What started as a simple mission to move a stack of logs at a community allotment quickly escalated into one of those productive missions where finishing the original task just opens the door to three more. Our brief was to clear a log pile so that Lisa could get to a fence, eventually to remove it and install a gate. With four GoodGymmers on the case, we made such short work of the logs that the various creepy-crawlies suddenly finding themselves exposed to daylight barely had time to lodge a complaint! With the logjam thoroughly broken, we moved on to taking down the fence itself, clearing a patch of weeds, and generally making ourselves useful around the plot.

Along the way, Lisa’s thorough plant knowledge kept us entertained and educated. Highlights included discovering that magnolia flowers are edible and that bindweed - usually the villain of the allotment world - can be woven into baskets. As if that wasn't enough, Lisa made each volunteer a personalised rustic bouquet from a wonderfully varied selection of plants growing on the site, including lavender, yarrow and rosemary. The final reward came in the form of a bumper blackberry harvest, with enough gorgeously ripe fruit to spark serious conversations about jam-making as well as bramble crumble. We left with bouquets in hand, tubs full of blackberries, and the unmistakable scent of pure summer in our nostrils. A berry successful task indeed!

Three GoodGymmers headed to Merton and Lambeth Citizens Advice in Mitcham for our first task supporting the team there, with a mission to make the front of the building more welcoming for visitors. Whilst there were a few weeds to evict along the way, the main challenge quickly became clear: trees and bushes had gradually encroached over the public pavement outside, substantially narrowing the route to a busy Mitcham bus stop. Armed with loppers and determination, we set about reclaiming the footpath one branch at a time.

After a considerable amount of lopping, chopping and branch-dragging, the difference was striking. Several feet of pavement width were reclaimed for pedestrians, making the route to the bus stop much easier to navigate and giving the frontage a far tidier look. The task may have been modest in size, but the impact was obvious, and this was just the beginning: we'll be back in a few weeks with a full GoodGym crew to take on the much larger challenge lurking in the back garden. A successful pilot prune!

What a lovely evening for a GoodGym session as the team gathered in the peaceful surroundings of the Tranquil Garden to lend a hand to the Friends of Mostyn Gardens.

There was no shortage of jobs to get stuck into, and once the runners arrived to join the pack, we got straight to work armed with tools, gloves, and plenty of energy to tackle a bit of everything, including:

🌿 Clearing runaway vines and keeping unruly growth in check

🌾 Weeding beds and paths, and clearing dead plants to tidy up the space

🚰 Watering to keep everything thriving on a warm summer evening

By the time we were finished, the plant beds, wood chip area, gravel paths, and fencing were looking thoroughly transformed and suitably GoodGymed! As a lovely bonus to wrap up our hard work, we even had time to harvest a bunch of fresh sage to take home.

Before heading to the pub for our monthly social, there were some incredible milestones to cheer, with Ralph hitting 10 and Steve (back in action) hitting 25 good deeds!

An extra special, monumental congratulations goes to Caroline, who hit an amazing 100 good deeds! This also marks the very first 100-milestone reached for a GoodGym Merton team member since we launched in 2024. Showcasing how far we have come!

Well done to the whole team for another fantastic, high-impact evening 💪 - red shirt power at its finest!

A crack squad of four GoodGymmers volunteers launched a late afternoon tactical strike to deconstruct the Canons Summer Fair. Armed with nothing but gloves and a litter picker, we displayed true wartime spirit by blitzing the cleanup operation. We single-handedly disarmed a fortress of heavy gazebos, rounded up dozens of fugitive tables and chairs, and cleared the grounds of rogue signs and litter. Working in lockstep with the excellent council staff, we successfully marched the reusable bounty back into the historic house.

Our explosive effort certainly triggered a temporary munitions shortage in our energy levels, but the lovely local café came to the rescue, supplying the troops with a round of ice-cold drinks to celebrate our successful deployment.

On arrival we set to work to ensure the venue looked the part before the doors opened. The team mucked right in with:

• Unloading & Labelling: Flexing our muscles to unload crates of delicious food, followed by putting our best handwriting to use to write out recipe and ingredient labels.

• Table Decorating: Transforming the space by dressing and decorating tables to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

• The Inevitable Gardening: Look, we just couldn't help ourselves. Sweeping away summer leaves and digging out unruly weeds near the entrance, we staged a quick intervention to make sure the catwalk looked pristine.

Once the guests started arriving, we switched gears into hosting mode, greeting attendees with big smiles and doing whatever else we could to help.

After all the hard work, we were treated to the live entertainment, but the fun didn't stop there. When the event needed an extra hand, one of the team stepped up to support the fashion show.

It was an incredible, action-packed extended session for a fantastic cause. Well done to everyone involved.

Our task for The Small Quarter wasn't quite what we'd expected - instead of shifting soil, we found ourselves tackling an emergency water shortage after weeks of hot weather left the community garden’s 2,000-litre water bowser had run dry. With no water supply on site, GoodGym was called up for an emergency assist, subbing in water for soil and a literal cup run!

With the buzz of the men’s World Cup football in the background, GoodGymmers Jade and Audrey set about building attacks from the back - filling dozens of milk bottles, 5-litre containers and a few industrial-sized bottles at the local football club. A well-drilled passing game moved empty bottles smoothly from opener, to filler, to capper, to cart-loader. But the journey to the garden was anything but a straight run at goal as we had to play our way patiently over a railway bridge, around a busy roundabout and through a crowded midfield of cars!

Reaching the garden wasn't quite the final whistle, however. Our cart was too wide for the gate, so the water had to be passed into wheelbarrows for a one-wheeled cross into the box. The gardeners then decanted everything into the bowser, we gathered up the empties, and headed back for another run.

After several rounds and around 500 litres delivered, we'd put in a full 90 minutes and then some! A few slices of ripe melon provided a welcome rehydration break before heading home, confident that our task has safely delivered this fantastic garden into extra time.