Forget the classic jazz song "What a difference a DAY made" - our 16 strong team of Goodgymers did the same in just 1 HOUR!

I can only imagine the startled look on the faces of Mitcham's Citizens Advice Bureau employees as they return to work in the morning to find their garden has been transformed from near jungle to a beautiful clean and tidy oasis in which they can enjoy their lunch breaks.

Everyone got stuck in from the word go and the result was plain to see. We also tackled the front clearing weeds, litter and sweeping leaves.

A huge welcome to Sophie and Laura - congratulations on your first GoodGym session, hopefully see you again soon!

Next week we are at Martin Way Methodist church community garden and it's likely there will be some outdoor jobs 😉. There's also a group run beforehand so sign up here if you are joining us.

With our usual task leader Jo away this week, three GoodGymmers stepped up to help the Friends of John Innes Park with some critical watering. The ongoing heatwave has been hard on the gardens, and with a new hosepipe ban in force, there was no choice but to do it the old-fashioned way!

Armed with nothing but watering cans, we set about watering the key plants and trees (and discovered geraniums are amazingly hardy, even in drought). The GoodGym team also filled and refilled the park's 150L bowser numerous times, towing it to the watering can brigade as a mobile tap.

So no Jo, but we moved plenty of H2O and made sure the park can continue to grow!

Whether lured by the promise of our monthly social or simply powered by pure dedication, we had a fantastic turnout for our group session at Raynes Park Station tonight!

After the team gathered ready for action, a trio peeled off to support the Merton Garden Streets team with some nearby weeding. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew split into two squads to tackle the station grounds.

We got plenty done across three main tasks:

• Watering: Kept the embankment hydrated using a smooth relay system of metal trolleys, heavy buckets, and watering cans.

• Pruning: Wielded secateurs to chop back thick brambles poking through the fence and encroaching on the pathway.

• Weeding: Cleared growth along the pavement to help support the local opt-out-of-spraying (chemical-free) initiative.

The visual difference was huge, but the best part was the immediate community feedback. We received non-stop thanks from passers-by, including a mobility scooter user who pointed out where the brambles used to catch on people, and was thrilled to navigate a wide, clear path again.

With the area looking pristine and the tasks ticked off, we wrapped up and headed straight to the pub for our monthly social to celebrate another job complete and a couple of birthdays - well done team!

Tonight, the team got stuck into a double-deep-clean at Merton’s Community Fridge and Morden Baptist Church. A nice change from the recent sessions involving pulling weeds, we split into teams to tackle the jobs:

• The Storage Squad: clearing and cleaning the main storage area turned into a game of two halves. Phase 1: Clear out the cramped space, scrub the floor, and disinfect the fridge, freezer, and shelves. Phase 2: Figure out how to fit it all back in!

• The Kitchen Kings: While the storage squad scrubbed, a smaller team worked their magic in the kitchen, leaving the space absolutely pristine and ready for action.

• The Pet Food Pros: Meanwhile, others made a paws-itive impact by repackaging giant sacks of pet food into smaller, manageable bags.

• The Brave Bin Brigade: Outside, a courageous duo tackled what can only be described as the ultimate boss battle: the food waste bin. Enough said about that!

We mucked up (quite literally!) as fitting everything back into storage took us right into extra time, but we got there in the end. Huge shoutout to everyone, who stuck around for the final stretch!

Welcome to our newest team members, Joanna and Karen - great to have you join us and we hope to see you again soon.

A reminder that next week we will be helping the Friends of Raynes Park station, followed by our monthly social, so sign up here and join us if you can.

What a difference 60 minutes can make with 12 GoodGymmers joining forces with dedicated local volunteers at Ridgway Community Garden!

With so many hands on deck, everyone got thoroughly stuck in from the moment we arrived, turning the space around in record time. We covered off a bunch of jobs:

• Alkanet & Weed Attack: Cleared out thick patches of stubborn alkanet and invasive weeds that had taken over the pocket park bed.

• The Wood Chip & Cardboard Combo: Shifted old wood chips, laid down cardboard barriers to suppress future growth, and topped everything up with fresh wood chips and nutrient-rich soil around the plants.

• Hydration Heroics: Gave all the newly mulched beds and plants a deep, well-deserved watering (no hosepipe allowed!) to settle them in.

It is always incredible to see the transformation possible when a group rolls up their sleeves and gets stuck in together. In just one hour, the garden was left looking tidy, revitalised, and ready to thrive for the rest of the summer.

A massive well done to everyone for bringing the energy and muscle to make light work of a big job - especially during such a warm evening!