Remember that bright and shiny thing in the sky that we haven’t seen in a while? Sun, I think it was called? It was out today, greeting Felicity, Ivar, and the rest of the volunteers at Oxleas woods, showing the area from the best possible side halfway through March.

Today’s task was to resuscitate an old dead hedge, and for the Goodgymers that meant taking shovels and removing all the leaves and mud that had gathered on the road next to the old hedge. As in an archeological dig, we excavated and found the ruins of the old hedge, and the mud was thrown over the ruins and into the brambles on the other side. Many a worm got a ride on Spade Airways* as we flung the mud over, and once we were done we had made a neat line for the new hedge, and regained quite a lot of the road.

*no worms were harmed in the writing of this report.

The wind wasn’t going to stop the Goodgymers from turning up at Shrewsbury House. We gathered here today tasked with cleaning a room in preparation for a wedding. We got brooms and mops, to have and to hold, and before long we had mopped, swept, dusted and wiped every inch, until we finally pronouncing the room spotless.

When the happy couple arrives for their wedding they will find the hall not just clean, but Goodgym clean. Before disappearing into the windy night for our clean getaway, we’d like send our best wishes to the happy couple, and suggest one of the following songs for the first dance:

Something about the way you mop tonight

We will mop you

Another one sweeps the dust

Mopping really matters

Dusting in the dark

Mop it like it’s hot

I love you dust the way you are

Sweep me baby one more time

Should I spray or should I go

Oops!… I cleaned it again

Dancing Clean

Dusting on the ceiling

Don’t mop me now!

Mopping Compares 2 U

Clean on me

Smells like clean spirit

Moptown girl

Dustpan and wife

Participants gathered at the meeting point for a brief orientation. Gloves, waste bags, and basic cleaning tools were distributed and we all walked to the task point. The activity focused on removing litter, debris, and waste materials from the designated area.Litter, plastics, bottles, papers, and other waste materials were collected. All waste was properly bagged and disposed of at the designated collection point. The dirt‑picking exercise contributes to improve cleanliness, and create a safer environment for residents.

In every job that must be done, GoodGym-ers can find a pun...you find the pun, and Snap! The job's a game. 🎶

8 GoodGym-ers met outside Charlton station this morning for today's task, collecting a huge amount of litter from a particularly messy area of Charlton, involving, of course, our favourite game of matching puns, this time with a musical twist. (I will try to avoid any Eggs-rated lyrics!) We started with a (bicycle) Chain Reaction, disposed of plenty of Cigarettes & Alcohol, crisp bags & coffee cups (someone's not drinking their Black Coffee in Bed).  Making our way up the Mull of Charlton Tyre, we were (coat) Hangin' Tough, piling American Pie boxes & Sweet like Chocolate wrappers into those bags. Ah, Shoe Make me feel Mighty Real...!

Time, in this case, was not On Our Side, so after getting a Photograph of You (and all the rubbish bags - 11 including 4 of recycling!) the task we did undertake, did become a piece of cake (and coffee, for a team debrief).

Thanks all, you must be some kind of Superstars!

A misty March evening took 12 GoodGym-ers to St Richard's Community Church in Charlton for this evening's group run.

After a welcome & ice-breaker discussing the one food we'd eat forever, it was on to tonight's various tasks. Some of us headed off to do some litterpicking, others bagged up some heaps of cardboard mush left over from the woodchip pathway project, and others continued our ever-present battle with the weeds in the back yard. The vegetation heap was looking a little higher by the time we gathered round for a group photo & farewells.

A big welcome to Naomi on your first task! Thanks all & see you soon 😊

3 Goodgymers turned out to this litter-pick-turned-tree-planting session with the friends of Hornfair park. The task was to plant hawthorn, crabapple, dog rose, dogwood and hazel into a nice hedge. After some confusion about the what trees goes where, they were laid out, 30 cm apart, and we started digging holes to put them in. Most holes were dug out easily, others reached rock bottom. But when the hour was up we had planted, fertilised and watered a long line of trees, all ready to enjoy the spring sunshine, whenever that arrives ☀️

Throughout we were also watched by a four-legged furry feline friend 🐈‍⬛