Setting off for a run outside a cosy pub on a rainy night may have a touch of insanity about it but when it's part of a group and you're off to do good, it's surprisingly possible!

This evening's 2km run took us through Richmond centre and out to Petersham Common, via many dark puddles to dodge! We met task owner Ken by Petersham Farm gates where he took us through the simple instructions to plant 300 native bluebell bulbs in the woodland, away from the paths. Between the lot of us the task was soon complete, even through the rain, and Ken shared out kit-kats for the team.

At the end of the session the cosy pub beckoned us back to Richmond and the 2km run back ended with a Taskforce meeting in the warmth. 🔥

GoodGym Richmond’s Monday 11th November Group Run was a ‘second Monday’ task at our sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens.

Despite the cold and the dark evening we got a huge amount done: repatriating fencing; sweeping cleaning and cobweb dusting in the Arcade; strengthening the ‘twiggy barricades’; weeding and leaf removal on and around the Arcade lawns.

However the evening was really about celebrating Ken’s 100th ‘official’ GG Good Deed, although we know he has really done many more.

And we also salute his incredible input as a task provider to GG Richmond, inviting us to help with improving Petersham Common and teaching us about bats, hedge and fence building , horse troughs, planting, drainage, ecology, woodland management, haloing and so much more.

So we salute Ken Mackenzie. Environmental hero . Richmond’s Green king.