Four enthusiastic Waltham Forest Goodgymmers (Lily, Matiyas, Sara and Sarah) met at the Toy Library this evening for our first task of 2026, helping Helen with a few odd jobs she'd kindly saved for us! Matiyas proved himself to be quite the handyman with some toy and furniture repairs, while Lily, Sara and Sarah did some toy cleaning, sorted and categorised some cuddly friends for storage, and organised some lovely donations received for the SEND toy library, a fantastic new resource for our local community, which is due to open very soon. As ever, Helen was delighted to have some extra help, and it was great to get the new year started for Goodgym WF. A big welcome and well done to Matiyas and Sara who were attending their first Goodgym missions - it was lovely to have you on board!

From February, our Toy Library sessions will be on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30pm, meeting at the task. Come and join us - the more the merrier!

Four festive Goodgymmers attended the Toy Library to wield the scissors and sellotape and give a helping hand to Father Christmas, whose annual visit is imminent! As ever, Helen was HUGELY thankful for the extra hands on deck. A big thank you to John and Jacqui (GG Tower Hamlets) for coming to support GGWF, yet again - we are so grateful to have you with us. There won't be a Toy Library task for us in December, as Helen is snowed under, but we'll be back again in January, so watch this space for task listings!

(Apologies for a) the late report, and b) the stock elf photo - I sadly wasn't able to attend this month's task as I was on family nursing duties elsewhere, so no photos of the actual elves in action!)

Helen, Ros and Sarah met at the William Morris Gallery steps for a social run to mark the Goodgym crossover with This Girl Can, drawing attention to the issue of women's safety when out running in the darker winter months. And dark it most certainly was! It definitely felt like autumn had well and truly arrived. We had a lovely jog to Cheney Row Park, where we had a little bounce on the trampolines in memory of our dear friend Ray, and then we circled back to Lloyd Park and up to Yardsale, where we made the most of their crossover with Dishoom and demolished a giganitc and very delicious spicy Indian pizza. I think we would all admit that we wouldn't have fancied a solo run this evening in the cold darkness, so it was especially lovely to get together, have a jog, catch up, reminisce and raise a glass to Goodgym friends no longer with us. Our little social run may not look like much, but it felt like a Very Good Thing!

Five happy Goodgymmers (Lily, Manuel, Pippa, Ros and Sarah) braved a dark task at St Mary’s Churchyard, to tackle the ever-accumulating autumn leaves. Thankfully the rain stopped in good time, and armed with rakes, brooms, scoops and a brilliant leaf grabber, we set to work clearing the pathways round the church, which were inundated with soggy, slippery leaves. Many hands made light work, and we quickly filled the four huge rubble bags that Tim the Head Gardener at St Mary’s had left for us. While of course the leaves continue to fall and more clearing will soon be needed, we did a great job and the paths were tidier and safer in no time at all! A satisfying task indeed, and a couple of passers-by thanked us for our efforts, which was lovely! Special mention to Manuel, who was doing his first ever Goodgym task! (Apologies for the stock photo of autumn leaves - we forgot to do our before and after pictures!!!)

Four enthusiastic Goodgymmers (John, Lily, Migle and Sarah) met for our monthly task at Walthamstow Toy Library this evening where Helen had a few jobs lined up for us. We cleaned toys that had been returned to the library and prepared craft supplies for some ghostly Halloween creativity. Spooky! Lastly, we took down the bunting that we'd so beautifully hung in the summer to decorate for the Toy Library's anniversary celebrations, as it was starting to look a little past its peak. We got the jobs done in no time at all, and Helen was, as ever, delighted to have had some extra hands on deck. Special kudos goes to John (GG Tower Hamlets) who took a detour on his way home from Birmingham to drop in and help GGWF this evening - your support was hugely appreciated, John - thank you!

Four happy Goodgymmers (Charlotte, Lily, Ruby and Sarah) rolled up their sleeves this evening and got chopping, weeding and sweeping in the grounds of Saint Mary's Church, Walthamstow Village giving Tim the head gardener a helping hand in keeping the place tidy. The weather was pleasant, but autumn is certainly on its way; many leaves were scooped up, brambles cut back and weeds pulled. Our progress was clear to see, and the task was certainly a satisfying one, with the pathway left clearer and more easily accessible for our community. An excellent hour's work - very well done, GGWF Gardening Goddesses!