Another successful session at the Methodist Church garden! On Sunday there is going to be a Sunflower BBQ gathering, so we were put to task in making sure everywhere was looking tip top. There was watering, litter picking, weeding the beds and finishing off painting the gate (which we started last time). There was even some harvesting - potatoes were dug up and sunflower seeds retrieved. We hope lots of fun is had on Sunday!

It was great to see so many of the team supporting on our stand collecting trainers for Jog-On and helping our friends at Full Cycle Community Bike Project and Merton Cycling Campaign with an action-packed Big Sports Day!

Our mission:

• Spreading the word - chatting with local residents about all things GoodGym, cycling, and active community projects.

• Trainer recycling - collecting pre-loved shoes for JogOn and directing people to do the same with old footwear to keep it out of landfill and get them re-used or recycled.

It was a busy day with various volunteers stopping by to help and take part. With a steady stream of participants at 'trainer-pong' and some surprising competitors, it was a fantastic showcase of collaboration and a chance to show ways to combine fitness with doing good.

Some of the team helped with other jobs, supporting with bike safety checks and promoting plans for creating a cycling hub in Merton, hoping for backing from local councillors and Merton Council for an accessible, community-driven bike hub to promote active travel, reduce carbon emissions, and expand low-cost transport options across the borough.

Well done everyone and a big shoutout to those who stayed on or joined us in the afternoon when we needed a boost later in the day!

A large group of us headed to the Martin Way Methodist Church community garden tonight, luckily there is always enough jobs to go around! We weeded, air-rated clay, dead headed, leaf blowed and watered. A group of us also started painting a fence! It was a very productive hour and we are excited to continue the work next month! A big GoodGym welcome to Jerrold who attended his first session this evening, we hope to see you again soon.

With the new school year just around the corner, we were called in for an urgent collaborative mission to support a Wandsworth Council initiative alongside Donate to Educate and The Scrubbery - with Dons Local Action Group stepping in to drive the garments over to Merton.

A massive haul of surplus school uniforms acquired from supermarkets was due for delivery, so our mission was all about pure organisation: counting, sorting, and carefully packing ready-to-collect bundles into cages.

Working batch by batch through piles of trousers and shirts, our energy was uniformly utilised from start to finish!

It was a brilliant effort that will make a huge difference to local children stepping back into the classroom across Merton, Wandsworth, and Southwark. A huge well done to the team for making the trip slightly outside our usual Merton and Kingston boundaries - the extra hands and longer session were greatly appreciated!

Forget the classic jazz song "What a difference a DAY made" - our 16 strong team of Goodgymers did the same in just 1 HOUR!

I can only imagine the startled look on the faces of Mitcham's Citizens Advice Bureau employees as they return to work in the morning to find their garden has been transformed from near jungle to a beautiful clean and tidy oasis in which they can enjoy their lunch breaks.

Everyone got stuck in from the word go and the result was plain to see. We also tackled the front clearing weeds, litter and sweeping leaves.

A huge welcome to Sophie and Laura - congratulations on your first GoodGym session, hopefully see you again soon!

Next week we are at Martin Way Methodist church community garden and it's likely there will be some outdoor jobs 😉. There's also a group run beforehand so sign up here if you are joining us.