I was in town early for the mission, taking some time out for myself and relaxing in Victoria Park reading my latest book on the origins of life in the Universe. Gradually intruding upon this wonderful calm was the growing rumble of thunder, getting louder by the minute.

Looking up at the sky I could see what this fuss was about, there were a fair number of cumulonimbus clouds bubbling up from the east. As a trained meteorologist, I fired up the lightning checker app on my phone (lightningmaps.org if you are interested) and could clearly see the lightning hitting all around the area between Bristol and Bath, and getting closer.

There is a meaning to this story trust me. I quickly scarpered, and besides it was all but time to head to the mission. Back at St John's Court again, to help make the place a brigther and nicer place to live for the elderly residents, I was met there by Emily, Tanya and James.

Ann, our steadfast coordinator at St John's, led us around the back to a couple of new wooden tables and a planting station that needed painting, this being our job for the evening. However, no sooner had we started than the heavens opened, and one of those cumulonimbus clouds I mentioned earlier was now above is and the downpour was merciless. Seeing as it's been quite warm and muggy it may have been nice to stay outside and get drenched (painting was out of the question though). However, I was a real killjoy and told everyone to go inside in case there was lightning (there was thunder after all), as not only was I concerned for the safety of my fellow GoodGymmers, as mission leader, but I didn't want to do a pile of paperwork.

When the rain ceased we had a half hour left of our mission but what we had been painting was now drenched so Ann had us do some weeding at the front.

OK, rubbish pun - I've done better. However, what a wonderful mission this was. It's beginning to feel like spring is here now, and this evening was dry and mild if slightly wanting for a little more sunshine.

We always love missions at St John's Court, we meet a few of the residents every time (and they are lovely). Their response to our presence is so warm and welcoming we really feel like we are making a difference to people's lives. These life-changing individuals were Ruth, Tanya, Emily, Bennath and Meyrick.

This mission was all about weeding, exactly the same section as we do every spring, the patio outside the common room gets overrun by the all manner of nasties and it's our job to remove them. Supplied with some awesome tools to complete the job, including a battery powered crevice tool (which to our credit we shared amongst us all before it's battery died).

We did a lot in the hour that we were there, didn't quite get all of it done but we are back in a month for more!!

We love St John's Court, it's always a popular mission for Bath's GoodGymmers. For half the year though, we don't get to visit, other than the two either side of Christmas to put up/take down their decorations.

The reason for this is that our visits are on Weekday evenings so we have to wait until the clocks change before we can reasonably expect enough daylight to see what we are doing. So it is always a wonderful that our return to St John's coincide with the beginning of Spring.

Big crowd for this one as well, Ruth, Kate, Tanya, Emily, Bennath, Nev and Meyrick rocked up on this lovely sunny evening to help this Retirement home look even better for the residents that live in it.

Ann was on hand, herself a resident, and the job was to tidy up the front of the building - trimming the hedges, clearing weeds and brushing the front yard. With the help of a more than decent supply of gardening equipment we set to and made a great job of this. We'll be back in month to help them even more, looking forward to it!!

Well this is always a slightly sad occasion, taking down the decorations at St John's Court that we had so enthusiastically put up at the beginning of December.

Never quite as popular as its retrospective counterpart, there were still a good number of GoodGymmers on hand to do the deed. Tanya, James, Bennath and Meyrick were brave enough remove all traces of Christmas for the lovely elderly residents of St Johns Court.

On a positive note, it only took about 40 minutes so we were able to leave early. See you next Christmas St Johns!!

Here we are again, the first Christmassy thing that happens every year is GoodGym rocking up to St Johns Court to decorate the place for the festive Season.

Couple of trees, plenty of tinsel, Christmas tunes on the ghetto blaster, this is when we all begin to realise it is Christmas at last.

To that end, these Christmas Elves were on hand to help - Cosmo, Kate, Tanya, Emily, Bennath, Nev and Meyrick 'elved' themselves to as many decorations as they could in the hour they had.

We did a great job, the main entrance Christmas tree is always the jewel, but trees were also put up in the dining hall and the TV lounge, with the usual residents on hand to help.

We will return in January to take all of this down - not as popular an event if I'm honest, might just be me on my own, but for Christmas at least, we left the place feeling festive.

Four GoodGymers ventured out on what promised to be a dry September evening. However, no sooner had they arrived at St John’s Court, did it decide to rain! For a few minutes they took shelter in the lobby willing the shower to end: they only had a precious hour to work their GoodGym magic on the outside space earmarked for the evening’s task.

The rain did stop and they set to with much GoodGym spirit. Cutting back the bushes, pulling up the weeds and making the front area of the building look nice and tidy. Such was their enthusiasm that they finished a tad early which allowed them a good old chin wag about future GoodGym tasks and possibilities.

As the evenings are now pulling in, the next scheduled event at St John’s, can you believe it, will be putting up the Christmas decorations! Thanks for a lovely evening all!