This very fine Saturday* 11 of us arrived at Mycenae House, some after already volunteering or running at one of the Parkruns, or swimming or just successfully rolling out of bed, hey we don't judge and it's all an achievement on a very fine Saturday.*

We joined the Friends of Mycenae Gardens who were busy getting on with planting over 400 tree whips by the dead hedge which we've spent many a day building up. We got to work, digging, planting and stamping (and playing hide and seek) and soon they were all in place and it was time for cake.

AND Today was a very special day because it was Johhny's 50th and a bit birthday...Aka his 60th 🤫. Which is particularly exciting because he will shortly get free travel, eye tests and all sorts of discounts now that he's gracefully moved into the 'Seniors' category. But it's only a number - there's nothing senior about Johnny other than the wisdom and life experience he carries with him, not to mention his many good deeds! So very fitting that after the task we enjoyed coffee and cake together to celebrate our lovely friend.

A great morning with an amazing group of humans - thank you all!

Tomorrow we have litter picking in Charlton

Wednesday we have a run to Dee's Nursery to help out in the garden.

And next Saturday it's Gardening at the Hospice in Bexley.

Until next time!

Rachel

*(not fine, not sunny, just grey, grey forever grey but let's pretend we experienced some finer weather just for a moment, please 🙄)

Saturday means parkrun (non-negotiable in my calendar), and this week it came with a side of cheer pressure — the good kind! A +1 to my good deeds tally as I joined my fellow Goodgymer Marta at Greenwich Peninsula parkrun.

Marta took charge as the fabulous Funnel Manager, keeping everything flowing smoothly, while I stepped into the parkwalker role — because sometimes the best way to move forward is one steady step at a time. My warm-up? A gentle jog to the task. Efficient and smugly punctual.

Along the way I bumped into my friend Dee (who I met at a previous running event) and met her friend too — parkrun really is a social network. While out on the course I teamed up with Lorraine, and of course we chatted about… running, races, weather, shoes..

I made sure to dish out plenty of cheers to the runners. Turns out, cheering others on is the perfect power source. Hence: Cheer Pressure. 👏

The weather behaved itself too — dry (hooray!), a bit windy but no rain so absolutely no complaints from me.

Another great Saturday, another brilliant community moment, and that’s 101 good deeds in the bag.

Right — no rest for the righteous… off to the next task! 😄

This morning at Hornfair Junior Parkrun was cold, wet, and wonderfully grounding.

Wrapped up warm on a freezing, rain-soaked morning, we gathered once again to support our brilliant junior runners. The weather kept numbers low — in fact, there were more volunteers than runners today — but somehow that made it feel even more special. A small but mighty community, choosing to show up for each other despite the chill.

For me, this morning quietly marked something meaningful: my 100th GoodGym deed. And, almost unbelievably, it’s been exactly one year since I completed my very first good deed. It doesn’t feel that long ago that I nervously turned up for the first time. Since then, week by week, task by task, those small acts have added up.

Two wonderful GoodGymers joined the regular Hornfair volunteer team today, bringing warmth and encouragement that no weather could dampen. The juniors who came out ran with determination, and as always, reminded us why we do this.

Days like today aren’t about big numbers or perfect conditions. They’re about consistency. About community. About choosing to serve, even when it’s cold and raining.

One year. 100 deeds. Countless moments of connection.

Grateful for every single one.

One hundred deeds down, countless more to go. The journey continues — here’s to many more deeds, smiles, and muddy trainers ahead! 🥳 Hep Hep! Hooray!

What a bonus to kick off a Saturday morning — parkrun day! Despite the freezing temperatures, it stayed blissfully dry and the sun made a welcome guest appearance, casting a golden glow over the course. After what feels like endless days of relentless rain, that splash of brightness truly lifted everyone’s spirits and made all the difference.

For this task, three fantastic GoodGym heroes gathered to support the wonderful regular volunteers at Parkrun. Layered up and ready to roll, they jumped right in — helping to keep everything running smoothly and cheering on the determined parkrunners braving the chilly air.

With another task triumphantly ticked off, we paused for a well-earned photo to capture the moment — a frosty but fabulous souvenir of the day. 📸

This marked our first mission of the morning before we headed off to take on the next one. Momentum was high and spirits even higher!

Huge well done to all the parkrunners and the brilliant volunteers who made it happen. What a way to start the weekend! 💪

On Wednesday evening, we headed out on a three-kilometre run to spread the word to help save the White Swan pub. After a quick warm-up we set off at a steady clip towards Charlton, armed with laminated posters and string. Lamp posts became our canvas as we carefully secured posters in visible spots to make sure the message couldn’t be missed. Once the posters were up, it was time to fan out and leaflet around Charlton.

40minutes later, slightly damp but energised, we wrapped up knowing we’d done our bit to support a local treasure. Because while the rain might have tried its best, nothing can dampen GoodGym spirits!

Until next time,

Rachel

1 GoodGymer 🙋🏻‍♀️ joined the regular volunteers at Hornfair Junior parkrun, taking on the parkwalker role. A total win-win!

Volunteering meant starting my Sunday early while giving back to the community, and it also added some welcome structure to the rest of my day as this was actually my first task before heading off to do some litter picking later. Helping others and getting outside to boost my own fitness? Absolutely.

This was my 15th time volunteering at Hornfair Juniors, and it’s something I always enjoy.

Until the next one! 💛🚶‍♀️