After Acton Junior Parkrun and a coffee, set off to another Good gym Area to end up in Goodgym Islington after a 14km run. Arrived at Ms S flat and her son opened the door, then was greeted by Ms S who handed me blue shoe covers like we find in swimming pools. I was given black plastic bags and shown the back garden. The garden looked like it needed a good harvest - really looked like one of these plantations, but only to be a weed garden. Had tools and started pulling and digging when I noticed that something else need to be harvested and put aside to avoid slipping and having smelly feet - yes poo harvest as cats or a small dog has been planting and marking their territory. Also had to remove a lot of cigarette butts from the garden : are our 4 legged friends smokers ?! Pulled and did some digging to end up filling nearly 4 black bags of weed. Noticed an unusual creature amongst the weed : first thought it was a glowy object or wristband but in fact it was a young fluorescent caterpillar.

Acton Junior parkrun's roster was overflowing with volunteers today. So much so that there were 5 (yup, five!) tail walkers who included Kash. She was disappointed that today's Run Director, Joanna, didn't assign her the orange tail walker hi-vis with the leopard's tail. Maybe next time...

Most of the ice around the course had melted by the time the runners got going, so the black ice warning cones, placed during the course check, were redundant. They looked like they were randomly placed for the children to slalom through and dance around. They left marshals Steph and Sevan a bit confused too.

There were more confused people on the course too as 3 adult men showed up after the start and asked if they were late for the start of today's parkrun. They may have been young at heart, but Sevan explained that today's event was for children only and they should head to Gunnersbury Park next Saturday. Not counting the 3 men, 45 other young hearts enjoyed today's free, organised parkrun, whizzing past Harvey who recorded their times and Alan who dished out finish tokens to the happy finishers.

Cold Sunday morning and Marco Polo sailed out solo from Ealing to Acton Junior Parkrun for some fun. Swift run in the empty streets of Ealing.

New year and another mission at Mr H : this time it was to sort out the kitchen and mainly the cupboards. Hells Kitchen!!!Some tidying up to be done and clear out the mess that the kitchen dragon had left in the 8 or so cupboards. Crouching Tiger challenged the Kitchen Dragon and Mr H could not realise the space he has in the kitchen now. All the items that are regularly used placed in a position to be reached easily. the less fortunate are higher in the cupboards. And some of the items or outdated food made a trip to the bin in a big black bag...probably with the Kitchen Dragon. Or was the dragon locked up or concealed in one of the multiple tupperware containers Mr H had.

For half of the eight GoodGymers, who visited Western Road on a chilly Saturday morning, the day started with parkrun. The nearby Southall Park event celebrated its 200th occasion and 4th birthday. Sevan and Steph Ducat couldn't miss the opportunity and ran to volunteer at the parkrun, while Richard, one of the GoodGym new joiners, ran the course. Chris also decided to begin the morning with a parkrun, but his local Gunnersbury one, from where he cycled to Southall. Iram also came on her bike, and Kash ran from Ealing along the canal.

There has already been plenty of activity just to reach Western Road, and the 3-hour session ahead would involve even more exercise. Fortunately, Janpal from Southall Community Alliance, the organiser of the community day at the urban garden, came prepared with a fruit bowl, tea, coffee, pastries and samosas to keep the energy levels high!

The January session meant preparations for the next season's food growing, and our team focused on the central veg bed in the polytunnel. First, we removed last year's stakes and remaining chili plants, and then topped the beds with a super-nutritious mix of three layers:

1. Rich magic soil donated by the police
2. Potent manure, marinated for a year
3. Good, old woodchip

While the rest of the team got busy carrying and tipping bags with soil, Iram and Sophie were picking chili peppers from the bush to save their seeds for growing next season's crops. Despite the temperature in the polytunnel being 5 degrees (so noticeably warmer than outside), chili-picking was brutal for the fingers with no gloves on. Sophie later wholeheartedly welcomed the manure-shovelling as a more dynamic alternative, where she could keep moving and stay warm.

Winter or not, the day brought to the Western Road Urban Garden not only the core crew: Janpal, Paul and Ash, along with the eight GoodGymers, but also a group of volunteers from Let's Go Southall and Mr Bhasin from neighbouring Manor Way Allotments. What a turnout! With such a strong team, we finished not one, but all three veg beds - and all the samosas - in no time! It was great to see guests from GoodGym Hounslow, Chris and Maxime, and welcome Richard and Sophie to our Ealing team.

Ash has shared the plans for the first quarter of the year - one of them involves an exciting shed building project! Meanwhile, our February session will feature clearing the space for the shed and for replanting part of the native hedge. Join us next month to get involved in the bold plans at WRUG. We've been working with them from the start for two years now, and know that visiting the garden regularly is the best way to see the astonishing transformations between the seasons!

Today was a special day at Southall Parkrun : not only having the presence of Deirdre Costigan(MP Ealing Southall) who ran by the way but because it was Southall 200th parkrun and also the 4th anniversary. Happy birthday Southall parkrun. Despite the cold, 258 park run addicted people turned up to either run or walk. Or were they there for the cake?! Loads of volunteers present including 3 Goodgymers. Jags welcomed all the newcomers, Sevan was the funnel manager and Steph Ducat was double marshal as had the position which has 2 sides to cheer. Anecdote today is that one person inaugurated Trail Park run as decided at the round about to go cross country instead of the tarmac. Deirdre's photograher had to run quicker to be able to snap her at the finish line. On the route we also had a runner blasting music from his boum box...well done in getting across the line with the extra weight but also putting the tunes in to motivate everyone.

By the way - no cake left in the park - all eaten!!!