number7

News, updates, community, creativity..

[number0seven]

Value Your Volunteers!

Volunteers are often the heartbeat of community projects. They bring experience, energy, networks, ideas, encouragement, visibility and countless unseen hours that cash strapped initiatives could never afford to buy.

Respect costs nothing, yet means everything. Recognition, communication and appreciation help volunteers thrive and continue making a difference.

The Home School project is creating opportunities for local young coaches to learn, develop and grow in a positive environment where enjoyment comes first. Through fun, learning and skill building, future leaders gain confidence while supporting others.

Every volunteer contribution matters. Value people properly, acknowledge their efforts and never underestimate the magic they bring. Strong projects are built on strong relationships.

Thank you Ashid and the London Enterprise Academy for the equipment!

#volunteersweek #homeschoolcricket #thewanderinglondoner

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The Bread Run is warm hospitality, kind words and human connection.

For homeless friends facing hardship, hunger affects health, energy, wellbeing and hope. Nutritious food gives strength, restores dignity and reminds people they are seen and valued.

In the UK, millions continue to face food insecurity, with many households struggling to afford healthy meals and emergency food support remaining a lifeline.

Hunger exists in our streets and communities, often hidden in plain sight.

Small acts of sharing build compassion, restore trust and remind us that nobody should face hardship alone.

#thewanderinglondoner

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#mondaymotivation Wandering expands the map outside and redraws the map within! #thewanderinglondoner

#istanbul #bosphorus

[number0seven]

Laughter, recreation and shared experiences help ease stress, soften difficult memories and create moments of belonging.

A fun day with teachers and children brought energy and happiness through arcade games, VR adventures, racing simulators, basketball challenges, air hockey, climbing activities and indoor play spaces.

The smiles travelled further than the scores and for Uyghur families in Istanbul, recreation alongside education builds trust, confidence and connection.

Learning develops opportunity while play strengthens wellbeing, friendships and resilience.

Together they help children heal, families bond and communities grow stronger. Kindness, tolerance and shared joy create foundations for a world shaped by understanding, dignity, hope and love.

#istanbul #thewanderinglondoner

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The Bosphorus carries a rare kind of magic where continents meet, histories breathe and water moves with timeless grace.

Ferries glide across shimmering blue currents as seagulls dance overhead and distant minarets rise beside modern skylines.

Morning light scatters silver across the water while evening colours paint reflections that seem to belong to another age.

Cafes hum, fishing lines sway and stories drift through the breeze linking generations, cultures and journeys.

There is movement yet calmness, grandeur yet simplicity.

The Bosphorus does not simply divide land; it connects people, memory and wonder into one unforgettable living landscape.

Bosphorus glows where dusk drifts slow

Waves hum low where old winds blow

Two lands pause where currents glide

Night spills gold on the restless tide

#istanbul #bosphorus #thewanderinglondoner

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A day sharing books, puzzles, water bottles from my amazingly kind hearted friend!

Engaging with care homes is important in terms of human connection with any people who have been written off, especially those who have a wealth of knowledge and experience still to share and contribute to the benefit of society.

Sharing food, games, conversation, gardening, reading, crafts, exercise, storytelling, baking, technology lessons and cultural activities reduces loneliness and neglect.

Elderly people carry wisdom, history, sacrifice and a powerful legacy that younger generations can learn from.

Communities have a responsibility to care, include and value older residents rather than forget them.

Many still volunteer, mentor, advise and inspire others while playing an important role in society.

Listening to elders strengthens understanding, compassion and unity. Celebrating life together builds happier, kinder and stronger communities.

#thewanderinglondoner

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Students at the London Enterprise Academy continue to lead by example through regular litter picks and a culture rooted in community service, responsibility and environmental awareness.

These activities are shaping a generation that understands the importance of protecting public spaces and respecting the planet.

Education is vital because classrooms alone cannot teach active citizenship and real learning happens through action, participation and visible impact. When young people clean streets, remove waste and improve shared spaces, they develop pride, discipline and social responsibility.

Practice creates awareness far more effectively than words alone.

Today’s young generation is increasingly waking up to environmental challenges and teaching older generations the importance of sustainability, climate awareness and collective action.

Through aspiration, awareness and positive habits, culture can change. Schools that promote community action inspire pupils to become leaders, role models and protectors of the environment.

Every litter pick sends a powerful message that caring for the planet begins locally, with individual responsibility and united community effort.

#littlelitterleague #londonenterpriseacademy #thewanderinglondoner

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Teaming up brings real effectiveness when communities unite with purpose, energy and pride.

Today’s community task showed how collective effort can transform neglected spaces into cleaner, safer and more welcoming environments.

The visible impact of removing litter and waste lifts the atmosphere, creating a positive psychological effect for residents and visitors alike.

Clean surroundings encourage respect, wellbeing and stronger community spirit.

Huge thanks to uncle and Councillor Sadruzzaman for the encouragement, support and kind words. Their positivity was inspiring.

