Today was a fantastic session where thirteen GoodGymers from GG Bexley, GG Greenwich and GG Ealing came together to make a real difference at Crossness Pumping Station, built in the 1800s as part of London's first sewage system.

It was lovely to have Dinali and Ian with us for their first GG task, and celebrate Mo's 10th good deed.

We were met by Tom, the museum's Volunteering Manager who, after a warm welcome, split us into two groups.

'Team Ballast' worked with regular volunteer Rob and others on the narrow gauge railway. We dug out a shallow trench under the lifted tracks, and shoveled in ballast stones to help restore the line ready for re-opening to the public.

Rob said that it would have taken one person a whole day to complete what we achieved in just one hour 💥.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the site in the Victorian Formal Garden, 'Team Lavendar' was busy cutting back lavender. It smelled lovely! The cuttings will be used to make bars of soaps, which will be sold in the shop.

For both teams it was amazing to see how much we could accomplish by working together.

After tea and biscuits in the Ness Cafe, we had a brief look at the historical display of toilets in the museum - including one of the first flushing models by Thomas Crapper.

Then we put on hard hats and safety glasses, for Tom's tour of the incredible engine hall, giving the opportunity to learn more about the history and engineering behind this fascinating place.

We certainly put all our senses to work, including experiencing some of the distinctive smells associated with the historic pumping station and its original purpose 💩!

Overall, it was a brilliant opportunity to contribute to the local area, learn about its history and engineering, and make a positive impact through volunteering, and show that when we come together and work as a team, we can achieve so much more than we could alone.

We hope to help out at the museum more regularly from now, on so watch thus space if you'd like to join us!

Three of us were at Eltham junior parkrun this morning, each taking on a different volunteer role!

Peter was keeping time, Johnny was out on the course marshalling — complete with his big red foam hands for plenty of high fives for the runners — and Sarah was on barcode scanning duty.

Along with the other volunteers, a great team effort helping make junior parkrun happen! 👏🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Howdy partner!

Cowboy hats were optional as we saddled up and went out and about yesterday evening to spread the word about the Hospice Hoedown 🤠.

Hot-footing it around the streets, we posted nearly 500 leaflets through letterboxes in Bexley, close to where the big event is happening next month.

Lots of steps, lots of fun. Let's hope it leads to lots of bookings!

Yee-haw!

🍃 Starting with a Clean-Up

I had a fantastic first session with GoodGym Bexley, helping at Bexley Bike Club's family bike day, and really enjoyed getting involved. It was lovely meeting Sarah and Johnny, and working alongside the amazing Bexley Bike Cub coaches and Access Sport team, a charity dedicated to helping young people access and enjoy sport.

Before the children arrived, we started with a litter pick around the pump track, helping to keep the area safe for riders and tidy. Then we turned to clearing puddles from the track itself.

🪖 Getting Ready to Ride

Once the children arrived, we helped them get ready by fitting helmets and other safety equipment, making sure everyone was comfortable and prepared for the activities ahead. It was great to meet the children and see their excitement as they got ready to take part.

🚧 Cones, Limbo & Lots of Smiles

Sarah and I were in charge of one of the activity stations, where the children completed a fun obstacle course. They weaved around cones and ducked under a limbo bar, showing lots of enthusiasm, determination, and confidence. It was brilliant to watch them challenge themselves while having so much fun.

🛹Taking on the Ramps

After the obstacle course, the children moved on to the ramps to continue developing their bike skills. The kids were all fantastic throughout the session, listening well, encouraging each other, and giving everything a go.

Finally, the riders moved on to the pump track and we were stationed at various points in case of falls and to give lots of encouragement.

⭐Looking Ahead

Overall, it was a really positive experience. Seeing the impact that Bexley Bike Club and Access Sport has on helping young people get involved in sport was inspiring, and I can't wait to get back in the saddle for the next session! 😊

Thank you to everyone that came today to help such a lovely morning!

This week we were back at the Welling Library to finish off the weeding and litterpicking at the front and along the side of the building. Some of us ran a short distance to the task.

We had some new equipment in the form of secateurs and shears to aid us, and we had it all looking great in no time!

After tidying away we had the obligatory group photograph then headed to the pub to celebrate Sarah's birthday!