9 GoodGymers helped out at the Community Allotment this evening. We had lots of tasks on our list. Angela and Gillian weeded around the chard and Welsh onions, Mike took on the Rhubarb bed and Anne-Laure and Rachel weeded around the figs and raspberries. Georgeta and Angela planted the potatoes in some old recycling boxes, in a lovely mix of horse manure and reclaimed topsoil. Amy and Sarah started pricking out some of the seedlings growing in the smart new greenhouse, giving them all a bit more space to grow. Angela made sure everything was given a good water. Great work by the red T-shirted team on a beautiful spring evening

Our 5 merry Goodgymers went on planting trees on this nice and sunny Saturday afternoon. Trees needed to be moved and planted elsewhere. Wheelbarrows were moved, dirt was dug,water was poured and weed was removed : a very efficient session on this island.

But it wasn't without counting on the current drama happening on the island: female duck being courted by 3 suitors (or 2,maybe only 1 and the others were there for the fight, it wasn't really clear). A story we didn't have the end of. Hopefully on the next episode/session, things will have calm down on the island for the wildlife.

Our task owner Adam met with 7 Goodgymmers to hand over 350 leaflets. It was a beautifully warm evening so perfect weather for leaflet dropping.

Sheila may have walked into a bollard, with comic timing. Angela was just remarking that we hadn't come across many dogs, just as Rachel posted a leaflet and there was furious barking from inside. But all fingers remain attached.

Amy said it was a really enjoyable evening and very satisfying to get through all the leaflets. She walked over 5km!

Great work everyone!

A beautiful spring afternoon saw Nivi, Rachel, Christine, Anne-Laure and Sheila join the weekly work party at Ray Mill Island. Anne-Laure was keen to do raking of leaves to help expose the grass, and Nivi helped another volunteer paint tree signs. Meanwhile the others tackled the enormous Phormium plant which needs removing from the new nursery area.The team last week had done a good job of starting to dig it out, so our task was to try and finish the job. Armed with spades, loppers, a half-moon cutter and a pruning saw, we started attacking the plant. Some side shoots of the plant were saved for planting up to generate new plants. It was a tough old job, but we kept at it and eventually we were victorious, severing the plant from the earth.