Fletcher Moss parkrun just keeps getting bigger! This Saturday saw a whopping 499 runners (yes, just one shy of a nice, round 500!) supported by 20 amazing volunteers.

Hazel was back for her third stint as marshal, proudly guarding the infamous junction where three paths tempt unsuspecting runners into choosing their own adventure. Thankfully, no one accidentally invented a brand-new parkrun route this week!

She was also joined by two friends who enjoyed a leisurely park walk—proving that not everyone has to sprint around to have a great Saturday morning.

Conditions? Still as dry and dusty as ever, but at least the sun remembered to be polite and kept things pleasantly gentle throughout the event.

With numbers continuing to grow, Fletcher Moss parkrun could really do with a few more volunteers. There are several key corners and diversions that deserve a friendly marshal rather than blind faith and a vague sense of direction. So, if you've ever fancied wearing a hi-vis vest, cheering complete strangers, and preventing accidental detours into the shrubbery, why not give volunteering a go? The parkrun community will be delighted to welcome you!

Fun evening at the Plastic Shed soft launch!

Lots of items made from recycled plastic lids on show using moulds made from aluminium, including:

• buttons
• (lab) coat pegs
• rulers
• clips
• bowls
• coasters
• spin tops
• combs
• lid connectors for building models from lids

We had the opportunity to drill some lids into the new mural inside too. Plus we got to see the new machines, new painted walls and spaces, and the new shop front!

Great to see how much progress Caitlin and Jamie have made!

Who says Tuesday evenings have to be ordinary? Certainly not at WhatIf, where another glorious summer gathering served up all the ingredients for a perfect community evening: delicious homemade pies 🥧, mountains of pasta 🍝, cakes that mysteriously disappeared at an alarming rate 🍰😋, plenty of refreshments ☕🥤, live music 🎶, creative workshops 🎨, and enough neighbourliness ❤️ to warm even the least summery of British evenings.

Melanie and Laura rolled up their sleeves for the upcycling workshop, transforming old vinyl banners into mini grow bags. 🌱♻️ It's safe to say those banners have had quite the career change—from advertising to agriculture! 😂

There was another reason to celebrate too. 🎉 Melanie has finally found a volunteering community that feels like home, bringing together friendly faces 🤗, meaningful projects 💚, and a welcome boost for mental wellbeing. We couldn't be happier for her! 💙

For those of us who remember the winter months ❄️ (Mandy), it was amazing to see just how much the site has flourished. Back then, it was our cosy indoor refuge for GoodGym sessions 🏃‍♀️; now it's a thriving community food park bursting with colour 🌸, conversation 💬, music 🎵, workshops 🛠️, and growing things everywhere you look. The only thing growing faster than the vegetables 🥬🍅 seems to be the sense of community. ❤️

Good turnout this morning, with 467 participants at event number 304 at Fletcher Moss parkrun. 97 completing their first parkrun here, with 16 completing their first ever parkrun 👏

Hazel, Laura, and Ben joined 19 others to volunteer for the event. Hazel marshalled at point 7 to keep runners on track to the finish. Laura was on hand with Flo for handing out finish tokens at the extended finish funnel. Ben ran the show as RD with thankfully no incidents or problems with the results, so plain sailing.

Great to have sign language support for the briefings (even with a temperamental speaker...) and lots of parkwalkers!