🌼 Last night's GoodGym Wandsworth session was a very special one, as we came together to plant daffodils in memory of our GoodGym friend David.

We met at the BAC before heading out for a run to the church, where we had last enjoyed a GoodGym session with David. There we were joined by his family, and David's sister Kate shared some beautiful words about all the good he'd done with GoodGym over the years helping our local community organisations, shopping and doing practical tasks for elderly people as well as the limitless energy he had in our green spaces. He had a smile on his face after gardening in the sunshine at the church last time, so it felt like the right place to come together and create a lasting tribute.

With 1,000 daffodil bulbs to plant and three planters to build, there was plenty to keep everyone busy and we all got busy digging, drilling and sharing memories. Come spring, around David's birthday, the church grounds will be filled with not just a splash, but a whole wave of his favourite colour. The new planters will also bring some joy to people passing by the river and it will be a beautiful spot that we can all return to and enjoy.

We finished the evening with some amazing cake lovingly made by Kate, hot chocolate, biscuits and, most importantly, plenty of time to chat and spend time together. There was even a real moment of remembering our very first birthday at GoodGym Wandsworth as we spotted the badge Kate was wearing - the very same we handed out nine years ago to mark the occasion! It means a lot that David had kept it all this time.

Community means so many things. For us it can be meeting up every week to shift soil at Doddington, to make up beds at the rough sleepers hub, or to paint the nursery at Balham. It includes enjoying our regular pub quiz together and celebrating birthdays, races and milestones. It also means showing up for one another, remembering those who have touched our lives and creating something meaningful and lasting.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and played a part in making something so beautiful. The bulbs you planted will improve biodiversity at St Mary's and bring joy to local people. It is a colourful tribute to somebody who gave so much to people in Wandsworth and beyond, and who will be remembered every spring when they bloom. 💛

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What a fantastic evening of collaboration, community spirit and a fair bit of friendly competition at GoodGym Wandsworth last night!

We were delighted to welcome the team from Enable to join us. Enable is a charitable organisation working in partnership with Wandsworth Council to deliver health, leisure and community services across the borough. From looking after parks and green spaces to providing sports, wellbeing and community programmes, they're all about making Wandsworth a better place to live. A perfect partner for an evening of GoodGyming!

We kicked things off with a warm-up and a suitably seasonal question to get everyone thinking: How many noses does a slug have? Well done to Gabriel and Anais for getting that particularly niche question right!

Then it was off to Doddington Community Garden, a wonderful community green space where local people can come together to grow, garden and enjoy a little oasis of green.

There was plenty to get stuck into, with a variety of jobs to keep our green-fingered team busy:

• Taming and tying back the raspberry canes.

• Pulling up grass and clearing space.

• Creating new no-dig layered beds – otherwise known as delicious-sounding 'trifle beds'!

• Getting strawberries planted and ready for spring.

There was no shortage of jobs to do - the only slight hitch was that the lights were temporarily out of commission. It made things a little trickier, but that didn't stop us. By the end of the session, we'd made a really good dent in the jobs and Malissa was delighted with what we'd achieved. Great work, everyone!

Next, it was down the stairs for some fitness . We started off with a game of head or tails which had us running laps of the square, or if you were lucky, doing the conditioning option. We then moved onto a sprint-hold challenge, before finishing with a full minute of planking with some serious core strength on display!

But the evening wasn't over yet. We headed off to the pub for the eagerly anticipated GoodGym v GoodGym v Enable pub quiz. There was some impressive quizzing all round, with everyone doing very respectably. One of the GoodGym teams even won the jackpot! 🎉 That means our Christmas party fund has just had a very welcome boost. So, make sure you put 14th December in your diary for our Christmas celebrations.

A huge thank you to Enable for joining us for a brilliant evening of collaboration, community action, fitness and fun.

Coming up next: We've got more missions on Wednesday to help support a food growing and sharing initiative in Roehampton. You can sign up here - these sessions will be happening throughout the day.

Next week we have a very special group run where we will be planting no fewer than 1000 daffodil bulbs . Hope to see you there💚

🎃 Last night’s Halloween themed GoodGym Wandsworth session was a little different from the usual routine because, for perhaps the first time ever, there was no run at all! However, we did make up for it in other ways....

