A group of eight of us met at our usual spot at Tap Tavern in Richmond town centre to collect leaflets, get briefed and get going! A huge welcome to Rob who joined us for the first time.

We headed across the river into beautiful St Margaret's, home of beautiful front doors and immaculate paths! Lovely scenery for leaflet posting in the area. Working in pairs we efficiently covered a large area, being careful not to post into the houses where SPEAR had told us they already receive support from.

To keep ourselves warm, get the heart rate up and generally add to the fun, there were some added movements: Five squats at any house that ended in a 5. Ten lunges at any house that ended in a 0. Ten jumping jacks at any house with a double number (11,22,33,44 etc.)!

Lucy got lucky with a pair of doors called 33a and 33b for 20 jumping jacks and Liz had squats and jacks to do at 55! Intrigued to know if any Ring doorbells picked up some fitness action last night!

A good hour of delivering before heading back over the bridge into Richmond led to more than 6km walked, truly a great way to get fit while doing good.

... 5 GoodGymers gathered to do a good turn. In great news for locals, the Richmond museum is reopening next Tuesday 18th May and they wanted us to spread the word around the local residents. We divvied up the leaflets and set off in two groups - the girls heading over to the Green to show Jess, our visitor from H&F, some of the lovely streets down that way - and the boys setting a course for the Hill. The packs of leaflets seemed like they'd make for short work but as they were one-pagers this time there were actually a lot of them! We managed to get done though and hope our efforts will pay off with plenty of (socially distanced) visitors as the restrictions are lifted!

Sunday morning saw 6 keen beans up gather on Twickenham Green, REDdy to reach higher and perspire in their desire to flyer.

OK. Done with the rhymes now. For now.

The flyers were for the Richmond Museum, advertising its programme of fun learning events for local kids in the community. We had a whole pile left over from our task at St Christopher’s two weeks back, so this was our chance to spread the message to the homes in a new set of roads.

After a fairly long discussion about who would take which roads, we dispersed in twos taking a bunch of leaflets each, heading for the three sides of the triangular green.

It might have been the sunny morning that put a spring in our step (or maybe the promise of tea and cake afterwards) but we were done in no time and reconvened at the corner of the green, empty-handed and chuffed with our good-doing.

A short walk to a local cafe for a natter over a cuppa, and off we went, having done entirely what was required prior to retiring....

Now it was questionable whether Richmond is in fact a Royal Borough, however, even if it turns out that we aren’t – our curtesy lunges should qualify! We gathered on the green to warm up and of course talk new Royal baby news…” what do you think they will call him…Chad?” “It doesn’t matter apparently as he won’t be a Prince…. he will have to suffer with the title Duke or something mediocre like that!” (I paraphrase of course!)

After we had written what I am sure will be an episode to feature on “The Crown” as well as racing each other backwards across Richmond Green we headed to ETNA Community Centre to collect our leaflets to deliver to the residents.

Last night we were representing 3 charitable organisations and delivering leaflets for them, advertising all the great work they do. Richmond Council Volunteering Service (RCVS) were promoting their May Fair, ETNA Community Centre were spreading the news about their Jack and Jill Fair later this month and Richmond Museum were updating us on their annual news as well as another wonderful event - The Trumpeters House Garden Party in June.

We split into 3 teams, each representating one organisation and split the streets of Richmond between us to spread the good news. As with every leafleting task we were on guard for dogs, stiff letterboxes and dodgy looking basement flats and we all made it back to Wholefoods in time having delivered all our flyers. Unfortunately, we were just slightly too late back to enjoy the core session Mark had planned, darn it, must have been the smell of the delicious dinners luring us in around the Kew area that caused the delay.

Once stretched we all headed to The Tap Tavern for our monthly social where we cheered the runners who ventured out for the 10-mile Thames Trot on Sunday and to T for getting a sub 25 minute Park Run at the weekend.

A big welcome to Faye for joining us tonight on her first run who was reminded to join Goodgym by seeing us running along the Thames Path and to Eliza on her second run with GoodGym so far.

Super work all for a great Bank Holiday evening - See you next week for a slightly bigger run to Whitton Youth Zone!

Tonight we ran the extra (vine)YARD and some even further to make it a MULTI-TASK Night ! A total of three (FRENCH HENS) tasks were carefully put together with some behind the scenes admin from (AWESOME) Task force leaders to make it all happen!! Yes some wind down for Christmas but we wound up with a festive warm up that had Carols and fitness squeezed together outside Wholefoods...

12 what are doing what???? #goodgym #festive #fun #runninggroup #richmond #mondays #christmas #goodgym #volunteering #warmup pic.twitter.com/FsV5qQY8oa

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) December 10, 2018

What must they think, those shoppers passing by as we attempt a 'GOODGYM NUTCRACKER'!! As if three tasks are not enough the (demanding) run trainer had us singing the 12 days on Christmas in a plank position with a dubious 12th 'la lulla la' or something under our belt we set off for a menu consisting of

1. Delivering Christmas cards for Richmond Neighbourhood Association
2. Delivering flyers for Richmond Museum
3. Helping the Vineyard make up Christmas gift bags

The run, thankfully shorter this week with everything else we juggled including being laden down with leaflets and cards but we weren't allowed to put our feet up yet as they were needed to tackle Nightingale Lane (thankfully just once!)

It was then downhill to vineyard where we divided into our groups to tackle three tasks.

All was accomplished - Cards delivered for those that benefit from the great support of Richmond Good Neighbours and the elderly in our community. Leaflets distributed for Richmond Museum so that many will know of the great community events happening with this super charity and of course 'bags of thanks' for great volunteering at Vineyard were beautifully packed and ready to be opened by some super volunteers!

Phew what a night .... but hold on what was left to do - EAT PECAN PIE!!! Gosh we can just manage one piece at least then - Thank you lovely Desiree of Vineyard!! Yum.

Christmas bonus @vineyardcentre #goodgym #running #monday #volunteering #cake #festive #christmas pic.twitter.com/UxiX3mWwYz

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) December 10, 2018

Welcome Teresa, Kirsty and Bryony great to meet you and run with you too!

Whose up for next week's last group run of the year and the pub after!!! Do sign up and let us know ho ho ho!!