We were back to one of our regular haunts, Cecil Sharp House, on Wednesday. While their regular gardener is away on a well deserved break, we stepped in to keep everything tidy and well watered for the week.

We split into two groups; Team Watering Can very quickly got stuck in giving the thirsty plants a good drink after so many weeks without rain. This included the greenhouse, and many big planters with new plants around the entrance.

Team Broom were on duty to clear the paths, beds, and lawns of dry leaves. The many weeks of heatwave has bought on an early Autumn for the trees in the garden, which have already started dropping their leaves. While it may not have looked too bad at the start, we quickly gathered about ten very full bags and left the gardens looking a lot neater!

A huge welcome to Maya who joined us for her first GG session - it was wonderful to have you with us :)

Good luck to everyone taking part in the Big Half next weekend - you'll smash it!

New faces at the Strand - Rice to Meet You: Biryani on the Strand. 4 Goodgymers(2 in red and 2 in black) made their way to a busy Strand new Charings Cross. Van unloaded, tables setup, drinks and crisps out ready to be handed out and the most important dish to be handed out: vegetable biryani(freshly cooked). Serving Up Kindness, One Biryani at a Time and in no time the big pot was empty and all the food was handed out. But then Jas brought something extra to go with the rice, crisps and water - brought fresh fruit and biscuits. Then it was time to clean and fold the tables and reload the van. Great work team - Biryani Relief: Powered by GoodGym and Gurseva

We had a lovely evening in the garden at Cressfield Close, helping tidy up their communal garden. While Steph, John, and Ariane got on with a very methodical bit of path clearing, Jackie went into action hero mode, pruning back an overgrown hedge that needed beating into shape. Our host, Marie, took vary good care of us in the heat, keeping us watered as well as the plants!

We got a very special treat treat from the residents, who didn't want team GoodGym to miss out on the eclipse. When the moon was in a good position, we were called up to the top floor, where a series of window slats provided an excellent reflection of the sun that could be viewed safely.

After a final sweep and tidy up, we said our goodbyes. We've been invited back for next month, so keep an eye out for the next task!