Just the dynamic duo at Holy Trinity Lamorbey Church this evening.

We were working to clear the final overgrown stretch of a flowerbed that's been waiting for some GoodGym tlc since we tackled the rest of the area last summer.

As well as the weeds, we faced a covering of weeds, ivy and other creeping plants that were rather satisfying to peel back, rather like rolling up a carpet!

Then we needed to dig out out the underground leftovers,to try and prevent things fighting back before the parishioners can do their new planting.

We made good progress but this transformation isn't quite complete. We'll need to make another visit to finish the job.

So… who’s up for lending a hand next time? Look out for the listing (once the date is confirmed with the church wardens). Many hands make light work, and we promise good company, a bit of a workout, and satisfying gardening salvation along the way! 🌱✨

We met at the Community Hospice shop in Welling ready to get sorting.

Andrew welcomed me (as a newcomer) with a tour of the warehouse and showed me how to assess donated items - what makes it onto the shop floor, and what’s better suited for other collections like rags. It was a great hands-on lesson in spotting quality and value. And whenever I hesitated, our more experience sorters Simon and Caroline were there with expert guidance, helping it make sure nothing useful went to waste.

Of course, we didn’t just quietly sort for three hours. We rose to the occasion by modelling some standout pieces: aprons and hats, silky Japanese robes, coats, and even a wedding veil. It turns out that charity sorting comes with an unexpected side of fashion show!

There was plenty of chat ranging from fairy-tale love stories to favourite foods (with adobo making a memorable appearance), and lots of laughs. It made the time fly by and reminded us how social and uplifting volunteering can be.

By the end of the session, we’d not only sorted a huge pile of donations but also helped ensure that quality items could be sold to raise funds, while others were redirected responsibly. It’s work that directly supports the Community Hospice and the care they provide in the community.

Until next time. ~ Cecilia D🍀

Helping nature on a sunny Sunday morning 🌿☀️.

We love supporting the many fantastic groups making a difference right on our doorstep.

Today we were with the Friends of Lesnes Abbey helping with woodland conservation.

Marc met us and the other volunteers with a wheelbarrow of tools ready to go. We headed up to The Heath - and it definitely was up - taking turns to push the barrow through the woods, and collecting litter as we went.

Once at the top, and after Marc's safety briefing, we got to work pulling up bracken and cutting back the holly, being careful not to tread on any new shoots of heather.

Keeping the invasive intruders at bay will allow heather to gradually reclaim the area, restoring The Heath to it's former glory.

After an hour or so we said goodbye to the others (who carried on working) and headed homeward, stopping to pose in from of the glorious azaleas as we went.

Tomorrow is a bank holiday, and we're off to do something completely different, sorting donations for a local baby bank.

Variety is the spice of GoodGym!

In life things don’t always go to plan, and this morning was one of those occasions.

Our original task - gardening at All Saints Church in New Eltham - had to be called off when Neal the Church Warden sadly put his back out. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Neal!

But this is GoodGym, and there’s usually a Plan B, and it's usually litter picking...

We gathered at the church anyway and were delighted to welcome Hope to his very first GoodGym task. Great to have you with us!

With litter pickers and bin bags in hand, we crossed over the road to Southwood Park, and what a hidden gem it turned out to be.

We were pleasantly surprised by how little litter there was (a rare problem!), and we guessed a dedicated ‘friends of’ group must be keeping it looking so good.

Still, litter picking is never just about the rubbish. It’s about getting outside, stretching our legs, and having a good natter. This morning delivered all these - sunshine, fresh air, and great company made for a cracking stroll.

We stopped for a few photos by some murals, and while most people have to clock up 100 good deeds to earn their GoodGym wings, you'll see in the photos that Hope managed to get his on day one!

We’re hoping to rearrange the gardening session at All Saints soon, so keep your eyes peeled on our listings 👀.

This afternoon we were back at Sidcup station, helping prepare flower beds for planting in the run up to the Britain in Bloom judging in July 🌼.

A couple of weeks ago we cleared a large plot next to the ticket hall. Today we turned our trowels to two very overgrown brick planters on the pavement.

Luckily the soil was nice and soft so the weeds mostly came up easily - roots and all. However some were a bit more stubborn and it took some determined heaving to extract them! (No need for a session at the gym this evening 💪.)

In just an hour we were super happy with the transformation.

Thank you to Mick, Heather and Sheila for coming along to chat to us about GoodGym while doing your own litter pick, and Mick for staying to give us a hand 🫶.

We're likely to be taking on more tasks to help get Sidcup looking blooming good over the coming weeks, so watch this space!

This was our monthly visit to Parkview Care Home.

After meeting up with Andy we headed out to the garden area. There was lots of watering to be done as everything was very dry. We also needed to remove a build up of moss from the pathway.

Some of the residents came out to give us a helping hand! It was a great workout trying to scrub the moss off and satisfying to see the difference!

A big thank you to everyone who turned up! A great effort by all!