Firstly, a big welcome to Julian who came for his very first GoodGym session — great to have you with us!

Our task was just across the road at the amazing Wandsworth hub for people experiencing homelessness. This vital project provides support, safety and practical help for rough sleepers, and during the winter months, it can mean the difference between spending a night out on the streets and having somewhere warm and safe to sleep. With winter approaching, our mission was to help transform some of the spaces into emergency bedrooms, so that nobody has to spend a night sleeping rough.

We heard from Nick, the hub’s manager, who gave us a brilliant insight into the work they do and why it matters so much. Adam, one of our very own GoodGymers who also works at the hub, was there to help organise the task and get us all going.

Then it was time for action! Half the group headed downstairs to the basement, while the other half took on the upstairs space.

The first jobs involved setting up beds, moving computers and dismantling tables to clear the areas ready for their new purpose. The upstairs team certainly got a workout, trekking up and down the stairs with equipment and furniture — who needs a fitness session when you’ve got stairs to climb?

Meanwhile, the basement team got busy making beds and building the privacy screens. Easier said than done! Armed with limited instructions and what felt like a million different pieces, each with endless possible combinations, the team had to work out which way everything was supposed to fit together. This involved an impressive mental workout!

But the results were fantastic. It was amazing to watch the spaces transform as the evening went on. By the end of the task, there were beds in place, privacy screens up and spaces turned into safe, warm bedrooms for people who need them most.

And just like that, our evening’s work was done. No time for running or fitness tonight, but it was absolutely worth it to support such an important project. We even had some sweeties to keep our energy levels up while we worked!

🍪 But the treats didn’t stop there…

This was our special Halloween session, so we headed to the pub afterwards, where some of the group had put together an incredible spread of homemade biscuits, cookies and other goodies. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed — what a feast!

The costumes were just as impressive. Beth and Jo teamed up in a shared pumpkin ensemble, Sophie wowed us with her amazing skeleton outfit and bald cap, and Annabel showed true commitment to the carrot with her fantastic headpiece. Halloween spirit: absolutely nailed. 🎃💀🥕

Thank you to Jordan for organising a brilliant social, and to everyone who came along, rolled up their sleeves and helped make a real difference.

🏃 Next week: back to our usual routine! We’ll be back to the classic GoodGym combination of a run, a task and a fitness session — followed by the pub quiz, of course! Come and join us for some good exercise, great company and a chance to do something positive for our community.

And there’s more good to be done before then! This Saturday, we have a mission at the neurodisability hospital, creating a garden for patients. It’s a lovely way to kick off your weekend.❤️

We kicked things off with our usual warm-up before heading out for an evening of community action, great company and a lower body blast!

A big welcome to Sean, and Andrew who joined us for their very first GoodGym session. Hope you will be back for more soon! 👋

🍁 Leaf it to GoodGym!

Our main mission of the evening took us to St Mary's Church, where we got stuck into clearing the churchyard of fallen leaves.

The aim? To get the area ready for the planting of 1,000 daffodil bulbs in a couple of weeks' time 🌼

Clearing the leaves does much more than make the churchyard look tidy. A thick layer can prevent other plants from thriving, create trip hazards and provide valuable material for making mulch to support next year's growing.

The team worked together, raking, gathering and bagging up the leaves, collecting over 20 bags in total! That's a whole lot of leaves - which won't go to waste. They're being transported to a local community garden in Doddington, where volunteers can put them to good use on their growing beds. 🌱

There were plenty of extra treats along the way, too, including mini tours of the church, snacks and sweets to keep everyone fuelled, and a gorgeous view of the river to enjoy while we worked.

🏃 Time to get those legs moving!

With the leaves cleared and the hard work done, we headed just around the corner for a leg-focussed fitness session. It was a proper workout for all those lower-body muscles, and everyone put in a seriously impressive effort.

📅 What's coming up next?

There's lots more GoodGym on the horizon:

This Thursday: We're heading to Roehampton to help create a community growing space

Next week: We're mixing things up with a slightly unusual session. There's no run this time, but we'll be doing a positive task supporting a hub for people experiencing homelessness, followed by a Halloween social. More details here

A big thank you to everyone who came along, for bringing such brilliant energy and making a real difference.