28 runners went in different directions running 3K or 8K to help Loughborough Farm and the Portico Gallery

Twelve of us opted for the shorter run but what it lacked in distance, it more than made up for by way of an upper body workout. We met Marion and Steve at Loughborough farm to pick up the tools and wheeled them down the road to Marcus Lipton Youth Centre. We were there to have another go at a job we'd started last week, shifting some very large bags of soil from the car park to some new planters round the back. While most of us were loading the wheelbarrows or dragging the lighter bags through the gate, Vicki and Sarah did a great job of emptying them out into the planters. We made pretty good progress and even managed to impress a passerby so much that he joined in to help. When it was time to pack up we'd managed to empty another five bags but with quite a bit still left to move we may be making a return visit to finish off the job, unless of course our overly enthusiastic passerby sticks to his promise and gets it done before us.

The rest of the group did our regular trek up Tulse Hill, through West Norwood to see John at the Portico.

This week he had an excess of tarpaulin, but it was in the wrong place! #tarpaulinproblems

John told us what he needed doing, then said he needed to speed off. WHAT? This was not like John, he usually likes to stick around to regale us with the gossip that his cat Methuselah has found out from the other neighbourhood cats.

It transpired that it was his birthday so a round of happy birthdays were sung before he went back to the pub.

Dismayed that our invites must have been lost in the post we shifted the tarps and ran back down the hill.

Good luck to everyone running the Hackney half this Sunday. If you aren't running or marshalling feel free to come and give them a cheer and join us for a celebratory pint afterwards.