Four GoodGymers joined other volunteers at Ray Mill Island to continue the great works to transform the area. Nivi worked on painting the mural, adding some lovely green bushes to the scene. Mick worked hard on removing the winter heliotrope from the rockery. Not an easy task as the plant puts out hundreds of rhizomes which all need removing, as well as there being lots of rocks under the surface. Rachel and Sheila were planting Lily of the Valley and Heuchera plants which had been donated by a local gardener and transported across the Thames on a paddleboard! The next task was to water the plants in - water was acquired by dipping our trugs into the stream whilst trying not to fall in! Mission accomplished! We then joined Mick at the rockery, and helped plant some Japanese anenomes in the space he had cleared. Afterwards we enjoyed delicious ginger cake provided by the lovely Rachel, and herbal tea from Tara. Another productive session

It was another busy Friday at the Baby Bank. Six GoodGymers joined other regular volunteers plus a large group from a local company on a Social Responsibility Day. While Sarah was putting together referral packs for families, the others got on with sorting clothes. It was first time that Sheila K, Carol and Helen had been given this task but with help from old hands Carol and Sheila A, they quickly got to grips with ensuring that nothing got through that was dirt, too worn or too bobbly. We want to treat the recipient families with respect and only give them good quality clothes and equipment. Huge kudos to Sheila K for running all the way there - and all the way back!

Sheila, Rosie and Sol got the weekend off to a good start with a trip to the Community Allotment. Rosie got up close and personal with the matured horse manure. This was shovelled into the wheelbarrow and wheeled to the large raised container. Meanwhile Sol and Sheila filled trugs with spare soil. We then mixed the 2 together to create a nice, fertile container ready for some salad crops. We repeated the process with 3 small troughs that we pulled out of the pot store, and set these up by the radish bed. We finally gave all the filled beds a good water and said our Goodbyes, with Rosie reminding herself to make sure she took off her pooey shoes before walking into her house

Sue and Margaret joined a session at Spital Cemetery to help tidy up this special place. Sue and another volunteer attacked the brambles whilst Margaret kindly sorted out a grave for a Cemetery Friend who lives a long way away. They also discovered a stash of empty cans and a handbag...."Can Goodgym do it...yes we can"!

8 determined GoodGymers met at one of our favourite venues, Nature's Haven to see what our taskowners Claire and Aleks had in store for us. While they borrowed Tony to consult on greenhouse construction, the others set to work on tidying up the shrubs at the back of the Community Centre. With forks, secateurs, spades and loppers we set about removing the Sycamore saplings, bindweed and snowberry bushes. We amassed a huge amount of green waste which we managed to stuff into the Green Bin with the aid of some special trampling by Tony. We were kindly treated to tea and biscuits afterwards, and we look forward to another visit soon!

Braywick Plant Nurseries needed more help with potting up their plug plants, so they can be grown up ready to sell. Didem, Karen and Sheila got a good system going, and got through several trays of plants, keeping Bob busy finding space for them on the sales benches. Great work, team!