A big thank you to the two GoodGym members who volunteered at parkrun. Volunteering is at the heart of parkrun, and it's always nice to give something back alongside running or walking.

A group of local residents and volunteers with Friends of Park Hill, settled in to clear back the abundance summer growth reducing access to the and blocking light from the street lamps.

Much done and still much to do! Join us for the second bite of the apple on Sunday 11th October at 1000

A productive afternoon session trying to uncover the garden path for Ms D under a bush that is hugely overgrown and been infiltrated by brambles.

Managed to find and rescue a lovely old piece of garden decoration entangled in the bush so the many wind chimes can now sing freely as we go into the cooler seasons.

This week we celebrate 50 good deeds for Pete!!

Arriving fashionably late after starting his special day with a solid 6km run, Pete joined us extending the clearance of a bed in preparation for winter. Running dangerously low on mulch we had to pivot pretty quickly to everyone's favourite task of clearing brambles! Tackling the edge of the prairie garden with gusto we filled two builders bags with our trimmings. And after a productive morning of hard labour and good vibes, we finished up with a tea and a Bakewell slice. Join us for the next one?!

Pam had 5 of her regular group and 2 GoodGymers that day to clear and beautify the space behind a commemorative bench dedicated to Iris. The family had visited a couple of weeks back and said that there used to be Irises growing there so that what we did, should see them next Spring! Great transformation and perfect day.

I took my volunteering one step further this weekend by parkwalking at South Norwood parkrun. It turned out to be a lovely way to spend a couple of hours outdoors, enjoying the fresh air, supporting fellow parkrunners and proving that sometimes the best pace is a GoodGym pace. I was happy to go the extra mile without actually going the extra mile!

After helping to keep everyone on the right track, I walked away with a smile and headed to the park café, which is also run by volunteers, to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was the perfect opportunity to pause for applause, put my feet up and enjoy some well-earned cake.

From parkwalk to park cake, the morning really stepped up. It was a reminder that volunteering is all about putting your best foot forward, helping your community one step at a time, and occasionally following the well-trodden path to tea, cake and good company. A truly walk-tastic way to spend a Saturday!