Great to see a big turn out of GoodGymers tonight. 12 happy volunteers met on the roof of Nicolsons Centre, a part of Maidenhead most of us had never been before. Task owner Donna led us from the back entrance to what used to be a nightclub, Smokeys. No disco lights or bars anymore, just a stripped out large space housing all kinds of materials from fabric to paints, from stationery to sewing machines! 

Our task was to organise things as best as we could. We made good progress and grouped the material lying in two rooms of Smokeys into categories such as Paints, Arts & crafts, Stationery, Fabric, Leather, Sewing, Gardening, Jars and more. From here, they will slowly be taken down to the Green Skills library to be upcycled. 

We were so efficient that there was even time for some fun with a block of stone, a chisel and hammer! Another productive, social evening and a thankful task owner. 

Jen, Juli, Rachel and I had a holly-va nice time chatting and collecting foliage fir the All Saints Junior School wreath-making fundraiser. Thanks to Ruth (a GoodGymer in a previous life) for giving us permission to taking cuttings from her garden.

A jolly holly bunch of GoodGymers had a great time today at the sunny Braywick Nature Reserve foraging for festive foliage for the Age Concern wreath making workshop.

Our task owner from Age Concern was pine-ing for supplies for this year’s merry fundraiser and wreath guidance from Ranger Tom we were fir-ry happy to help.

We gathered plenty of conifer cuttings for bulk, then we found prettier clippings to really spruce up the wreaths. Ivy never seen so many lovely red berries and we even managed to reach some mistletoe.

Gillian was particularly efficient with the secateurs. You should’ve cedar!

7 Goodgymers went back to school tonight to help demolish and clear 4 large planters outside the classrooms

It truly was a team effort, with some shovelling soil into wheel barrows and the others taking a run up to the skip to deposit it in, being careful not to fall in with the soil!

An hour quickly flew by and the bell soon rang for the end of class where we gathered up all classmates, admired our handiwork and made our way home

gold stars all round!

Ten happy goodgymers arrived at All Saints church ready to pull ivy, dig ditches and pile up leaves. After much chatter and some effort a large patch of fence was cleared, a ditch was prepared for future hedge planting and a habit for wildlife was created. Maybe next time we may spot the odd hedgehog or some wild life in the new hedge! A bemused passerby seemed worried by the torchlight action in the churchyard but admitted that he had recently watched Frankenstein so was easily spooked! After a group photo we all returned home.