Longlands Care Home in Blackbird Leys asked for our help to breathe new life into their gardens, to support the residents getting out and enjoying them this summer.

They have pleasant green spaces with mature trees and a patio courtyard garden. One of the things they would particularly like to establish is a vegetable patch, so that residents can start seeds off inside, move the plants into the garden later this spring, and then use the produce in the care home kitchen for meals for residents.

Our task this Wednesday was to get the garden borders and pots weeded ready for planting, the bits of litter and cigarette butts cleared, and the paving slabs pressure washed. It turns out that pressure washing is a new favourite task - very satisfying to see the dirt wash away!

Congratulations on your 100th Good Deed Venetia!

Last night we stomped the streets around Florence Park delivering flyers for Oxford Mutual Aid. The OMA food bank are recruiting for more volunteers, particularly people to deliver food parcels, so we went house-to-house with their information leaflets. Hopefully they will have an influx of new helpers as a result.

It was a chilly night so we regrouped at The Jolly Postboys pub at the end to warm up.

Welcome to GoodGym Jonah!

congratulations on reaching the 10 Good Deeds milestone Imogen!

Oxford Homeless Project Christmas meal was a warm and festive evening. Christmas dinner was prepared and served, gifts given to guests, chats had, washing up done.

We were really pleased to play a small part in making it happen by turning up mid-afternoon to set up and help with the food preparation.

2 task Wednesday!

A trio of GoodGymers headed into the Asian Cultural Centre to help with the fortnightly community meal supplied by the Oxford Homeless Project. They made tea and served cake to the guests who were eating, then helped clear up and chatted to the guests.

The rest of the team scattered across the streets of Cowley litter picking. We did a thorough clean up along Manzil Way, including ferreting under hedges for hard-to-reach items and a whizz around the playground. A breakaway group made it all the way to Morrel Avenue. We picked up 6 full sacks of trash.

Now we're in December it was the perfect time for some Christmas decoration spotting, all got off to a festive start with "what's your favourite Christmas song?" as the ice-breaker question.

Of course, we weren't only getting Christmas decoration inspiration/envy, we were also delivering leaflets for The Porch day centre's winter fundraiser. The Porch Day Centre provide day-long support for homeless and vulnerably housed people wanting to move away from street-life. They focus on housing, health, wellbeing, education and employment, providing healthy food, practical help (such as laundry andhot showers), companionship, learning skills, work related skills and opportunities for development. Roger, who had asked is to help get the leaflets delivered, explained to us that they have to raise 85% of their operational costs through grants and individual gifts, and each leaflet delivered is worth around £2 to the centre.

Tonight we delivered over 700 leaflets, and hope that will translate to over £1000 for The Porch.

Congratulations on your 100th Good Deed Henry!

Well done on reaching the 10 Good Deeds milestone Andy:-)

Thank you for the homemade mince pies Matty - they were much appreciated.