GoodGym Lambeth Run Report: The Great Tree Heist of 2026 🌲

Date: First group session of 2026
Mission: Christmas Tree Recycling on Clapham Common
Status: Absolutely smashed it! 💪

The Return of the Champions 🏆

What a way to kick off the new year! We were pining for our first session of 2026, and boy did it deliver. The gang assembled for an absolute classic - hunting down abandoned Christmas trees across Clapham and dragging them to their final resting place on the Common.

Special shoutouts to our prodigal runners:

• Andy made his triumphant return after more than 5 years away (we promise the trees haven’t changed that much!)
• Eric was back at it after his hiatus - clearly couldn’t stay away from the tree-mendous fun
• Louise crossed the river to rejoin us after over a year away from Lambeth sessions - we’re so glad she branched back out to visit! 🤗

The Dream Team Assemble 💪

Our fantastic regulars were there doing what they do best (spoiler: it’s pulling up trees, literally):

• Jo ✨
• Fi ✨
• Ben ✨
• Michael ✨

You lot are the root of everything we do! 😊

The Final Tally 📊

After racing around Clapham like festive tree-hunting squirrels, we managed to shift an absolutely fir-ocious 38.5 trees (yes, really - someone clearly couldn’t bear to part with half their tree) plus a few wreaths to boot! 🌲🎄

We’re not saying we’re heroes, but we definitely spruced up the neighborhood.

Same time next week? We’ll leaf you to think about it! 🍃

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Get fit. Do good. Make terrible tree puns. 🌳💚​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

On the last day of the year, Anna and Brenda met Sarah the OT at Mrs F's house. Mrs F is in hospital and would like to go home, but first her bed needed to be set up ready for her.

Anna and Brenda made quick work of swapping the mattresses, then Sarah came up to make sure everything was in its proper place.

After a nice chat, we all headed off to enjoy what is left of 2025!

Volunteered alongside a wonderful bunch of people at Evolution Centre in Battersea Park. Served Christmas dinner to c 500 people who would otherwise have been on their own. Met some very interesting people including an original ‘Teddy Girl’

We are two goodgymers who regularly volunteer at Vauxhall Gardens community centre foodbank. Today we unpacked, sorted and packed several deliveries in preparation for the final foodbank session on Friday 19th December before Christmas day.

Today, 14 Goodgymers attended Vauxhall Gardens Community Centre last foodbank session in 2025. We were welcomed and appreciated by the regular VGCC team, and all who attened the FB sesssion. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

This morning, a merry band of 10 GoodGymers sleighed their way to Vauxhall Garden Community Centre to lend a helping hand at the food bank and what a cracking session it was!

We rolled up our sleeves and got straight into the festive spirit by unloading a van packed full of vegetables and chicken (no turkeys were harmed in the making of this report 🦃😉). With teamwork that would make Santa’s elves proud, everything was swiftly sorted, stacked, and stored.

Inside the main room, we transformed the space into a well-organised winter wonderland of staple foods – pasta, rice, sauces and more all lined up and ready to go. It was truly a pasta-bilities are endless kind of morning.

Adding some extra sparkle to the session, we were joined by representatives from two companies who came along for a volunteering morning, showing that goodwill really is the best corporate gift of all 🎁.

Thanks to everyone’s efficiency, energy, and good cheer, everything was completed comfortably within the hour – proving once again that many hands make light work (especially when powered by Christmas spirit).

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May it be filled with great deeds and plenty of GoodGym magic! 🎅✨