On a mild night late in the year of AD2023, three and ten Splendid Athletic Club-goers... (hmm, maybe getting Chat GTP to write this isn't the best idea..? 😉)

Ok, so on Wednesday 22nd November 23, 13 Good-Gymmers met at Charlton House (slightly spooky at this time of year - maybe a good location for future horror films?)

A warm up involving tag, sheep-shoeing and the merits of stand-up comedians meant we were ready for anything as we headed towards Kidbrooke and the excellent Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre, home to hidden treasures in the form of historical works of art going through the process of conservation and restoration.

It's also home to a Community Garden, in which our task tonight was based. First up was restoring a recently damaged Bug Hotel (well we all deserve a holiday...!). Four post beds made, minibars restocked and spa ready for treatments, it was time to really rock the boat. Well, actually, just move the boat. Then it was all hands on deck to dig out a more stable base for this feature, re-position the boat and build up a stony sea.

Crew pose struck for a photo op, we headed off, full steam ahead back to Charlton.

Thanks all and see you for next week's adventures!

NB. This report was written by Tom Bigglestone, who wasn't there...but then how did he write such an accurate representation of what happened?

Wednesday 20:33- Franki created group "Run Report challenge"

20:35 Franki : Tom, we've nominated you for the run report. Should you accept this challenge, we will supply you with ten photographic clues and five key phrases.

20:40 Tom: Challenge accepted.

And that was how it happened. GoodGym accepts no responsibility for what is described in this run report. The phrases Tom was given are in bold.

"Well that’s a Mission that will go down in the annals of history! I certainly won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.

It didn’t have the best of starts. Ten minutes into the warm up activity, all a casual bystander would hear was Franki shouting “it’s a points game!” as justification for injuring them all in a desperate quest for victory. If that was bad, her over-zealous approach when Rachel shouted “high knees people” only added to the walking wounded.

Julian was nursing a bruised eye socket which everyone agreed was the shade of bike chain black. On his birthday as well (happy birthday, Julian!). He certainly made some new friends and got some qualifications in small-talk as members of the public crowded around to assist. Pieter, also dizzy, dazed and confused from Franki’s “win-at-all-costs' in-game violence, could only repeat the same two words to any subsequent question: “baked beans.”

When the police arrived to ask Franki what had brought on this torrent of energetic elimination and destruction, all she could say, as she was led off in handcuffs, was *“I had broad beans for tea, from a packet, not a can.” *

And so the mission itself began. The run of 1.07km was completed at a brisk pace. The 70p chocolate bars in the vending machine looked all the more enticing after the recent pause in Bank of England Interest-Rate Hikes. But there was no need - with food aplenty: Miniature Heroes (the only confectionery selection box that doesn’t contain nuts, I found out last week, hence why they’re so popular in schools. And GoodGym tasks, it seems). Plus some rainbow sugary sweets which looked like they had enough e-numbers to kill a small horse.

As always, lots of painting ensued (we could probably all qualify with Checkatrade through practice hours alone). This time it was the skirting boards - our famous wall remains intact!

Luckily the rest of the evening passed without incident. Franki has just been released on bail. With a restraining order. Must stay 100m away from broad beans."

Until next time, if you dare.

Wednesday 27th September saw 9 GoodGymers (welcome newcomers Maria & Lukas!) meet outside the Crossrail Station in Woolwich for a hop, skip and a jog up the hill to our task at Dee’s Childcare.

Once welcomed by the team there, we were presented with our challenge for the evening: Levelling Up the Playing Field (or rather, levelling up a small hill made up of re-purposed car tyres and soil). This needed to be de-constructed and then re-built to form a supporting structure around the existing slide.

Challenge accepted, lots of digging, ground flattening and re-arranging ensued and within the hour a cheerleading-style pyramid of tyres had been concocted around said slide – a rainbow of painted tyres featuring on the front section.

What seemed like a daunting task at first, turned out to be one where the time flew by, and proved team work really does give us a pitch perfect result. Thanks to all involved!