Another week, another double task group run! This week we were heading up and over the hills to Seniors (I'll be having words with whoever planned that around my tired marathon legs...) and we had a team dropped off at the Tiny to complete the mulching.

The team at Seniors had the wholesome task of weeding and raised bed and then planting broad beans, making sure the roots were fully encased in compost and giving them a good water.

Next up we had to dig the potato bed, removing the weeds so that a new crop of potatoes can be planted. We had a good go at clearing the bed in the time we had left but didn't quite get round to digging the trenches.

It was then time for the journey back to Glass Mill and I had to admit there was no chance I would make it back. The team tackled those hills and regrouped with the mulching group in Ladywell Fields.

With all the mulching done, it was an evening of two tasks well done!

We're halfway through our leg of long runs which cover the further points of the borough that we can potentially reach on a group run. And on Monday evening everyone was looking strong on those hills.

It was a surprise what we'd be doing at Seniors, we were hoping for some sorting in the basement to see what gems we could find but there has been a delay with the storage boxes so that'll be a job for next time we visit Senior's.

There was one trip down to the basement and Steve made easy work of the wood offcuts that needed to go into the recycling.

The rest of the team split into 2 groups. One group was tackling the radiators in the sun room whilst also removing some tricky raffle tickets from down the back of the radiator. Fire risk averted - thanks Vic!

The second team tackled the cleaning in the cafe, the tables and chairs and even walls needed a good scrub.

It wasn't long before it was time to depart back to Glass Mill for some of us and to the pub for the rest of us.

It was great to see a new face at the group run - hopefully we'll see you at a group run again soon, Peter!

Next week we are heading to Young Lewisham Project to tackle the painting.

This week all the regulars were back in the fold and ready to do good!

The tasks for the evening at Seniors included: - clearing the rubbish from the basement by lining up as a human chain to make sure everything made its way to the bin and also making sure Steve didn't get left outside! There was a lot of wood, a very dusty desk chair and even more pieces of wood. We are going to be clearing more from the basement when we return to Senior's in Feb, apparently there are magazines down there from 60 years ago! - cleaning all the tables, might have to redo again with some scrubbing brushes as there is some pesky dirt on there - removing the sellotape from the windows. Nothing to do with us and the Christmas decorations..

All the tasks were done and there was time for us to line up for our school photo in front of some fabulous artwork then it was time to say farewell to those cycling and/or heading back home or to the pub and up and over the hills for the rest of us.

Next week, we're heading back to Young Lewisham Project! Don't forget it's our longest run of our tasks so if you don't fancy the full 8/9km in total, feel free to meet us at the task.

It was an unusual one this week and maybe a GoodGym first - we were taking the decs down at Seniors, having put them up the week before for their Christmas lunch. There was good reason behind this, not because we're all scrooges but because Senior's is now closed until the New Year!

Our last group run of the year and we had to go up and over the hills but with the knowledge that we wouldn't be running back up them after, we'd been heading straight to the Blythe Hill Tavern for a well earned drink.

The taking down of the decorations (decs) turned out to be one of the quickest tasks ever, not quite the quickest, that one still goes to sorting the clothes at St Christopher's Hospice Shop earlier in the year.

Di had made us a wonderful cake to celebrate our help over the past 12months and how grateful they are for us getting the bigger tasks done that they wouldn't be able to do themselves.

The Oli and the Ivy

99% of our puns this year have come from Oli and my non-pun thinking brain is very grateful!! This one came from Steve!

Thank you to my wonderful run leaders and task force who have stepped in when I've been off running really long races but also when Molly has been poorly!

And also a big thank you to everyone who's done a good deed in Lewisham this year, whether that's 1 or 100 - we've loved having you along for the 2023 ride.

There's still chance to do a couple more good deeds this year with Parkrun volunteering throughout the festive period.

Our first group run in 2024 is collecting the abandoned Christmas trees around the borough and also celebrating our 8th birthday - keep an eye out for a social.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and I look forward to seeing you all raring to go on the first group run back!

Time for our favourite task of the year, putting the decorations up in the many rooms of Seniors. First we had to get the run up and over the hills done and dusted and then it was time to deck the halls!

There are 3 Christmas trees to put up at Seniors and those Christmas trees are of varying degrees of Christmas-worthy (is that the same as cars and road-worthy?). 1 doesn't stand up on its own and an option to leave a GoodGymer holding it up for the next week wasn't the best option and we also had no one free for a week, we had to adapt and use some string to hold it in place.

The rest of the group got on with putting up the other 2 trees and hanging lights and other decorations.

In a change of plan, the majority of the group headed to the Blythe Hill Tavern for a Christmas social - same again next week when we head to Seniors to take down the Christmas decs!

It was up and over the hills this week and like every time we do that route I reinforce how good those hills are for you. Even if they don't feel it at the time.

This weeks task was cleaning the many tables at Seniors! I didn't know they had so many tables!! We quickly set about getting all the cleaning supplies whilst those meeting us at the task filtered in.

It was soon as hands on deck cleaning tables, chairs and pretty much anything else that could do with a quick wipe down. Nothing escaped us!!

Once we'd finished and returned all those tables and more importantly organised our putting up of the Christmas decorations, it was time to head back to Glass Mill.

Great work on the longer run team!! Same again next week but to Young Lewisham Project.