Took on the role of a marshal, encouraging the kids as they went around the course. Very good turn out today!

On a blistering cold Sunday morning, GoodyGym joined the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods for another monthly conservation session. We assembled at the Chestnut Kiosk to gather a wheelbarrow of trusty tools, before ascending deep into the heart of the woods.

After a thorough health and safety briefing from the ever-diligent Marc, we were set to go. Our task for the day was to saw down small holly trees and lop away holly branches. This would allow more sunlight to reach the woods and support biodiversity.

How do we know where the tree will fall? We soon learned that you can control the direction of the falling tree by initiating a v-shaped beak cut. Curious onlookers were surprised to find out about the invasiveness of the holly plant. A couple of enthusiastic parkgoers even joined us for a few moments.

In ninety short minutes, the piles of fallen hollies stood tall, heaps and mounds above the rest of the woodlands. What a difference a conservation day makes!

We will be back on the first Sunday of February. We hope to see you there!

We have regular sessions sorting donations at the Community Hospice warehouse, and they're always a voyage of discovery - we never quite know what we''ll across in all those black bags. And, while we tackle the bags at random, there are often themes to what we find.

This morning's finds? Lots of cuddly soft toys, a magical mix of Disney and Harry Potter clothing and books 🪄, and a fine range of baseball caps 🧢. Plus a belt with (almost) the GG logo as its shiny gold buckle!

It's a fun way to spend a few hours, with plenty of chat, and a tasty selection of biscuits to go with hots drinks when we take a break.

Huge thanks to the lovely warehouse team, James and Andrew, for having us along and patiently helping us decide what's suitable to sell and what has to go to 'rags'. The Community Hospice is such a wonderful local charity and we love lending a hand.

Why not come along and join us at our next session? No experience needed, just curiosity, and enthusiasm! Who knows what you might discover...✨

This was our first group session of the new year, and what better way to kick things off than getting outdoors and moving on a cold, dark evening?

With our red GoodGym t-shirts hidden beneath many warm layers and coats, we gathered at the cannon ready for a three-part task for Discover Welling.

First, a Christmas tree rescue mission! The town’s tree had been taken down and sawn in half, ready for council collection, but not before we dived into the branches to save the decorations. With chilly fingers and plenty of enthusiasm and chat, we rummaged through to make sure nothing was left behind.

Baubles safely collected, we set off on a brisk power-walk along the high street. At each lamp post, we peeled away the sponsor thank-you stickers for the Christmas lights, which had shone bright thanks to Discover Welling’s crowd-funding appeal. We also took down the posters showcasing children’s designs from the bespoke Christmas light competition. It was a race against the cold before our fingers completely froze - a good incentive to keep moving!

Our final task was a quick one: taking down and neatly rolling up the Merry Christmas banner from the base of the cannon.

Proving that many hands really do make light work it was mission accomplished in under an hour - the perfect excuse to hop across the road for well-earned hot chocolate drinks at Devi’s Corner!

A brilliant start to 2026, and seven good deeds added to our January Challenge tally as we aim for 35 this month. Can you help us notch up even more? There’s plenty to choose from, so sign up and come along for some fun with us! 🎉💪

Very chilly morning haha! Good attendance from the junior runners despite this.

Volunteered as a barcode scanner at Lesnes Abbey junior parkrun, contributing to the smooth running of the event. Great to see the enthusiasm and confidence of the young participants.