Torridon pond’s looking as good as newt!

Not many people over 11 get to see the magical wildlife pond at Torridon Primary School in Catford, but GoodGymmers Darryl, Clare and Stephen got up close and personal with the newts and toads this lunchtime.

The pond is a few years old now and there was over a decade’s worth of algae, leaves and muck to clear out, to give the reptiles and lillies a bit of breathing space. Joy and Shaha welcomed us to the school, and Torridon’s gardening queen Shaha mucked in with the three of us as we donned our waders and got stuck in - taking care not to squash our little green chums.

An hour and a half of graft later, the pond was a lot clearer (we'd also fished out a ruler and half a Comic Relief red nose) and there was a lot more room for the reptiles and plants. It was the first time GoodGym Lewisham had been to Torridon school, and it was a pleasure meeting Shaha - a runner herself - and Joy. Hopefully we’ll be back soon!