A small but hardy contingent of GoodGymers set out on a five-mile circuit, putting up posters for Home-Start Portsmouth's volunteer recruitment.

There was plenty of time for chat about music, festivals, devolution and the rise and fall of the Co-Op. We also enjoyed pointing out personal local landmarks to one another, who knew Jim's nan lived one block over from my ex-husband? And that twelve-year-old Dave was paid a tenner to be in a police line-up?

Thank you to our lovely team of GoodGymers for helping out with a bit of an odd task this week!

Part 1 was an adventure into our loft to bring down some old CD racks that are being transformed into planters for a local charity. Dave and Andy seemed to have some pent-up rage as they ripped off the backs with their bare hands!

We then walked the racks in a rather unusual convoy through the streets of Buckland, then set them in place and started loading them with compost ready for planting in spring.

As we were finished in plenty of time, we tidied the shed and had a little basketball challenge. Dave also tested out the pirate ship slide and declared it a good experience, "except for my spine". That is certainly a review from someone creeping closer to 40!!

It was a very warm evening, with a lot of hard graft - I hope everyone enjoyed their currys as part of their recovery!

After a slightly BadGym run, (Dave wielding spades certainly looked a bit sus!)we arrived at the Hub and got stuck in to breaking up some very dry soil, then shoveling it into smaller bags to be carried to an accessible exit for PCC to collect. Danger Dave, Lucy, Andy and Katie took turns shoveling and carrying. There was even a race with rubble, and a certain amount of cheating was definitely noted!

Judy and Val did a sterling job picking up litter and finding a decent number of lost toys too!

We even had time for a hula-hoop competition before we headed off - congratulations to Lucy and Katie for their winning efforts!

Our session started a little differently this evening, with our runners taking part in a short experiment to see of exercise improves creativity - I'll make sure to post an update once the findings are in!

We then set to work tackling the front and back gardens at Paulsgrove Hub. Dave and Andy started outbthe front, replacing dead ferns with azaelias, then pulling up some dead mystery plant to replace them with some hardy perennials!

Sinéad and Katie did an epic job digging up some sad looking daffodils and relocating them to a new home in the borders. The planters were then given a new lease of life with some new plants, including donations from Judy!

We welcomed Emmanuel to his first ever GoodGym session this evening, and hopefully the first of many!

Our plans to split into two teams and race to build the two benches were scuppered after we realised we only had one set of fixtures and fittings, but ever the competitive group, we split into pairs to build the seats.

Whilst Dave nipped home to grab a drill, Judy and Sinéad set to work patching up the paintwork on a flower bed and play house. Val, Andy and Louisa set to work giving the plants a well needed drink. Andy wins points for cutest watering can!

Once we had the drill we were back in business, and Emmanuel had another first this evening after Jen taught him how to drill.

Unfortunately time and daylight got the better of us so we weren't able to finish, but the garden is already looking fresher, brighter and more cared for thanks to the GG Dream Team!

We welcomed Vanessa to her very first GoodGym session this evening - it was lovely to meet you!

After a run and chat down to Somerstown, we successfully deactivated the alarms. I felt like Ethan Hunt! Shovels were then handed through office windows before being taken out to the garden.

The dry couple of weeks we've had made the soil harder to break up, but many hands made light(er) work and we managed to free the cursed groundsheet! We finished off the evening with spreading some compost and top soil, ready for the children to plant wildflowers next week.