"Spud-tacular Effort & Fig-tastic fun"

Yesterday we were back at the GoodGym Garden, a space we use to grow good things, boost biodiversity, and produce (hopefully) fruit and veg to donate to the community.

The potatoes planted last time were thriving and we had big plans to get the magic beans Jordan had brought along into the ground.

The fig tree was looking particularly healthy with plenty of new fruit. Not to be outdone, the gooseberry bush was also laden with tiny berries.

We worked hard planting, weeding, pruning and watering but were called to a halt as the heavens opened - so much for all that watering! Tools downed, we dashed for shelter and turned our gardening session into an indoor coffee-fueled debrief, which included watching out for the VE day flyover. Sadly, no jets were spotted outside but thanks to the BBC alert on our phones, we got a front-row seat to the action anyway.

Next week we return to Doddington for more community fun, followed by our monthly pub quiz. Fingers crossed for some questions on composting.

Typical english weather this Monday with sun, wind and showers, but this did not stop me from going to a mission after a community mission in Wandsworth. Doing good, stay fir : oh yes as a lot of running in between. When I arrived at Mrs B, she was really surprised as thought due to the weather nobody would turn up. Told her the rain does not stop us. Her garden was massive and had several tasks : cutting grass and weeding in between the slabs. As it rained before my arrival and the grass was super wet, we decided not to use the electric mower due to health and safety. So concentrated on weeding : the slabs were invaded by grass and weed growing in between the slabs in the main entrance, side garden and the back. Even the stairs to the back door was completely invaded. After 90 minutes, I cleared the weed in the main entrance, the side walk and the stairs/back wall to the back entrance. Mrs B was happy as she has been waiting along time to get someone as she can no longer do it as had back problems but also recently fell and had a cast put on her left arm. Slabs were free of weed : slaby-weedy-doo!!

Combine three goodgymers, four enormous piles of woodchip, 1.5 hours and one squeaky barrow- what do you get?

A fantastic workout, a morning spent saving three trees and a whole lot of insider knowledge about Wandsworth! And of course a lovely sense of satisfaction at the end of it all 🌳

This Saturday morning, Unigate Wood was buzzing with more than just birdsong. A fantastic group of volunteers from Friends of Unigate Wood and the ever-energetic GoodGym laced up their boots, rolled up their sleeves, and leafed their worries behind to tackle overgrown paths. Armed with hedge trimmers and shear determination, they set out to clear and widen the trails, making the woods more accessible for walkers, wanderers, and woodland creatures alike. It was a real labour of glove as brambles were banished and paths were pruned to perfection.

The result? A newly spruced-up woodland walkway that’s nothing short of tree-mendous. Whether you’re a jogger, stroller, or Sunday rambler, the paths are now primed for your next forest fix. A huge branch of gratitude goes out to the volunteers who trimmed their schedules to make a real impact. They didn’t bark up the wrong tree—they made sure nature lovers can enjoy the peace, beauty, and open paths of Unigate Wood all year round.

🌞 GoodGym Wandsworth in the evening sun

On a sun-drenched Monday evening, still basking in the post-London Marathon glow, an energetic gang of GoodGymmers ran to St Mary’s Church in Battersea for a brand-new task. Not just any church—this is Battersea’s oldest, where William Blake tied the knot and J.M.W. Turner once whipped out his paints to create his iconic river scenes.

A massive shoutout to all those who ran the marathon on Sunday, and kudos to the spectators, who undertook the noble task of clapping, shouting and creating signs that Turner would be proud of. Respect.

An even bigger Wandsworth welcome to Kate, who joined us for her very first GoodGym adventure! She picked an absolute banger of an evening: blue skies, a route bursting with blossom, and a riverside scene straight out of a Richard Curtis movie. There were geese waddling past wisteria in full bloom as the sun set over the Thames- all that was missing was Hugh Grant himself.

Our mission for the evening was to weed, litter pick, spruce up paths, and hang bunting. Within minutes, the area was buzzing with the sounds of gardening, laughter and debates over where to hang the next bit of bunting.

Among the more curious discoveries: a small religious plaster figurine and what we concluded was a leg tag—left behind by someone who was in a bit of a hurry...

As the sun dipped lower and the geese gave us side-eye for disrupting their evening stroll, we gathered for a few lovely group shots and admired our handiwork. But we weren’t done yet...

On the way back, we hit up several fitness stations (because one plank is never enough) and made a detour to check on the bulbs we planted earlier in the year. And guess what? Just like GoodGym Wandsworth, they were blooming beautifully 🌷💪

Next week it's a bank holiday so we'll be having a lunchtime run on the Monday over to the GoodGym garden.

This weekend we need help protecting the trees in Wandsworth, and if you fancy a double header of tasks you could op down to Streatham to beautify the nature reserve there - what a bank holiday weekend!

It was so amazing ❤️❤️❤️