Smoothies at 'Green To Gold' launch

On one of the wettest days of the year so far with black clouds looming above we joined Tessa Sanderson CBE and the team from City of London Festival to celebrate the launch of the Green to Gold campaign on Guildhall Square.

The Green to Gold is a campaign is on a mission to encourage, engage and inspire communities to use open spaces for positive recreation to enhance their health and well being. They want the public to use their local open space for walking, cycling, riding or any activity that means they get to enjoy the fresh air and outdoor environment. As part of the launch event over 40 members of staff from City of London offices cycled in from all the City's open spaces (some over 20 miles) to celebrate the start of the year long campaign.

Check out this map for details of open spaces near you.

Despite the weather there was a great turn out with people congregating in the square to watch the music stage, learn how to hula hoop and sign up for cycling proficiency classes. We enjoyed running a four bike smoothie stand. Each bike powered a smoothie maker so we could have four types of smoothie being made at any one time.

Kids from the local schools came down to take advantage of the programme of events and managed to persuade their teachers to have a go on our bikes. The best bit was teaching a young guy with learning difficulties how to pedal on a bike and getting the other students to make smoothies and share them with each other. Who said it was hard to get kids to have their five-a-day?

Thanks to 'Soul Foods' for supplying us with the fruit.