...so we did! Along with lots of other tasks at a productive community mission today. A warm Saturday morning led 9 GoodGym-ers to St Richard's Church in Charlton, where our woodchip pathway project is nearly complete!

Our first task was to pin down the last of the membrane, and ferry as much of the remaining woodchip to cover it. Just a bit more woodchip is needed and the pathway at the side of the church will be ready. A local tree surgeon has donated the woodchip from recently lopped trees, so the material has been nicely recycled. Some of the team got to work sanding the front door, which now looks super smooth, and ready for some shiny varnish, while others smartened up the Church signposts by painting the red posts a glossy black.

Our last task was one we're very familiar with, which was clearing brambles in the back garden. Chopping and digging commenced, and both sides put in their best game - team Brambles had a better defence (look out for those thorny tacklers!) while team GoodGym struck for goal with an attack formation (secateurs & forks).

The whistle blew for full-time leaving the teams to debrief & pose for the newspapers.

Great match all & see you soon! 🙂"

We're continuing our gardening preparations, with more volunteers helping out - 3 C’s from Goodgym (Chloe, Calvin and Cecilia); *with Isabella , helping Owen.

What we did: - We removed the cardboards that served as weed barrier. - We removed stubborn weeds and dig out the roots with hope of preventing regrowth. - we cleared the soil and ensured it’s free from rubbish, such as plastic, big stones, etc. (Raking and hand-picking them) - we used landscape membranes or weed barriers and secured them firmly with hooks. - As a finishing touch, we spread woodchips over the prepared area.

After completing the day task, we were kindly offered tea and biscuits—an irresistible treat that made it almost impossible to say no! ☺️ Till next time. 👋🏼😃

Tonight was a bumper crop of GoodGymers, with not one, not two, but three new Greenwich residents looking to do some good. Welcome to the fold, Yun, Phyllis and Cecilia!

After an icebreaker sharing our favourite pancake toppings, Geraldine led us for a lovely river run to James Wolfe School for our first task with them. On arrival there was, let's face it, ABSOLUTE CHAOS. I for one relied on high levels of initiative and everyone enjoying a nice chat 😁

But d'you know what, after scouting out what needed to be done, we organised ourselves as well as can be expected of 15 people scrabbling around in the dark and in typical efficient GoodGym fashion, we'd soon finished moving all the crates to the side of the shed, recycling a load of boxes and sweeping up all the leaves in sight.

Crate work team!

Next week we're back to Wednesday at the same start location. Sign up here.

This weekend we've got lots of tasks. Saturday morning: Maryon Wilson Community Garden, Rose Garden Action Day Saturday afternoon: If you fancy a trip further out to join our Bexley friends - gardening at the Community Hospice by Bostall Woods. Sunday: Westcombe Woodlands

Until next time!

Today was our fourth GoodGym outing to Horn Park and our third barrowing woodchip to make a less muddy path around the perimeter of the park.

We had a great team, including Louise from GG Bromley, Chloe and Calvin from GG Greenwich and now regular Horn Park visitors Rich and Ali.

It was a bit of a trek getting the woodchip around the path but the pile of chips to deliver quickly disappeared.

Top work, team!