Typical British weather on our weekly guided run at Hyde park. The rain stopped and it was quite a pleasant evening for running. Good turnout once again. Today we were welcomed by loads of squirrels : wanting our snacks? Unfortunately we didnt have any for them but maybe next time.

It was time for our regular visit to Chiswick House, one of our favourite local tasks. The grounds are run as a charity helping to preserve and maintain the historic estate for everyone to enjoy, with volunteers playing a huge part in keeping it safe and welcoming.

We met at the Estates Yard, where we were greeted by Philippa, who manages the volunteers, and Hugo, a handsome spaniel who had appointed himself Head of Operations for the evening.

Hugo wasted no time 'helping'. Within moments he had acquired a pair of gloves and was proudly doing the rounds and leading by example.

Our destination for the evening was appropriately enough the dog play area, where we were soon joined by a healthy contingent of West London's canine community. The task was to shovel and spread wood chip across the area to keep it in good condition.

We got to work raking, shovelling and transporting. It soon transpired that some of us were better protected from the weather than others (see photographic evidence). As the evening progressed, we became steadily wetter yet no less determined. Despite the conditions, the two piles steadily shrank as the play area improved.

In half an hour we were pretty much done and Philippa was impressed with the speed and efficiency of the group. It's amazing what a GoodGym team can achieve when presented with a task and a deadline.

With the task completed and the dog play area looking much refreshed, we headed back to base for stretches and a chance to dry off slightly.

Thanks to everyone who came along and braved the rain. Next up: our mission at Waterman's Park this Saturday

Last summer we headed to INS to prep and paint their garden furniture and today we did the same again after the last sat was sadly stolen from the garden.

With six chairs and a large table to do, it was great to have many active hands to scrub, wipe and paint them black, looking as good as new when we were done!

A huge welcome to Mersa for the first time, ans a thank you to task owner Sarah who always welcomes us warmly and was keen to celebrate Volunteer's Week with us.