A return visit to Daubeney Fields was welcomed with open arms last night by those in the know at GG Hackney, and the reason? Because our gracious host Gerry always supplies us with tea, coffee and biscuits!! What a legend!

The space has changed a great deal in the last six months since we first arrived to the sound of car stereo reggae in summer 2014 to begin clearing the overgrown and very mossy ground there. What used to be a car park is gradually being transformed into a community park for the local residents with a new picket fence and large planters recently added, as well as a locally hand made wrought iron gate adorned with decorative tools. Our task this time was to help to further smarten up the street-facing aspect, attacking the original outer fence in two groups: painters and sanders.

Not content with the impressive influx of new runners we’ve seen so far this year, Cory didn’t hesitate to recruit a passing resident who stopped to ask “what’s this all about”. As well as a few more new faces this week we’re grateful to our January newbies for braving the elements week after week. I hear that some of them are already seeing a marked improvement in their running and so a handful of them formed a break off group for a faster run back to base, including a speedy lap of London Fields to finish off.

We arrived back at base just in time to rendezvous with David and Bryon who selflessly forfeited Gerry’s refreshments to help out a local older resident who’s garden needed some attention from a couple of strapping lads. Another mission accomplished!