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!

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.

We met up and was joined by a newcomer, a welcome addition to our small group. We set off to do a litter pick, first stop middle of the road grassy patch, then the high street where we met a wonderful council worker, who offered us some litter bags, to carry on picking up the scraps, as we were wandering along, we were keeping up with the council workers.

we split up after this, 2 went for a walk, the other 2 went for a run. In a stroke of pure luck we ended up at back at HQ roughly the same time. A couple of stretches later, we were done and went our separate ways.

A well oiled machine of watering and filling up the reservoirs at Hainault station's community garden. To our surprise not as many cigarette butts, so we got onto a very productive session with extra watering cans, which is now saving us good 15mins to water and fill everything!:)

Using one of Ed's legendary Marshalling phrases for the report title to celebrate his 200th parkrun volunteer session. 🥳

Originally reluctantly dragged to his first parkrun in July 2019 (by Linda in the hope he might take up running) Ed opted to volunteer and was immediately hooked. Soon his enthusiasm and witty encouraging phrases became legendary among not only the parkrun community but spread to other local running groups.

With Ed proudly taking up his usual post as car park marshal the rest of us were scattered around the course taking on a variety of jobs, marshaling, VI walker, timekeeping, token giver and bar-code scanning. The Run Director bigged up Eds achievement during the briefing instructing runners to cheer him back as he cheered them on the way round- which I am reliably informed they did.

We came together at the end, with some of us assisting with the close down before settling in a corner of the children's playground for a cup of something and a bite to eat. Sadly Colin couldn't make it this week but sent his stand in Wiggles instead 🐛