The first Saturday of the month means a Goodgym morning at the lovely Maryon Park Community Garden in Charlton. 4 of us were greeted by a hill of woodchippings followed by chat with Tim & Edna about the task ahead, which was to re-locate the hill up to the forest school area beyond the allotment plots. Shovels at the ready, we and some brilliant MW volunteers got to work, wheelbarrow races ensued and soon the mountain had become a molehill, with the woodchippingy mulch raked over the area it was needed and any leftovers spread around the plots. We were super lucky that the rain held off & the sunshine was on our side, and even more lucky to be rewarded with tea & biscuits after the task. Thanks to all involved & have a great Bank Holiday weekend! 😊

On a chilly but bright April evening, 9 GoodGym-ers met in Woolwich for a painting task at the brilliant venue which is Woolwich Works. A quick game of shark attack and a run along the river warmed us up before our task which was, as you've guessed, to paint some planters made from reclaimed wood pallets in the Woolwich Works courtyard. If you've not heard of it, Woolwich Works is a collection of previously military buildings in Woolwich Arsenal, historically known as The Royal Laboratories, and home to a fireworks factory. Its now a huge cultural hub, hosting events such as live music & comedy, food festivals & community groups. The pallet planters were soon well on their way to transformation with primer paint, then we could get started on the fun stuff - making them colourful! (WW logo colours) Once they're finished they'll make a fab addition to the courtyard- home to flowers & herbs etc for use in the cafe.

Thanks to all involved! Our next group run is on Sunday for the litter pick and next Wednesday we're back at the Hervey Road Sports Field - hope you can join us!

12 Parkruns, 11 Community Missions...and this could take some time, so i'll dash through the snow and get on with this report instead... OK, so on 25th December 2023 (also known as the 359th day of the year, or Christmas Day), three GoodGym-ers, amongst several other santa's helpers from the local community, joined Michael & Mimi's team at the Old Cottage Cafe in Charlton to host a Christmas lunch for some of the elderly & vulnerable people in the area.

The task sparkled to life with packing goodie bags, writing cards and setting tables ready for the in-house guests, before it was time for a festive adventure around the corner to deliver some lunches and gifts to local residents. Our return saw the arrival of the guests dining in-house, so it was time for the small-space waltz to meet, greet and deliver drinks and rather lovely canapes. Warmth, festive attire, lots of food, furniture re-arranging and a somewhat competitive raffle ensued, with everyone leaving carrying gifts kindly provided by donations from the cafe's patrons and suppliers.

The team at the cafe in Charlton Park have been running this event for several years and do an amazing job with a lovely group of friendly volunteers so it was great to be involved. Seasons Greetings to all!