With rain on the forecast, we pivoted straight to Plan B: turning the workshop area into a weatherproof party zone!

We were a few hooks short for the decor, so whilst supplies were obtained we kept the momentum going - clearing out the space, sweeping up, and untangling the massive box of bunting so everything was prepped and ready for the final touches.

The room and cafe looks fantastic and is almost ready for tomorrow evening, where there will be plenty to enjoy at the barn dance!

We love helping at the farm as there is always jobs to do. So will be back soon 🤞.

Somewhere beneath a fortress of savage brambles, aggressive weeds, and stray litter lay a secret storage zone. This area was destined to house a special, top-secret item. One that must remain safe, sound, and ready for when Santa Claus himself touches down this December. Failure was not an option; Christmas was literally on the line.

We arrived to find a prickly terrain to which the team just dived right in, hacking through the wilderness.

With fewer tools than we would have liked, we had to get creative. We commandeered a lone, trusty wheelbarrow found nearby for our transport vehicle. As the cutting crew cleared the thorny barricades, others helped Rosemary (from the Rotary) clear the area of litter, ensuring the future festive hub was spotless.

Thanks to the last minute sign ups there is now a Santa-ready storage space. So we left with the knowledge that the December operation is officially secure.

Well done team, you really pulled it out of the bag tonight, especially those who flew in from outside Merton - amazing and of course what we do! Merton Rotary are so very grateful.

Whether lured by the promise of our monthly social or simply powered by pure dedication, we had a fantastic turnout for our group session at Raynes Park Station tonight!

After the team gathered ready for action, a trio peeled off to support the Merton Garden Streets team with some nearby weeding. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew split into two squads to tackle the station grounds.

We got plenty done across three main tasks:

• Watering: Kept the embankment hydrated using a smooth relay system of metal trolleys, heavy buckets, and watering cans.

• Pruning: Wielded secateurs to chop back thick brambles poking through the fence and encroaching on the pathway.

• Weeding: Cleared growth along the pavement to help support the local opt-out-of-spraying (chemical-free) initiative.

The visual difference was huge, but the best part was the immediate community feedback. We received non-stop thanks from passers-by, including a mobility scooter user who pointed out where the brambles used to catch on people, and was thrilled to navigate a wide, clear path again.

With the area looking pristine and the tasks ticked off, we wrapped up and headed straight to the pub for our monthly social to celebrate another job complete and a couple of birthdays - well done team!

After a brilliant Morden Fun Day, two of the GoodGym team helped with the pack away. We tackled the furniture first, folding and stacking an army of tables and chairs, before coordinating the takedown of the gazebos. We were also assigned fence duty, responsible for dismantling the boundaries, rolling up the mesh, and extracting every single ground pin.

The late-afternoon sun was beaming down hard, making for sweaty, heavy work at the end of an already long day. However, we powered through the heat powered by the promise of carrot cake. Well done team, the Fun Day is fine for another year!

Three of our local GoodGym team headed to Deen City Farm today to help them set up their weekend farm fête — sensibly avoiding public transport on a record-b(re)aking hot day!

The main focus was preparing the site for games, activities and stalls. Thankfully there was plenty of shade and water available! First up was erecting five gazebos (including a small repair job to one of them), which all went up remarkably smoothly thanks to past experience from one of the GoodGym crew who’d done this very task (and gazebo repair) at the farm before.

Setting up tables and chairs followed, but with a shortfall of tables we had to get creative. Some old wooden cable reels lurking around the back of the farm were promoted to the position of children’s tables. Gloves on to avoid splinters, and then the three of us tipped the cable reels onto their sides and rolled them all the way across the farm under the watchful eyes of its residents.

The farm is now well set up and ready for tomorrow's activities, and we’re very pleased to report that no pigs or other animals were harmed in the process!