It was like a scene from a lifestyle magazine, as we arrived on foot or bike to the serene, sunbathed Ham Common, with children feeding the ducks and the hum of the local Ham Parade Farmers' Market in the background.

This was our first time joining the monthly Ham Pond Tidy Up, and Vanessa gave us a very warm welcome and briefed us on the tasks to help with. Armed with litter picking sticks and bags, we set of in pairs to pick up plenty of microplastic and bits of litter around the pond.

As it had been half-term, Vanessa said that there was much less litter around, so we ventured around the Common, trying to master holding the bag down as it blew in the breeze. Caroline and Samia played a game of Guess What the Fox Tore Up, deciding that it must have packaging from a Five Guys burger. Two things to note as I write: 1. Yes, there were five of us, but we weren't the five guys culprits! 2. Should the game be renamed PONDer What the Fox Tore Up?

Jane had been given the task of collecting mounds of stuff cleared from the pond with a wheelbarrow, but joined us after her pond duty had been completed. But she didn't come alone: no, she came with the mother of all litter picking sticks, designed for either an exceptionally tall person, somebody on stilts, or as Caroline correctly worked out, litter picking in the pond! I kid you not, it was GIGANTIC - there's photographic evidence to prove it!

Along the way, we were greeted by a local who was keen to ask if we're the GoodGym people that will be helping out with the Ham Fair set-up next week. Word spreads! Apparently we should expect LOTS to do next weekend!

We returned to a very grateful Vanessa and strolled off to the Market. Great job on a new community mission guys!

Happy Birthday Kingston

Party time for sure fell upon us runners at the Kingston Guildhall tonight, there was Martel’s Birthday… Jane hit the 100 good deeds, the new Mayor coming to office and GG Kingston celebrating doing good deeds for one whole year already!! I know exhausted just reading that aren’t you and you haven’t even got past the warm up yet!

Neither had we as we had cakes to be set out, balloons to be carried in and out of Guildhall and a budding young chef, a 13-year-old boy named Luke to thank for making such scrummy cakes to help us celebrate.

Did anyone eat one before the run??

Ok so the brief was briefer than ever (I’m sure cakes were going already during it) as we had to meet the Mayor but not before a document check is squeezed in and of course we welcome two brand new runners Tom and Lucy. Great to have you join us and while we are here let’s shout out to Victoria, Eliza and Africa from Richmond for making the trip over to party and run with us.

We made it to the Mayor just on time and had a great send off from his party including the Chief Exec for the council (who is promising to run with us soon!) some lovely words said and photos had and then there was no escaping it. Escaping the craziness that is a warm up from a run trainer that just does not sleep at night inventing ways to get a team primed for action and Kingston bless you for you have survived a year of them - so much Kudos to you all.

Star jump Mexican wave anyone? We know how to have fun #warmup #party #fitness #goodgym #kingston #birthday #marketplace #volunteering pic.twitter.com/lIrIoefLhR

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) 15 May 2019

So, to Market – Kingston market that is and some mobilisers and activators in front of Golden Queen Anne and then would you believe …more cake but this time on the run or conga if you prefer (there’ll be no munching this time) and a relay around the square that left many passers by wondering just what we were up to. In fact, some runners too also had the same question I think but it’s party time so let’s all do it! For the record we didn’t use Luke’s cakes here as they were just too good and it’s worth highlighting too that every runner made the task look a lot easier than it was. (A year’s warm ups and acrobatics had paid off a trainer smugly thought!!)

Party games! 🥳🎉#warmup #goodgym #kingston #cake #running #volunteering #tuesdays #dogood #fun #birthday #firstbirthday #ayearold pic.twitter.com/ASK2jWy9gj

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) 15 May 2019

So, without this going on until a second birthday what’s the task I hear you cry and well, wait for it I say as we have a 3.4km run to get there first with the added bonus of a little hill or incline of sorts if you will just to spice it up. Loved it (speak for all of us when I say I think we all did). The task was at Edith Gardens and was to help Citizen Zoo renovate a green space to create a nature reserve for those in the community with disabilities to be able to access and enjoy. It is to be the first of its kind in our borough and wider so in South London. Citizen Zoo are a super organisation so definitely give them a look up to see what they are up to and how you may help the great work they are doing in our communities for wildlife, conservation and habitat so it can flourish, and we can all get to benefit from it.

We were met by two great gentlemen Elliot and Jeremy who had been on site since 8am and they were still fired up and super passionate about the project, so we couldn’t help but feed off the energy and get stuck in (some were feeding off of some cake energy too I think!!). Elliot’s brief was awesome, no sooner done though and we lost Nik and Rob to the woods where the stake banger tool (not sure that is the correct name for the contraption) was put to work as the supports for the dead hedge that the rest of us were creating were put into the ground. The photos speak for themselves here – It was an awesome task and a great chance to assist on such a super project. A gift for a birthday run really so it was hard to leave and we look forward to going back already but we had to run as ….well, the pub was calling and a social was awaiting!

A strong focussed run back was on the menu and….. oh yes, I remember… that was until the run trainer turned to watch most of the group run blissfully the wrong way and so had to go screaming after them. We settled for a strong steady run back rounded off by a cool down without the usual sounds of our dustcart in the background to drown our voices or was it there and I just don’t notice anymore? No matter there was cake and beer to be had and so to the pub.

A great turn out with an awesome group of people, so a thoroughly enjoyable time was had – We even had a GG quiz and the prize of a Unicorn! NO not a real one but one in an inflatable ball – you know ; - )

Thanks all for the great year had and all the super running, good deeds and kind hearts that make a marvellous team to be part of. Such a blessing in the community and here’s to the next year!