On Tuesday 13 Good Gym members ran 4.5km to help the East Croydon Community Organisation tidy the green beds along the boulevard.

As the task is close to our start location, we took the opportunity to make a longer run by taking the scenic route through the streets of Croydon. When we arrived Jerry from ECCO was pleased to see us and had several tasks lined up for us. We donned our high vis jackets and carried the litter pickers and loppers down the street to the green beds. Some of us took the litter pickers and were pleasantly suprised that we struggled to find much litter! We spotted a couple of bottles and some other bits and pieces we were able to clear away. Others took the shears and loppers and started clearing back the ivy and other overgrown vegetation which had grown over the wall and was covering come of the pavement. The beds had a nice neat haircut, with extra care taken around the daffodils which have started flowering and reminded us all that it is spring, even if it still feels a little chilly. The main task then became wrestling the ivy and cuttings into the bags, which quickly began to add up and we finished with 40 filled bags - an ECCO record! Well done everyone!

A big shout out to Stephanie who earned her wings with her 100th Good Deed! When asked which of her 100 was the most memorable, she had a long list of favourites including painting at a school and running in winds so strong she was nearly blown away.

Join us next week by signing up to the task here

Last night 10 Good Gym members ran 3km to Tunstall Nursery to tidy up the outside area ready for spring.

It was a drizzly night but we all wrapped up for the weather headed out for our run to the nursery. Arriving we met with Jane who was pleased to see so many of us. Jane led us through to the outside space (which was partially undercover!) and we began clearing up. It was suprisingly tidy! After beating the sand from the play pit out of the door mat and sweeping up some loose leaves we made quick progress on the task and Jane was pleased with our end results. Jane told us a little

After watching a lightening strike we decided to head straight to our social for pancakes and churros at Box Park.

Next week will be International Women's Day and we will be Wondering Along the Boulevard to help ECCO get ready for spring.

Welcome

Last night we welcomed Caroline to her first group, however it was her 7th good deed, she was busy doing coach runs however that was halted due to the pandemic, we also welcomed Catherine who has amassed a whopping 242 good deeds with GoodGym Haringey and has now now moved South of the river and has changed her home area to Croydon.

We ran, 2.6km, to assist Croydon Refugee Day Centre, were the lovely Ivanka is always happy to have our help and last night she was even more excited as there more helpers this time around. Invanka explained what she had for us to do and showed us the guides regarding whats items of clothing should be placed where that was stuck to the pillars and walls.

There was a mountain of coats that needed to be placed on hangers and put on a rack, there were a lot of donation bags to sort through. As usual the kind folks who donated don't always think that some stuff they put in the bags are not needed but it was up to us to sort through and keep what could be regifted from what couldn't.

There were new things old things, dirty thing, clean things, there were costumes, short things and long things, shinny sparkling things.

Sorting through the various bags and seeing some of the things being donated did make us chuckle and wonder how much thought went into filling the bags because some of the stuff being donated is not what you would expect to see folks walking on the street wearing but its the thought that counts and at least they made a donation to someone without.

All in all we got through a lot of the bags had a few giggles, while getting the job done.

Come and join us next week we'll be out doing good again in the community sign up here.