Small actions together create lasting change, reminding us that cleaner communities build healthier minds, civic pride and stronger neighbourhood connections for future generations.

Thank you to all our dddhcatsd #litterheroes

#lovewhereyoulive

[number0seven]

The weekly Fun Walk with Empower Your Roots is a chance to refresh the mind, strengthen the body, and reconnect with people around us.

Regular walking improves heart health, boosts energy, supports fitness, reduces stress, sharpens focus, and lifts mood naturally.

This activity brings together old and young, families, friends, neighbours, and newcomers in a welcoming environment filled with conversation, laughter, and encouragement.

Every step builds unity, confidence, wellbeing, and positive habits while creating stronger community bonds.

Join us every Sunday at Seven Kings Park at 10.30am and be part of something uplifting, active, and meaningful for all generations.

#funwalk #thewanderinglondoner

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Community litter picking transforms neglected spaces into cleaner, safer environments while building civic pride, teamwork, wellbeing, and environmental awareness.

It encourages responsibility, protects wildlife, reduces pollution, strengthens neighbourhood bonds, inspires positive habits, promotes physical activity, and shows how small collective actions create meaningful lasting change for communities and future generations alike.

Thank you #litterheroes

#lovewhereyoulive #thewanderinglondoner

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Goodwill lands loudly. A donation arrived and within days its purpose unfolded.

Joseph appeared, curious, then certain. His eyes lit up at a water bottle; a small thing, a big difference. “I need one,” he said, smiling, planning fewer trips to the kitchen and more ease.

That instant exchange held energy you can’t stage. We set up together, strangers to teammates, sharing stories and laughter. Impact isn’t always grand; it’s timely, human, precise.

The community fuels Bookbike and the Kind Counter, just like all my volunteer initiatives. We give honestly, act quickly, and watch how lives intersect, uplift, and continue forward.

May your generosity be returned to you in abundance, your intentions accepted, your provision increased, and your kindness a light for you in this life and the next. Ameen.

You gave quiet, yet changed the day

A simple gift that paved a way

Your kindness is a steady breeze

When people connect, burdens ease

Sincere giving creates immediate, human impact. Small acts, done with intent, build connection, solve real needs, and power community without waiting for outside help.

I don’t wait around for corporate or government scraps but I do really fully on my community and that is always long lasting!

#thewanderinglondoner

[number0seven]

#teachtuesday Learn the road, reap the result! #thewanderinglondoner

[number0seven]

Support for our home school cricket appeal has been extraordinary since I posted last week.

Out litter picking today and someone asked if I was throwing the bats away - no chance of that as these gifts head straight to the park, ready to serve the community.

Four generous donors have stepped forward, and today bats and balls arrived - simple gifts carrying huge impact.

This zero budget project thrives on goodwill, and our community has shown what’s possible when people care.

These resources will bring home educated children together for play, teamwork, and joy, nurturing fitness, confidence, and friendships.

Cricket becomes a classroom: discipline, respect, resilience, communication, and leadership all grow through the game. It offers belonging, positive habits, and a healthy outlet.

Every contribution stretches further than expected. Thank you all for backing this vision - your generosity is building futures.

#thewanderinglondoner

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#mondaymotivation As daylight shrinks, so does the distance to everything we’ve been chasing! #thewanderinglondoner

#runthrough #runthroughuk #runnerscommunity

[number0seven]

Run, refuel, repeat!

Sunday with RunThrough

#runthrough #runthroughuk #thewanderinglondoner

#runnershigh #runlife

[number0seven]

Loving where you live begins with noticing the small things, like clean pavements, safe spaces, shared neighbourhood pride.

All over the country volunteer litter pickers collect rubbish; help protect wellbeing, wildlife, and dignity.

Their motivation is simple: care for place and people.

A reminder for us all that most communities face litter and it isn’t “their problem” or “our problem,” it’s everyone’s.

Blame divides, action unites. Education shapes habits; awareness turns intention into routine.

A single bottle can take centuries to decompose, yet one person can remove hundreds in an hour.

Change thinking, change outcomes. Equip, encourage, participate.

Thank you to all #litterheroes - your quiet work creates visible hope and lasting impact.

#thewanderinglondoner

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Reading in the modern day has become increasingly difficult as attention spans shrink under the constant pull of smartphones and social media.

Endless scrolling, instant notifications, and short-form content train the mind to seek quick rewards rather than sustained focus.

Many people struggle to commit to books, missing out on deeper knowledge, imagination, and critical thinking.

Initiatives like Bookbike are helping to reverse this trend by bringing books directly into communities, sparking curiosity, and making reading accessible and engaging.

By promoting literacy, shared stories, and meaningful conversations, Bookbike highlights the importance of slowing down, reconnecting with learning, and nurturing minds in an increasingly distracted world.

This haul is from a school library clear out - Thank you!

#bookbiker #bookbikelondon #thewanderinglondoner