Marathon done & dusted, it was time to resume blood donations, so off I went to the main London donation centre (Margaret Street in case you wonder)

Always worth the effort, plus the selection of cookies & crisps ain't too bad either!

If you are curious, please browse the blood.co.uk website

Last night, some of us ran, some of us walked, but all of us came together on the Strand with one shared purpose: to get clothes and bedding to those who need it most.

We met with GROAD (Get Rid of and Donate), an incredible grassroots charity that collects and distributes donated essentials—clothes, shoes, bedding—to people experiencing homelessness across London. GROAD plays a vital role in bridging the gap and ensuring items go directly into the hands of those who need them.

While we waited for Andrea with the Groad van packed to the brim with donations we watched with interest all the different organisations coming together to form a real hub of support. There were lots of people providing resources, such as the highly efficient SWAT team (Sikh Welfare & Awareness Team) who were handing out delicious hot food.

As soon as the van was ready everyone quickly pitched in, helping to unload and carry the bundles across the road to where the distribution would take place. Soon, we had everything laid out—jackets, jeans, jumpers, socks, shoes, duvets—ready for people to browse and choose what suited them best.

In just half an hour, the vast majority of the donations were taken. Sadly, we couldn’t quite match the right person with a very fancy red strapless dress—but that’s a mission for another night. After a few high-fives, we said our goodbyes, snapped a quick photo, and then made our way home. If you know anyone who might enjoy GoodGym Westminster please signpost to them to this starter session coming up soon and we also have this great task coming up soon painting the foyer at a community centre.

Great job last night everybody, and thank you!

Ms D was feeling just a little discombobulated this morning when I arrived at her flat - she's only just moved back "home" after her extended stay in the temporary flat nearby, due to the builders redecorating and improving her bathroom and kitchen, and was struggling to find where everything was as various family members had been round yesterday to help her unpack.

She'd got only partway through her list, and asked me if that seemed enough - it seemed light compared to previous visits and rather than rely on memory, I dug out a photo of her last list, and we went through this adding the extra items she'd omitted.

After a diversion via Boots to pick up some essentials, it was back to the familiar aisles and apart from Waitrose's pie section being completely empty, the list was soon complete. After I'd put items into the fridge, Ms D gave me a quick tour of her newly redecorated home - I wished her well in re-acclimatising "back home", to which she replied it might take a while!

Mrs A had added Manuka Honey to her list this week, so I double checked her existing jar to make sure I got (as close as I could to) what she wanted. Of course the shelves of the world's politest supermarket didn't let me down, although clearly Manuka bees fly in rarified air judging by the price difference vs the more locally produced options!

The painters had also finally left her hallway and stairwell (and were now outside staring at the exterior), and her front door was looking very neat and tidy. She mentioned that for some reason her door wasn't closing, so she asked me to take a look - it transpired the deadlock was out and hitting the frame - with a quick turn of the key, normal fully closing service was then restored. Mrs A commented that I'd definitely done my "good deed" for the day by solving that!

Every week that I've shopped for Mrs A, the painters have been redecorating the communal areas of her building, and today she'd kindly left me a note on her newly painted green front door warning me of wet paint...she's confident that by the time they finish (whenever that may be...) the place will be looking marvellous, and I don't doubt it judging by the amount of time they've spent on the job!

After last week's management review, it was an easy trip around the quiet aisles to get everything exactly as she wanted - it ended up being a heavy load due to the combination of water, orange juice and multiple tins, so I had one arm longer than the other when I made it back. She, as ever, was so very grateful for the help.

After I'd been to the aisles of the world's politest supermarket to get everything on Ms D's list today (thankfully this week in bright sunshine, so no soggy lists to try and decipher), and was emptying her shopping bags onto her kitchen top, she asked me if I could help her to open something.

Behind me was the box of laundry tablets that I'd bought the week before, with a pair of tongs jammed into them - Ms D confessed she'd been defeated (i.e. frustrated) in trying to open the (childproof) box...after a quick inspection of the instructions (and removal of the tongs), I found the small safety tabs that were holding the inner box in place, and after removing them and applying a little force, managed to get it open.

Ms D was delighted (as was I), although not for the first time it made me realise that modern packaging that has been made "child proof" is also becoming more and more "older adult proof" too...