This task was all about trying not to cover ourselves in green paint while sprucing up the playground fence at Garfield Recreation Ground. Luckily the afternoon rain had stopped so we had a healthy turn out of 10 GoodGymers, with a group of us running over to the park. It was lovely to welcome local councillor Eleanor Stringer, fresh from re-election last week, first-timer Ralph and GoodGym superstar Louise, who came all the way from Tower Hamlets. The enthusiasm and hard work of the group meant that we glossed up our allotted section of the fence in record time and made good progress with another unpainted section on the other side. Afterwards we enjoyed a well-earned drink at the Garden Shed pub and raised a glass to brushing up our painting skills.

It was a small but mighty team of four this week as we returned to John Innes Park to support the Friends group. We started at the circular bed that we seem to have now adopted. It’s always satisfying to see the progress we’ve made on this particular patch, and a quick clear-out and watering ensured it remained in top shape.

After a round of watering next we moved on to a much larger challenge: a massive bed completely overrun with alkanet. Known for its stubborn roots and hairy leaves, the weeds didn’t stand a chance against the team’s persistence. By the time we finished, the bed was transformed, with a large pile of weeds for the compost and leaving the area looking much tidier.

The garden looks like it used to be loved a long time ago, with sheds, stone patio and a potting table. The brambles and weeds had largely taken over, so I cleared a path to the main shed, and as much of the patio as I could. Filled two full bins with cuttings, but it still needs a lot of work. when finished it would be a lovely garden.

I had the delightful opportunity to lend a hand to Friends of Morley Park. I had never been to Morley Park, so it was a joy to discover another green space in Merton. My jobs consisted of bagging up gravel in an area that is hopefully going to be able to be planted in soon, cutting back stinging nettles under benches (to avoid sore bottoms!) and plucking weeds from the grass. I hope to be back soon

It was all aboard for this week's group task helping out the Friends of Raynes Park Station. Our job was to move a big delivery of soil from the street up the stairs to the platform, using a series of buckets and trugs. It was heavy work but we were soon on track to finish on time, even managing to cut back some brambles as well. Before departing we presented Jade with a card and colourful wig to celebrate her 500 task milestone. Well done, Jade - tressed to impress!

We spent the morning dead-heading daffodils and hyacinths to encourage future growth, alongside clearing out a fair amount of stubborn sticky weed. Of course, no session is complete without a litter pick to ensure the park stayed pristine. With great company and perfect weather, the morning flew by, leaving the area looking much tidier and ready for the next stage of spring.