After branching out into decoration-making at a recent group run, we were ready to spruce up our entry to St Luke’s Church’s annual Christmas Tree Festival.

Sheila, Sol, Nicola H and Nicola J were the GoodGym elves tasked with making our 5ft tree look merry and bright, and thanks to a pine effort from everyone we were able to decorate it with an array of snowpeople, reindeer, bunting and origami shapes. Special mentions must go to Georgeta for her beautiful quilted star, and to Sheila for our fabulous crocheted GoodGym angel - complete with garden tools!

Don’t fir-get to stop by over the weekend and visit the festival, which is open from 8-10 December in support of Number 22 community counselling services. Keep an eye out for some other wonderful entries from our friends around the community too.

It’s the most pun-derful time of the year, so how else would we describe today’s mission other than…tree-mendous!

More details can be found at www.stlukeschristmastreetrail.co.uk

...That tonight's task was less trimming a hedge and more a case of cutting back the thicket.

Sheila, Nicola, Sara and I all met up at the designated meeting point and were surveying the area when Councillor Helen Price arrived with the tools and clearance bags and accompanied by Peter, who soon became our saw man.

The aim was to cut back the greenery that was pushing against a residents fence and overhanging her garden.

To do that we had to cut our way through the twigs, branches and brambles towards the fence. Sara and Jen started at one end of the fence with Helen and Sheila spreading themselves out further along. Nicola focussed on bagging up the fruits of our labour.

Meanwhile Peter moved between both groups wielding his saw and secateurs.

After a 'tree'-mendous effort all around, and an hour of hard graft, we could see a vast improvement and the sun finally hitting the garden rather than foliage.

After several attempts to 'log' our efforts on camera, several off us had to take our 'leaf'. 'Branching' off in different directions we rounded up our tools and said our farewells.

Maidenhead Library was hosting 'Maidenhead's Big Read' this weekend, timed to coincide with World Book Day. This is a free event that always attracts a large number of families. This year's theme was outer space, and what a treat was in store! There were author's giving talks on various topics, story-telling sessions, astronomy exhibitions including a viewing telescope, and an immersive planetarium dome. Amy, Kristina, Nicola, Sheila and Tessa all went to help out. Tessa was manning the information desk telling people about what was on and answering any questions, and Kristina had the coldest job at the entrance welcoming people and recording attendance. Amy, Nicola and Sheila were all manning the planeterium at various times. This exhibit was very popular, so we were kept busy with crowd control and signing people up for upcoming sessions. A certain amount of juggling was required as there were quite a few no-shows but also a queue of people without bookings all keen to go in. The volunteers had a special viewing at the end of the day - you could lie down on cushions in the dome and look up at the ceilings on which images were projected accompanied by commentary. Everyone loved it. Sheila finished off at the story-telling corner, enjoying some space poetry read beautifully by Sue Palmer. The library was busy all weekend and it was great to be able to contribute to this amazing event

It's raining tulips at GGWM these days! Nine eager GGers went out to the Maidenhead allotment to plant some more tulip bulbs this afternoon.

As there were a few of us, and since we love a litter pick, task leader Amy quickly split us up into two groups: The Planters and The Pickers

The planters - Jen, Sarah (repeat bulb planter from yesterday), Kanika and Tessa A - got down to putting the bulbs in the ground.

Meanwhile, the pickers - Amy, Gillian (who had incited the litter pick), Nicola, Sheila and Tessa R (not B) - grabbed their picks and bags, and set off to get rubbish off the ground.

Even as the previously beautiful sunny day turned gray, windy and stormy, the hardy GGers kept their heads to the ground and in their tasks.

More tulip planting is planned for tomorrow evening at St Luke's for anyone interested (maybe Sarah can get her hat-trick, who knows!).