There was a bit of a party vibe in Wandsworth tonight. What with recent birthdays past and more upcoming, Jordan bringing along loads of plants to get into the ground at the GoodGym garden, Kevin joining us for his first group run and a discussion about our favourite crisp flavours, there was definitely a feeling of celebration in the air!

After a warm up we headed off on the run to the garden. We have been working here for the past few months, gradually turning it from an overgrown and unused plot into a space which will hopefully produce lots of nice things for us to donate to the kids' program at the theatre.

After a couple of wins at our local pub quiz we had some funds to plough back into the garden, and we made the decision to buy some plants. So into the garden tonight went potatoes, courgettes and more seeds to join the rhubarb, tomatoes and fruit trees already in.

Everybody mucked in with the trench digging, watering and sowing and before long the jobs were done. There was just time to pop over to the square to knock out a tabata workout which featured plyometric movements, jumps and power lunges. Great work everybody. We were blown back to base by the growing wind and finished off the night with stretches.

Next week we have a special birthday social after the run, so let us know if you can make it for for 2 for 1 burgers and more fun! We also have a whatsapp group where a lot of the planning happens so if you haven't joined already and would like to then drop me a message and I'll send you a link.

If you're planning on heading to the marathon on Sunday GoodGym has a cheer squad that could always do with some extra energy! Next week we'll be at Paradise cooperative garden followed by our social. Hope to see you there!

Last night we found out that Wandsworth GGers love to bake, go to the gym, crochet, cook and eat - that's a lot of different hobbies! But one thing we all have in common is that we love getting active and helping out in our local community. So, after our usual warm up, last night we headed down to the Venue community centre to lend a hand at Waste Not Want Not.

This organisation aims to provide local people with food that would otherwise go to waste, but with their usual hub out of action for the meantime, it has moved to a local community centre. They're struggling with a lack of resources and people to help out, so Hadas, the organiser, asked us to come along to give some support.

We started off with getting rid of the food which couldn't be saved, including several loaves of fancy bread. Then we moved on to the other jobs which included recycling, composting and clearing. We then moved on to the kitchen. At first look it needed a lot of attention, but we were not to be put off. Snapping on latex gloves we got to work wiping down sides, putting away pots and pans and clearing surfaces. It didn't take long to be able to see a real difference.

Hadas needs some help getting the area ready for a baking session for the blind on Thursday, so if you can spare half an hour on Wednesday evening doing a little extra tidy up, it would be much appreciated. You can sign up and find the details here.

Job done, we had the luxury of an inside space complete with yoga mats for our fitness session. So we went through ten different body weight exercises focusing on the major muscle groups building strength and conditioning. Unfortunately, while we were having fun doing glute bridges, crunches and planks, it had started to tip it down outside. So, with hoods up and fuelled by parkrun chat we raced back to base.

This weekend if you fancy a bit of fresh air and to help out at Doddington community garden, there is a community mission at 11 am turning over veg beds. Hope to see you there!

Next week we're back at the GoodGym garden to get busy planting seeds and potatoes - come and see how it is developing and turning into a lovely, flourishing space!

Area Activator Ana took a very well deserved holiday this week, but not before setting up with a Monday night community mission, so the Wandsworth crew didn't miss out on their good deed fix!

This week Age UK Wandsworth needed our help and we got to work straight away, cleaning their fleet of 3 mobility buses and the windows near the building entrance. It was a little challenging in the dark (perhaps we could go back when it's light and a bit warmer!) but in true GG style we gave it our best and had fun in the process. Rather impressively we all managed to stay warm and dry too, with the exception of Jason and his soggy shoes - but he did a fab job as hose manager. Sophie, with her head torch, did a great job as quality controller took, checking everyone's handy work before we left.

After the task those who could stick around headed to the Latchmere for their pub quiz and an early social. Though we didn't maintain our winning streak, we did have a great time and came a respectable 3rd place.

There was a lot to be cheerful about last night, not least the fact that we had a rare inside task, and a new member - put your hands together for Matheo!

Our job for the evening was at The DRCA Community Kitchen, an organisation which offers cooked meals to those suffering from food poverty. The had asked us to come and give the place a good spruce up, so, as usual we met at the BAC for a warm up before heading down to the Doddington estate.

Featuring plenty of fast feet and dynamic stretches, we got our heart rates up and tested our brains by naming as many board games as possible - as well as debating if Buckeroo actually counted as a board game!

Speeding down the DRCA we were met by Justin, who manages the space, and were delighted to find plenty of new brushes, rollers and tubs of paint for us to use. Not only that, but the place was already covered in dust sheets and the areas that needed attention were marked out, which meant we could dive straight into the task.

The DRCA's vision is to provide a welcoming space where no fewer than 19 charities and voluntary sector organisations can use the facilities to prepare and share meals in a safe, hygienic environment. The food prepared there will be freely accessible to those in need, fostering a sense of community and providing a gathering place for individuals to connect, network, and receive support. It's an invaluable resource and we wanted to help make it look as good as it possibly could, so dividing up into teams we wasted no time getting the paint onto the walls.

The kitchen team had the ceiling to paint, and within no time it was rivaling the Sistine Chapel. Meanwhile the wall painting crew had a huge space to cover so didn't dilly-Dali, while downstairs the team were brushing up on their painting skills, doing a great job that was right on the Monet.

Rather than leave the job unfinished, we decided to sacrifice our fitness session for the evening - but don't worry, there will be a doubly intense (but fun) one next week to make up for it! We'll be delivering flyers for the Library of Things so it's a great opportunity to cover some kilometers while spreading the word about a brilliant new resource for local people. Hope to see you there!