Monday’s task was a case of many hands make light work - and a little elbow grease makes for a great transformation!

We headed to the creative arts space at Merton Abbey Mills to lend a helping hand with some preparations for Little Ark's new premises in south Wimbledon. There was plenty of furniture in need of repurposing, so we rolled up our sleeves and got stuck in.

First up, there was sanding, smoothing things over and getting surfaces ready for their next chapter. Then came the priming – because every good transformation needs a decent foundation! We also got to grips with covering metal panels in colourful sticky back plastic (giving Blue Peter vibes for some of us) to make shelves So it was a case of keeping things wrapped up neatly and making sure there were no sticky situations (well, not too many!)

Bit by bit, tired furniture was getting a fresh lease of life, ready to take pride of place in Little Ark's new home. It was wonderful to see how a little teamwork, some practical skills (looking at you particularly, Chris) and enthusiasm could make such a difference.

A big thank you to everyone who came along and helped. Here's to Little Ark's new home, a fresh start for some well-loved furniture, and a future that's looking bright (pink). We nailed it!🔨

Six GoodGymmers headed to Little ARK's new makerspace next to South Wimbledon station, where the plan had been to help Syebvonne settle into the recently acquired space. However, before any serious unpacking could begin, it became clear that years of station life and subsequent disuse had left a little more cleaning to do than expected.

The space's previous life as a Tube station office was still very much on display. Alongside sinks, taps and other operational relics, one old London Underground rule book had even found a second career as a doorstop! But while the history was charming, decades of accumulated grime was a bit less so.

Five GoodGymmers attacked the doors, windows, frames and handrails downstairs and up, scrubbing away decades of grime and scuffs. Meanwhile Lisa took on the particularly intricate challenge of cleaning a donated industrial sewing machine - working from foot pedal to thread spools and every nook and cranny in between, she painstakingly transformed it from grotty to gleaming.

By the end of the evening, the space was noticeably cleaner, neater and one stop closer to its new life as a community makerspace. All change for this former Underground office. This grime terminates here!

What a way to celebrate two whole years of GoodGym Merton! To mark our 2nd birthday this November, we doubled down on the fun with two action-packed sessions before heading off to enjoy a well-earned birthday drink.

It was incredible to see such a brilliant turnout and reflect on just how much our community has grown over the last two years.

Admittedly, we got so caught up in the catch-ups and celebrations that we completely forgot to snap a group photo! Luckily, John Shirley saved the day and grabbed a quick picture with a few of the team before heading off. We hope to see you back in Merton again soon, and definitely well before our next birthday!

A massive thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far. Cheers to two years of doing good and keeping fit, and to many more to come

This morning when I arrived at Mrs C, the work soon began when she had her seat to assist with holding the bags and watching preceedings. I set to work making sure there was a view from the conservatory down the gardens, it seemed the more I trimmed back the overhanging/ shortened height of the roses, more and more bindweed became visible to conquer.
Fushia's were also cut back ready to bloom again next year.

After 7 bags time was up, and another happy customer, pleased with how much was achieved to improve her outlook. More jobs will be forthcoming I am sure from this lovely lady.

GoodGym returned to the Enchanted Autumnfest this evening to cover the peak visiting period as extra security and way-finders.

With the pumpkin patch packed to the brim with kids and adults alike, there was plenty to keep an eye on. Our dynamic pumpkin-guarding team had a blast; even with one volunteer arriving very late 🎃!

Meanwhile, over on the light trail, it was all about crowd control. The rest of the team guided visitors into the newly dubbed Graveyard of 'Doom', introducing them to 'Stan' the skeleton along the way.

Fortunately, all our 'victims' made it through intact - no lost arms or legs to report! On their way back, we kept the crowds moving smoothly while soaking up endless compliments about how incredible the trail looked. (Of course, we already knew that, having made the most of the perk to walk the trail before and after our shift!).

Time flew, and after a busy 90 minutes of spook-tacular volunteering, we wanted to stay (it was so much fun)!. An absolute blast of a return visit, fantastic job, team. Welcome to James, who was making his GoodGym debut - we hope too see you again soon. 🌟

Five eager Goodgymers (including a very welcome extra pair of hands!) dropped by Critical Support to sort deliveries ahead of the weekend!

We kicked off downstairs with two of the team lending a hand with incoming deliveries before joining the rest of the crew upstairs to tackle the main event: a Multibank pile packed with random, non-perishable items.

First up was crate-ing order out of chaos - deciphering what was already boxed up, relabelling, and re-organising everything to maximise the shelf limited space.

Sorting through these deliveries is always a fun adventure because you never know what you’ll find in the mix, an unexpected dressing-up section was definitely today's top-tier highlight!

The team worked together very well to clear the decks in just over an hour. Trading a standard workout for that box-ticking, satisfying feeling of a completely transformed room made for a fantastic session. Well-stacked effort, team!