Ashburnham Triangle Association

If you've got any plants to give away, or want to find plants that are being given away, come to the play street, Ashburnham Retreat, next to the Ash pub, on Saturday May 21st from 11.30 to 1pm. It needn't just be plants - anything of use in the garden is welcome. No worries if you've got nothing to swap - small amounts of money will do instead. All proceeds go either to the further greening of the Triangle or to charity.

Ellie Brown crossing the finishing line Congratulations and great respect go to Ellie Brown, Mehboob Khan and Vicky Nock for their marathon exploits. Ellie has run ten marathons in ten years, and the 2016 London marathon is her second this year! How does a person do so many?! That is a series of serious achievements - and all in fast time too, all around the 4-hour mark. Her slowest time was 4 hours 7 minutes at her first marathon in 2006, her fastest was 3 hours 57 minutes, and this year she did it in 4 hours 4 minutes. Consistent excellence! She is pictured here crossing the finishing line. She says, “After ten marathons, you’d think it’d get easier, but sadly no! I’ve promised myself and my family that this is the last one, but... they are addictive! And London is special - amazing organisation, efficient volunteers and fantastic crowds who cheer you on for the full 26.2 miles. And there is nothing as special as running through the centre of Greenwich.” Mehboob is also ...

Brilliantly run, Tom! Congratulations! Tom Webb of Ashburnham Grove ran the marathon on Sunday in 3 hours or-as-near-as-dammit. That’s ten minutes faster than his time of 3.12 in 2014, which was fast enough to qualify him to run this year. So he’s qualified now for 2017 or 2018. We saw him in Deptford smiling and relaxed and surrounded by his club. By the finish here in the picture he’s on his own and straining every nerve. He now says laconically, “It kinda went ok-ish. The tank blew at 35k. Legs turned to lead and had tunnel vision. Crowds helped a lot. I did 3.02.26. Bit disappointed not to break 3. I saw the girls (his daughters) in Greenwich and managed to high-five as I went past - that made my day.” I call that a sense of proportion.

This Sunday May 1st, the Fowlers Troop of morris dancers will parade the Jack in the Green round Greenwich, starting at the Dog & Bell in Deptford at 11.30, then the Sail Loft (12.30), Cutty Sark Gardens and Gypsy Moth (1pm), Star & Garter (2.30), Plume of Feathers (3.30), Rose & Crown (4pm), Ashburnham Arms (4.45). The Jack in the Green tradition developed from the 17th Century custom of milkmaids going out on May Day with the utensils of their trade - silver cups, pots, spoons - decorated with garlands and piled into a pyramid which they carried on their heads. http://www.deptford-jack.org.uk/mayday2016.htm

Tom Tom Webb of Ashburnham Grove, ATA webmeister for the last eight years, is running the marathon this Sunday in aid of Parkinson’s. Two years ago his time was 3 hours 12 minutes which qualified him automatically to run this year. His aim now is to break 3 hours, so we could help by cheering him on. Mehboob and Vicky And we could also cheer on our West Ward Councillor Mehboob Khan and his partner Vicky Nock who are running in aid of the Greenwich and Bexley Hospice: JustGiving . Mehboob says, ‘This is my first marathon. My knees are in absolute agony and I’m hobbling around, so please be generous. We are very grateful for any donations.’