Three Goodgymers met the All Aboard Club volunteers on Saturday morning to help set up some train tracks at Dulwich Library.

Once we had cleared a large area and set up chairs around the outside, Richard arrived with the trainset and the fun could begin!!

We were transported back to childhood as we all worked together to set up a huge train system with bridges, level crossings, tunnels, turntables, stations and more. There was a little bit of time to play / admire our handiwork before the local children started to arrive and take over.

One of those tasks that doesn't really feel like volunteering! Watch this space for more sessions in Southwark and elsewhere.

It's the first Wednesday of the month (of April), which meant these 10 Goodgymmers would end up having a social after the group run. Yet, first we had to do a bit of good and get fit before we could sink a couple of pints.

Sam running from home met up Laura and Maria who were waiting outside Old Spike Peckham to be let in. As they got talking about politics with Isaac, who arrived shortly after, Rosalind, Emma, Nelly and Elena came through the doors to join in on the conversation.

As it struck 18:45, Sam started his intro speech, his ice-breaker question was to do with two social dates: National Walking Day and National Burrito Day, so his question and snap-poll was: "Where is your favourite spot/area for walks?" and "You only have one option to go with your burrito: guaca or salsa, which would you choose?"

The snap-poll brought out guaca on top whereas many people like to walk in the same spots namely Thames Path, South Downs and parks in London like Brockwell, Hampstead Heath, Richmond, Regent's and Beckenham Place Park.

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Our residency this Spring and Summer

After a quick warm up, Sam led the group out of Peckham whilst Laura backmarked. Within 20 minutes, we ran up Chadwick Road (some finding it tougher this time) and came down the other side to end up in Camberwell to meet Catalina (task owner), Andrada and Jessie at the Wildlife Triangle. Catalina had three main jobs for us:

• Emma and Isaac took on the responsibility of moving woodchip with the single wheelbarrow across the Elmington site.
• Maria took Andrada, Jessie and Rosalind to weed around a playground.
• Finally, Sam, Elena, Laura and Nelly stayed behind at the Wildlife Triangle to clear up the space here using shears and handtools to tackle weeds and trim back brambles.

The time zoomed by as 40 minutes evaporated. We put the tools back in the wheelbarrow and the weeds/trimmings in the compost bin before a quick group photo. We said our goodbyes to Catalina, but we know we will be back next month as we promise to help out each month for the Spring/Summer period.

We ran back to Peckham at a more rapid pace as we wanted to get to our social as soon as we can. Those who did not leave their belongings at Old Spike started the social at Social whilst the rest quickly got their belongings and headed over for a pint or two.

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out last night! Catalina appreciates that we will take some ownership of the gardens in the estate and we will potter around each month until September. Basically, we will do the jobs the residents can't do. Thank you to Maria for taking the photos and Laura for backmarking.

Our first group run after the clocks have changed and it was wonderful to still have daylight at the end of the group run!! We were a smaller group as numbers had lowered throughout the day, maybe too many Easter eggs.

We had the pleasure of being joined by Suki the dog, and when she wasn't off adventuring, she was keeping an eye on our bucket filling with mulch technique. On the topic of bucket filling...we were full of techniques that made us as efficient as possible.

We managed to cover the extension to the Tiny Forest in a layer of mulch avoiding all the young saplings that did a very good job of blending in.

Thanks to the Tree Keepers for joining us on their bank holiday Monday and bringing all the spades and buckets!