Last of the summer vines

After last weekend's Eurovision, it was only right we started off GoodGym last night with a Europe flavoured challenge - and a big well done to Annabel and Kaz who both managed to name capital cities starting with a vowel - very impressive! After warming up brains and muscles, we set off for our task at Christchurch school in Battersea.

After the previous week's epic task where we shifted over 200 bags of compost up to the roof of a community garden, I had been pretty confident that this week was going to be compost free. Unfortunately, shortly after arriving at the school and meeting head Ms Morris, we soon found out that was not the case. Sorry gang! Our first task was the unpack several massive bags of the stuff using the teenytiny school scissors, and to recycle the cardboard. Once this had been achieved we set off for the very well hidden secret garden the children use for learning about nature and growing their own fruit and veg.

The main task was to clear the pathways which had become overgrown and unmanageable. It seemed quite a daunting one, with masses of wild brambles, vines and all other manner of things, but it became quickly clear that nothing was going to hold GoodGym back. As Catherine and Sophie bravely faced the wall of weeds and began hacking, Jordan, Janice and Kaz tackled the huge vine, while Steph, Becca and Annabel got stuck into lopping, shifting and composting.

After 40 minutes of hard work, Ms Morris was delighted with the newly created pathways, so we downed tools and set off for the park. Last night's fitness was a short but very intense one, focusing on really working those legs muscles, and then moving on to arms. Even after all that, there was still the mean old hill to go! We finished off the night hot, tired and, in my case at least, at least 60% covered in sticky weed. Nice job everybody! Next week we're off to help sort out the planters ahead of a community Jubilee event. Hopefully see you there!

Don't forget about the Clapham Common parkrun meet up this Saturday and there are also several great missions coming up, including this one off task to help the volunteers at a church in Balham and one to support Cancer Research at their race for life event. Have a very happy week of running, all!