Braving 3 degrees of winter and one of the wettest Tuesdays this year, four unstoppable Goodgymmers gathered, soggily in the Phoenix Cinema's foyer. Tonight's mission was a simple litter picking, coupled with the desire to simply get moving and shake off the long day's cabin fever.

Paul brought the gear and George set the goal: up one side of the high street to the library, then over the road to that weird dodgy bit of wire fenced land with bottles and other rubbish tucked down the sides, then back down the other side of the high street. We paired up, George with Subham and Paul with Rachel, plogging and jogging. The relatively short 2km route turned into an endurance test against the grim weather, but we prevailed, spurred on by the promise of a drink in the warmth of the Old White Lion.

Next week we may have a special indoor session for St Mary's Church, so we'll be indoors at least!

A few people came online to do yoga!

yoga talk There are many different types of meditation yet the goal of all of them is to calm and focus the mind to the point where the meditator experiences themselves in nothing but the present moment, the Now, with nothing but one single thought in mind.

The start of February is a significant time of the year in two calendars. Jewish tradition celebrates Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Trees, from sundown. And in Celtic traditions, Imbolc takes place at the same time, celebrating the first signs of spring.

So what better time to gather for another fantastic planting session with The Orchard Project and Earthwatch Europe? This time we met in Stoneyfields Park, a lovely green space in Edgware, with a beautiful waterfall and lots of mature trees along the banks of the Deans Brook.

In a muddy corner of the park, our hosts had set up a marquee and brought the usual wintry fare: mulled apple juice and cider, shovels, fruit trees and bushes, mulch... As with our earlier orchard planting session with them at Hollickwood Park, we were there to provide an extra bit of physical oomph for the other volunteers - of which there were over 20!

Many hands made light work of the ten trees going in the ground: 4 apples, 2 pears, a plum, a mulberry, a sweet chestnut and a crab apple. There were around half a dozen berry bushes too. After an informative explanation of the process by orchard expert Daniella, we set to the task.

A great tip: if you plant your trees in a circular hole, then the roots will curve around in a spiral and not spread out properly. But if you plant in a square hole, they spread out faster and the tree will root stronger!

Despite rain, mud, and only one boshing device (a 'rammer') for getting the stakes in, everyone worked together brilliantly and we were done in a couple of hours. Then, after a bit of a snack and some apple-based beverages, we cleared down, admire our work and celebrated the start of spring.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in our January Anytime Litter Picking Community Mission what a phenomenal turnout!

Across the month we saw loads of GoodGymers getting stuck in, whether walking, running, solo or paired up. From riversides and parks to pavements and problem fly-tipping spots, the impact was real and visible. Bags were filled, heavy items shifted, incidents logged with councils, and even the odd football rescued along the way

Special thanks to everyone who shared photos, stories and stats and to those who quietly got on with good deeds behind the scenes. Every single action counts, and it all feeds into our January Challenge national target, which makes this even sweeter

And yes… I can confirm that litter picking works extremely well with dog walking Gus is a big fan of missions with purpose

Why litter picking is surprisingly great fun: 1. Instant impact – you can see the difference you’ve made straight away. One path, park or riverbank transformed. 2. Low pressure, high reward do it anytime, anywhere, for 10 minutes or an hour. It all counts. 3. Good for the body and the soul fresh air, movement, and that quiet glow of doing something genuinely useful.

Thanks again to everyone who took part you’re absolute stars Let’s keep this momentum rolling into the next mission.