We arrived at 12:30 🕑 just in time to take over from an earlier shift. The tasks we tackled this time were as follows:

1. Checking and sorting spring onions delivery 🧅 - this kept Gosia busy for most of the time, bet she will be dreaming about them tonight 😆;
2. Assembling assorted packages of pastries 🥐 - gracefully handled by Susan and Stuart both wearing protective gloves and stylish aprons;
3. Packing up bread slices 🍞 - Susan and Stuart prepared a bunch of bags filled with neatly slided bread;
4. Checking and sorting carrot 🥕 and cabbage 🥬 supply - just after dealing with spring onions Gosia jumped onto the carrots and made sure none was too bendy or off; same task was handled by Susan just in a cabbage space;
5. Sorting a mix of food on the racks - all to keep the products nice and tidy ready for the shoppers tomorrow.

There was supposed to be an additional delivery while we were there but it eventually didn't arrived in time. We still managed to fill an entire two hours doing something useful 🤓. After chatting for a while with a shift manager, all three of us departed at 14:30.

A great community mission with friendly volunteers. We started the task by unloading a delivery and then got to work sorting and refilling food items for the community shop. Heart warming to see the diversity of food donated, and the hard work that goes in to make this community resource a success. Not only are they on a mission to reduce food waste, but also plastic waste. From refilling grain containers, to peeling back the spring onions to make them shop suitable - this task has a good amount of opportunities to get hands on, and make a difference.

Three GoodGymers spent a cheerful hour helping a couple of regular volunteers with unloading deliveries ready for the next day’s opening period at the Borough Food Cooperative, which works to redistribute otherwise wasted produce. There was less donated stock than usual so after stacking shelves with parsnips, apples, bananas and other fresh goodies, Clare, Julianna and Linda had time to help sort packaging for recycling. The session was a first experience at this task for each of us – hopefully we will return!

My time at BFC was great, knowledgeable and heart warming. Team leader Clive is great, gave historic background of BFC purpose. He provided a trolley to ease carrying the crates. I enjoyed my time and look forward to other opportunities. I couldn't finish all the task I had to go back to the office.

Laura joined the morning shift at Borough Food Cooperative where she helped unpack and sort through a food delivery, label food for the freezer and sort through fresh produce in preparation for the shop tomorrow. She also cleaned fridges and crates. The team there are really friendly and easy going.

On a sunny Monday morning , Lucy & Will ventured over to Borough from Brent & Victoria to support Borough Food Cooperative (BFC) with packing, stacking and cleaning in readiness for their weekly shop openings. The successful initiative was launched off the back of the Covid pandemic, providing an inclusive and cost-effective supply of groceries and essentials to the local community, whilst reducing food waste. Under the expert instruction of the BFC Shift Leader, Lucy & Will were on hand to receive deliveries from charitable food distributors, including The Felix Project, then get the shelves stacked for future customers! From crates of spinach, an abundance of bananas to Creme Egg filling(!), an array of items were brought into the care of BFC. Special shout-out to Lucy for her inaugural GoodGym task and for offering a further hand to BFC before she embarks on her world travels!

GoodGym will be back to BFC soon - be on the look out for the sign-up and get involved!