This Wednesday evening a group of 10 goodgymmers came to help out at Salvation Army.

As usual most of us met at the Old Spike. After a little banter, introduction and warm up, we did some warm up exercises and headed off on a jog to the Salvation Army. This was an easy 1.5k run.

Liam and Anna were waiting for us there, at the task - as was Polis to let us in and show us to the task. The task was to clean the childrens' toys. We wiped and wiped, and in no time we had made it through the trove of toys. A job well done (as usual).

After saying our goodbyes, we left for the Old Spike to have our cool-down.

As Liam and I ascended the staircase up to Ms K's "box room" where the suitcases that she wanted moving on top of the two wardrobes were to be found she shouted out "you might need a magician"...When we got to the room itself we could see what she meant as the room was already tightly packed with suitcases, a large bed and various other items.

By standing on the bed and rotating one of the existing cases, we were able to fit one further case on the main wardrobe, and we swapped a smaller case for a much larger one on top of the second wardrobe- and then managed to clear the bed by moving all the items onto the space we'd created through at least elevating some of the cases.

At this point we all agreed we'd run out of options to be able to move anything else around. Thankfully Ms K seemed pleased with our efforts, and it was certainly an improvement...even her cat seemed to approve as he jumped onto the now empty bed to make himself at home...

The eco conscious may have started referring to weeds as Plants out of Place. But the steady stream of gardening tasks on my GoodGym feed suggests that many people still aren’t keen on rogue growth. There’s not too much to report from my sunny afternoon in Queen’s Road Peckham. So, here’s a handful of basic tips, if you’re tempted to get stuck in the weeds.

Use the right gloves

Reinforced gloves can give you a better grip on weeds or tools and help protect your hands if you come across something sharp in the undergrowth. You can even get superhero-esque gardening gloves with built-in plastic claws to help dig into soil and loosen roots, online or at B&Q stores.

Pull weeds out by the roots An obvious one, but cutting the tops off weeds won’t stop regrowth. Grip weeds close to the base and pull gently but firmly. Use a trowel or weeding fork to help tease out tougher roots. It may take you multiple attempts to remove stubborn weeds like bindweed or dandelions. The BBC website has tips for weeding beds, paths and pots.

Mulch with natural materials like bark chips or use cardboard

Mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil that can block sunlight, smother weeds and stopping them from growing. It also helps keep vital moisture in the soil. For small or non-persistent weeds, lay cardboard over them and weigh it down with bags of compost or something else that’s heavy. The Gardeners World website has more on mulching. Ideally the homeowner would have some mulch ready on the day, or the weeding tasks are more likely to keep coming.

Dense planting can keep weeds away

If you’re panting after weeding, leaving less space between plants will give weeds fewer places to grow. Using ground cover plants like creeping thyme can suppress weeds naturally. Try a local garden centre.

Compost or dispose of weeds carefully

Some weeds regrow from seeds or roots if you leave them lying around. Only compost weeds that are seed-free and without invasive roots. The RHS website has a comprehensive list of common UK weeds.

Great way to spend the afternoon and lovely people too!