Following the busy and well-attended Care for Veterans Christmas Fayre, the GG team once again stepped in to help the Care for Veterans staff by putting everything away at the end of the event. After such a long and tiring day for the team, it was rewarding to be able to ease their workload and ensure the hall was left clean, tidy, and ready for the residents to use again.

Ricky, Sue, Barbara and her sister Jacquie, along with Roxy and myself, worked together to fold tablecloths, collapse tables, stack chairs, and return all equipment to its proper place. Their willingness to help and the cheerful teamwork made the clear-up smooth and efficient.

I was especially grateful for the fantastic support from everyone, as I was limited in what I could do due to having had a foot operation just ten days earlier. The team’s kindness and hard work meant a great deal and ensured nothing was left undone.

A huge thank you to all involved. Your efforts not only helped the Care for Veterans team but also reminded us all that Christmas is fast approaching!

On a sunny early September evening, we headed out to a local school to give their garden a much-needed boost. A grateful headteacher, Helen proudly showed off the progress made with play areas over the summer holidays and also pointed us in the right direction for our tasks for tonight.

It was a happy coincidence that both Sue’s, Sue and Suemade their return to GoodGym today—and even better, they found themselves teaming up! Together, they tackled the stubborn weeds and grasses that had been creeping into the beds, making short work of an area that was looking particularly wild.

Meanwhile, Julia joined forces with John Ryan and Paul to take on the flowerbed—our new nemesis. This sprawling patch of bramble and weeds seems to bounce back as soon as we turn our backs, but the team made great progress clearing it once again. This time, though, we were rewarded with a surprise discovery: pumpkins growing among the chaos!

Ryan did a stellar job switching between both groups, keeping the wheelbarrow moving and ensuring all the debris made its way to the compost heap.

All in all, another productive evening in the school garden—sunshine, teamwork, and pumpkins included!