It was a last minute decision to stop by Martin Way Methodist Church this afternoon, and it turned into a full on workout dealing with a huge lot of oregano and other herbs!

The oregano needed serious digging and dividing, alongside chives, mint, and some hazelnut saplings. The real challenge was the potting-up phase; creating an assembly line to pot everything up before we ran out of compost. Sixty minutes soon became ninety, but we left the church team with a lovely collection of new potted plants, a much tidier bed, and plenty of potential for our next visit.

For our first session helping the Friends of Morley Park we arrived ready to get our hands dirty and were tasked with digging up compacted soil, picking out hidden debris, and wrestling with a particularly stubborn invasive plant that had made itself a little too much at home.

While we only cleared a small section today we now know what is needed and will hopefully return with a larger group to help with more very soon

There’s nothing like a fresh Friday morning to get the blood pumping! The team joined the Friends of John Innes Park to kick-start the weekend with some gardening jobs.

While two members took on the technical challenge of recreating the perfect edge for a circular bed and re-fixing the wire fencing, others tackled the catmint and gave the rockery a thorough weeding. It was a brilliant morning filled with great company and crisp air, leaving the park looking much better for it!

An end of event session helping with the Easter Egg Hunt pack-down. Fortunately both GoodGym team members were early on site as the weather was getting gusty so we were able to help get a head start put everything back into storage, essentially running the morning's setup in reverse but with the added satisfaction of a successful event behind us.

Dismantling and shifting gazebos, folding down tables, and stacking chairs. We loaded the equipment onto the trolley for the short walk back to the storage area, then had the added challenge of counting eggs and stacking boxes into the available space making sure everything was organised and tucked away securely.

Original plans were to help out with the face painting stall, but with a full team of artists already on hand and the windy weather keeping things breezy, there was less canvas work to do than expected. True to the GoodGym spirit of adaptability there were other jobs covered off. Securing displays against the gusts and helping with clearing away recycling and rubbish to ensure the event area stayed tidy and welcoming for all the visitors despite the changeable weather.

We were up and out early (one for a run) and headed over to help with the setup for the Morden Easter Egg Hunt event. The mission involved plenty of lifting and shifting to get the event site ready - moving gazebos, tables, and chairs from the storage area to the main event space. With a short walk between the two, we made full use of the trolleys, turning the transport phase into a high-intensity morning workout.

Such a great way to kick off the day and help support with the heavy lifting and ensuring the community event was set up and ready - a cracking effort to start the easter weekend!