The answer in our case is 4 black sacks' worth.

We took a very pleasant stroll along the river Colne, removing the litter we spot to make the route more pleasant for humans and wildlife alike.

Along the way we spotted a woodpecker, heron, water rats, swans and several other less noteworthy species, all while having a good natter and enjoying our local environment.

4 GoodGymers swept and mopped the large FoodBank floor, scrubbed a dirty table and cleaned up an office area....all while keeping out of the way of a Brownie Pack who had come for a tour and to help out with moving stock.

In very little time we left the building looking and smelling much better than when we entered!

7 of us hit the streets and parks of Colchester to remove as much litter as we could. Great to see Ella again, and sorry Vanessa we didn't find you a suitable souvenir!

6 GoodGymers met 4 Colchester in Bloomers on a sunny Tuesday evening to prepare the planters along the high street for their summer bedding.

The task seemed simple to start with... primulas and pansy in a bag for replanting elsewhere, curry plants retained in planters, pretty greeny pink plant to be dug up but kept, weeds and dead ivy dug out and chucked....between us I think we understood most of the instructions, and then it turned out Haithm had gardening expertise which he put to good use!

The real challenge of the evening was removing the dead ivy from the top layer without damaging the planters or the special fabric in the bottom which distributed the water....with hefty roots in rock hard soil Ray, Haithm and Jack got their workouts completed for the evening!

Looking forward to seeing the plants that go in tomorrow next time I'm in town.