Under the glow of the setting sun, the GoodGym Merton team headed to Ridgway Community Garden to tackle a massive delivery of mulch. Two months ago we were tasked with the same, but this was a very different challenge!

With darkness descending fast, the team switched on their headtorches and got straight to business. We cleared away stubborn weeds, laid down a protective layer of cardboard, and spread as much woodchip as possible.

Along the way, we even paused for a quick photo and a chat with local MP Paul Kohler, before diving back into the task - adding tree replanting and conker gathering to our to-do list!

A huge, warm welcome to Joe and Ben for joining their very first session, and to Harry on completing his first-ever group run and task with us! What an absolute powerhouse of a team. In just one hour, we achieved the equivalent of two full-time gardeners working an entire day. Bet they couldn't do it in the dark 😉!

The team gathered at the Merton and Morden Guild, ready to give the recently acquired planters a well-deserved makeover. Whilst prepping the area, we discovered smaller planters tucked neatly inside the bigger ones! Luckily, we had gained an extra pair of hands, so the timing couldn't have been better.

After laying down plastic sheeting and giving the surfaces a thorough brush-down to clear off the dirt, we mixed the paint and got to work. The colour was a spot-on match, so good that a second coat wasn't needed! A wonderfully satisfying job all round.

The app was easy to use and provided simple instructions, it was a good excuse to get out in nature and actually get to my local river which I hadn't visited in years now, I got to learn about the local wildlife and felt that I made a small but important contribution.

It was an absolute treat to pay another visit to Mrs R and see how her garden has been blooming. Since our last visit, she’s felt inspired to keep pottering outside, and she always tells us how much our visits give her a real boost of energy!

After a lovely cup of tea and some snacks, we got stuck in. We tackled a bed overrun with weeds, pruned a wisteria, and gave her pomegranate and apple trees a trim. To finish off, we cleared all the unwanted weeds from the patio and steps, then loaded up the large bags into the car ready for a trip to the tip.

Mrs R was left very happy and completely re-energised from our visit - it's great to make such an impact!