Coppicing or pollarding, we’re not fussy. Loppers in hand, we’ll chop whatever we’re told. Today it was a thicket that had got a little too tall at Petersham Common, where it had started blocking the light to neighbouring properties and making this managed wilderness look a little rough around the edges.

There was no beating about this bush, we got straight to work cutting it back in its place. What an unbeleafable upper body workout we got by stretching through the dense branches and wielding our loppers high.

Plenty of passers-by enjoying a Saturday morning walk through the woodland paths were very impressed with our work, and when we stood back to admire it with Ken’s customary snacks, so were we.

The pouring rain stopped just in time for the start of October’s trip to the Richmond Furniture Scheme, as 5 Goodgymers gathered for a morning of doing good.

We had made good progress in September on clearing the ivy and overgrown branches behind the main building, but Adam, Chris and JP still had plenty more to do and set to work with loppers and saws, removing branches and taking them on the trolley to the compost site. It was gratifying to see the light coming through the windows of the building as we made progress.

Meanwhile, Laura and Martha took on the other part of the mission, which was to start dismantling old sofas which could not be sold. This was a challenging task given the lack of suitable tools but one very tough old sofa was very effectively pulled apart and the useful materials salvaged.

It was a lot of hard work all round and we were very satisfied with our efforts as we headed off for the rest of our weekends.

That was the question on everyone's mind as they lined up on Richmond riverside, waiting to be assigned a specific bat to count. Soprano, common, nathusius pipistrelle, plus daubentons, noctule and a few other species. We set out bat detectors to their corresponding frequency and lined up on both sides of the river for the final count of the year.

After a slow start the Twickenham side crew found a hotspot at the far side of Marble Hill Park. The walk ended near the White Swan pub after we made about 20 stops every couple of hundred metres. We then marched all the way back to Richmond and convened at the White Cross where Ken very generously got two rounds in.

17 Goodgymers ran 6km to help Kentish Town City Farm pack up from their Apple Day!

Welcome along to Tom whose first time it was last night - great to have you along!

In the news this week:

1. Well done to Abi Perrin who ran her first half marathon at the weekend - amazing!
2. The GG London Christmas Party is on 1st December and the November Social is on Thursday 8th November in Bethnal Green, come along!
3. Amazing work to Liz who hit her 50th Good Deed on Friday while on a mission, she brought some biscuits to celebrate - yum!

The evening was started out by Hanry sharing some vegan chocolates with us, it was his treat as it's World Vegan Day today (Thursday)!

After we warmed up we headed the 3km up hill to Kentish Town City Farm, this wonderful local charity had a very successful Apple Day on Sunday. We helped them prepare for it last Wednesday, well this week our task was to pack everything up. When we arrived we admired and hung out with the pigs - according to Abi one is confident and the other shy.

We split into tree teams:

• One group started to carry the tables and chairs down to the office building near the entrance of the farm.
• Four people sorted, grouped and packed up the poles and parts of the Frelighters gazebo that had already been taken down.
• The final group of 8 deconstructed and bagged up the KTCF gazebo.

Goat Massage!

Once the 2nd and 3rd groups had completed their tasks everyone got to work moving stocks, bags of muck and everything else to where it needs to live!

After 30 minutes we were all done and went to play with Rosie the Kid (goat), some of just got a stroke, others admired her jumping skills and one lucky Hanry got a back massage - hope you feeling good this morning!

Thanks to everyone for coming, next week we are off to help Cecil Sharp House and St Pancras Community Assoccasion - sign up here.

PB out