On a gloriously sunny Monday evening, a merry band of GoodGym Wandsworth legends laced up their trainers and headed skyward—well, eventually—towards the leafy heights of Doddington Rooftop Gardens.

Joining us for their very first GoodGym escapade were the fabulous Mariella, Samand Karen! We can confirm they passed the initiation test with flying colours (and only mild compost-related trauma). Welcome to the gang—you’ve officially earned your sweat badges. 🌟

After a breezy run that had us all feeling deceptively fresh and full of sunshine-fuelled optimism, we arrived at the gardens… and were immediately greeted by many, many bags of compost. They weren’t going to carry themselves up several flights of stairs, so with military precision (and a good amount of giggling), a human chain was formed. Efficiency levels were high. Biceps were engaged. By the end, we were wearing more compost than clothes.

Meanwhile, an elite fridge-hunting squad was dispatched to a mysterious building nearby to retrieve a rogue refrigerator that was apparently playing hide and seek. Rumours of fridge-related riddles and mazes are still unconfirmed, but huge props to Dave and Caroline, who found the elusive appliance and to Sam who heroically hauled it up the stairs and into position like an absolute legend.

Back at base camp, composting dreams came true: leaves were swept, a giant compost patch was lovingly sculpted, and weeds were decisively evicted. Shoutout to Mariella, who took on one particularly stubborn root system with the determination of someone trying to cancel a gym membership—no weed stood a chance.

Just when we thought our upper bodies might revolt, it was time for a partnered HIIT session—but with a twist: we paired up with people we hadn’t chatted to yet. Lunges, squats, and a bit of mid-squat small talk ensued. Apparently, nothing says “let’s get to know each other” like high knees and mutual breathlessness.

To round off a Monday evening well spent, we made our way to The Latchmere for our much-loved monthly pub quiz, where compost facts were (probably) not part of the trivia, but team spirit was sky-high.

Last night saw us heading back to a firm GoodGym favourite – St Mary's Primary School – for another rewarding evening of digging, running, and even a bit of sliding.

We kicked things off with a warm-up and a chat about our favourite school trips. From Paris to the Isle of Wight and even the sensory delights of Eden Camp – complete with the authentic sounds, sights, and smells of WWII – there were plenty of nostalgic stories to share before we set off.

The run to St Mary's was breezy, and the reward at the end was worth it: a stunning rooftop terrace view over Battersea and beyond. Lucky kids!

Before getting stuck in, we took a moment to admire an area we’d previously cleared, now flourishing as a climate garden. All that hard work shifting compost on a dark winter's night was worth it!

This time, our mission was to tackle a massive raised bed in preparation for a new wetland wildlife area. Tools in hand, we set to work digging, bagging, raking and generally making light work of a heavy job. The transformation was soon complete!

And then… the moment we’d all been waiting for: The Slide. A mixed bag of dismounts, but credit where it’s due – former pro gymnast Jason delivered a textbook landing. Gold stars all round.

We wrapped things up with a quick fitness session – think running drills, high fives, and arm burners – before heading off on the return run.

Next week we’re onto a brand new task at a local nursery, helping to create an exciting garden space for the under-fives. Sign up here!

We kicked our big task off last night with a warm up and a debate about the best breakfast. From leftover pizza to avo on toast, fritters got a mention and the classic eggs – any which way – got the most votes. With that settled, we set off for our ongoing garden transformation project.

The big news was that we received a grant from the NHS to put towards the garden! 🎉 Thanks to this support, we’ve been able to take the space to the next level. Check out the before and after photos from when we first started at the garden.

At the weekend Jordan and I went on a garden shopping spree, coming back loaded with plants, tools, and an ambitious planting plan. The aim for the garden is to grow fresh produce to donate to local communities living with food insecurity so we wanted to get as much in the ground as possible.

On arrival, we got stuck straight in. There was a lot to plant – from herbs and flowers to a new pear tree, courgettes, chard, peppers, and tomatoes. The potatoes were looking especially healthy, the gooseberry tree had started to fruit, and the fig was looking fabulous. Unfortunately so were the weeds, so they were the first to come out.

After a good stint digging, planting, watering and sowing, we popped across to the square opposite for a our workout – mixing cardio with strength-building conditioning.

We finished up back at Omnibus for a good stretch and a lovely post-session social.

This Saturday we have a great mission helping to marshall at West London Queer Project’s 10km walk. It’s going to be a fun day out supporting a great cause – come along if you can! We also have a new weekly task on Thursdays during the day helping people with Parkinson's get active starting from next week.

Next Monday we're back for our regular visit to Doddington community garden - see you there!

🌩️ Thunder, Tasks & Trivia Triumphs! 🌿🧠

A distant rumble of thunder kept us guessing as we gathered for this week’s GoodGym session, but it takes more than a bit of potential drama to throw us off course. Despite a power outage on the tube delaying our task owner, we were well-prepped with a list of garden jobs sent over in advance – and as always, we were ready to dig in.

Before setting off, we limbered up with a quick warm-up and this week's question was pub quiz themed: How many pubs are there in London? Guesses ranged wildly, but Jordan was closest to the correct answer – a a whopping 3,500 pubs! That’s a lot of potential quiz venues…

🌱 Once we arrived at the garden, we got straight to work. There was no shortage of tasks to keep us busy:

• Shifting lemon trees into position
• Plenty of watering to revive thirsty plants
• Weeding pathways and beds
• Sweeping away debris
• Turning compost and moving it around the garden

The garden was soon buzzing with activity and teamwork and the time flew by.

💪 With a few minutes to spare after finishing the tasks, we squeezed in a post-task fitness session featuring:

• A 3-minute mountain legs challenge
• A 3-minute arm burner, in honour of International Chest Day at the gym – we're very on-brand! The result? Some burning muscles and a sense of achievement!

🏆 Then it was quiz time - the team headed off to the pub. With the muscles having been given a serious workout it was time for the brains to get a turn in the hotseat. I'm happy to report the team absolutely smashed it, scooping gold. Huge congrats to all our GG geniuses!

📍 Next week, we’re heading to Paradise Cooperative to lend a hand. If you enjoyed working in the garden this week, don’t forget we have a weekly community mission to help out at the Doddington Community Garden Kids Club – check it out and sign up here.

Have a great week everybody!