary way home.

A windy morning meant a series of parkruns were cancelled, but the course at Valentines Park stood up to the weather - it was on!

I think it doesn't need mentioning what task Ed got assigned - Marshalling the car park entrance for the 202nd time?

Linda was initially busy sorting out unlocking the toilet block before reverting back to usual patient saint and walk with R.

After helping setting up the funnel and being told i'd scan, then Marshall, then scan, then tokens, I ended up having to dash to get to my marshalling location. Some of the geese were clearly not fussed about people, not giving an inch while strolling about, but no incidents nor upset birdsong!

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 🤗

• 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

almost like a carbon copy of last week:

• Ed marshaling the main carpark for the 201st time
• Linda doing unofficial assisted/VI guiding (think she lost count how often)
• Peter doing tokens for 2nd week in a row

Will there be a hatrick next week?

Time will tell.

P.S. cudos to James C for helping to pack up after - better luck next time in the 'who rolls up the funnel tape fastest' contest

P.P.S. anyone know what the record is for volunteering at the same parkrun doing the same task?