Tonight 11 GoodGymers ran 5km to support Barge Road Community Garden.

Kudos to Mark, who was attending his 100th session!

We continued where we left off last week, pulling up roots, weeding, sieving through soil and picking up litter.

This weeks surprise find was an old Barbie! After 45 minutes of filling buckets, bin bags and piling up rubble we headed home after a job well done.

Tonight 9 GoodGymers ran or cycled 5km to Burges Road Community Garden to help support a new local green space.

This local green space has been neglected and misused for many years, and will require lots of local support to help turn it into a community garden over the next 3 years.

When we arrived we met Lucy, one of the local members of Green Hearts volunteering group, who gave us instructions for tonights task.

We were armed with forks, rakes, and litter pickers to dig out old roots, pull up weeds and unearth any unnatural objects... ranging from a cuddly toy to a fiat hub cap.

The most interesting finds were 2 little frogs, who one day might become residents in the future garden pond!

After 50 minutes of sweat and many rubbish bags filled, we put down our tools ready to return for another session next week.

The evening was still light so we took the leafy route back into the city running along Marriott's Way.

Tonight's task was to clear some overgrown areas at Mousehold Sea Scouts.

A big welcome to Melpo, who was taking part in her first good deed.

It was hard to see in the dark but we done a grand job, which was well attended with 15 people.

It seems common place just lately for the heavens to open an hour or so before a Community Mission start time and tonight was no exception, but as 8 Goodgymers arrived by cycle, running, scooter, walking, 2 by car, the rain stopped, hurrah hurrah. I was especially please as I’d just been to the hairdressers 😂 Ian was attending his 💯 good deed this evening. Well done, looking forward to seeing you in Your new red t shirt with Wings very soon. After attending here a few weeks ago tonight it was the turn of the front entrance to receive a Goodgym makeover, including widening the entrance to the rear gardens which had become overgrown , spilling onto the path therefore hindering wheelchair users gaining access. The boundary walls, hedges and trees were in need of cutting back, the moss around the paths sorted, and best of all the edges of the paths needed sorting, my favourite task. We all set to work to tackle the work with gusto. At this time of year the light soon starts to fade but not before 9 bin bags of rubbish had been collected up, and we were able to admire one hours hard work showing a much improved entrance/car park. Our host was very pleased with how much we’d achieved and took our group photo for us. We do hope they will be able to open up the Centre very soon. It’s very much missed and so need by the community it serves.

We returned to Waterloo park, probably for the last time this year as the nights close in to help prepare the ornamental flower beds for the winter. Our task was to shift mulch from the bottom of the hill to the top where it was being raked over the flower beds. The Grand Old Duke of York would have been proud as we marched (barrowed?) our way to the top of the hill and down again. Paul was first off the blocks followed by a chain of barrows piloted by Elizabeth, Mark, Cheska, Sophie, Sam and Penny (completing her 10th mission!!), whilst Jonathan did the spadework at the bottom. The friends of the park were pleased with the results and have promised GoodGym a high tea in the summer as a thanks for all the work we’ve done for them this year! It’s always a lovely task at Waterloo park and roll on being able to help them again!