2 GoodGymers completed this new task so we were open and ready to get stuck in. We were there to support an after-school club for parents and children in the roof garden of the Doddington Estate.

On arrival, there was much to set up and get ready, including lots of washing up in an annexe nearby which Laura happily tackled.

In the main building, we were met with lots of children along with their parents/guardians and centre workers who had just finished gardening and were ready for some refreshments enjoying the space and each other's company. Pizza and other snacks were made, and we were on hand to serve and replenish as needed and asked to chat and to strike up conversations with parents as needed.

After being asked if we worked for a Gym - which broke the ice and gave us the opportunity to share about GoodGym, the parents began to open up more.

One of the highlights of this session was when 3 mums - after first establishing that I was also a mother- asked when would be the best time to go back to work/full-time work after having children and how to combine studies with work and or raising children. It was a great discussion leading to lots of information-sharing from all in the room.

The centre manager was also really pleased and thanked us for helping the session run smoothly and started sharing other session's she would love our help with and encouraged us to grab a bag of brussels sprouts and radishes on our way out.

It was a lovely, lively session, with charming chaotic moments which the centre manager hopes to iron out by next week's session - but these were probably more of a feature than a fault.

Brrr, the cold snap wasn’t letting up last night, but that didn’t stop our awesome group of runners from showing up and getting straight to work! There was no time to hang around in the freezing temperatures, we were all eager to get moving, warm up, and make a difference.

We welcomed some new faces to the group this evening — a big GoodGym welcome to you all! We’re so glad to have you with us and hope you’ll be back for more fun in the future. Great to have you join us Hannah, Lisa and Benjamin

We kicked things off with a quick warm-up, and Catherine came up with an excellent Monday question - where is the best roast in the area to be found? It got us all thinking (and hungry) — there were some great suggestions but we decided we definitely need to find a good veggie option. Suggestions welcome!

Once we were all warmed up and ready to go, we ran down to the Venue, a community hub that serves as a space for healthy eating classes, kids' groups, storage for donations, and more. Our task for the night was a massive tidy-up. There was plenty of composting, cleaning, and clearing to be done, but the biggest challenge? A pool of dried, spilled cream that had made a sticky mess! It was a tough one, but there was no use crying over spilled, er, cream. With hot water, cleaning fluid, and plenty of elbow grease, we managed to get the job done. No more rancid spillage, just one big sparkling floor!

There was lots to clear away, but with so many hands working together, we got through it all in no time.

After the task, we finished off with a core session. We all got to know each other a little better as we squeezed into one corner and got down to business.Core work helps with stabilising your body when you get tired during a run, so you can maintain good running form. It’s a key part of injury prevention, so well done on some great efforts from everybody.

After a run back we wrapped up with some stretches after all that hard work. Next week we have a new task in Balham, which means we’ll be leaving sharpish to get there. If it sounds like too much of a stretch, you can always meet us there. After the task, we’re having a social at the Four Thieves with some board games — it’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’d love for you to join us!

Some more dates for your diary:

• On Saturday there is this great mission to help clear the paths at a nature reserve

• We have a new regular community mission helping out with a kids club at the Doddington community garden late Thursday afternoons

• If you're free on the morning of the 24th and have an hour to spare, this amazing organisation which is home to several charities needs some help moving two offices around

A group of 9 from GG Wandsworth headed to the west of the borough to help in a local church/community centre garden. We cleared walls of ivy, chopped back hedges and trees, and fought with bramble. With beautiful sunshine and tea/coffee on offer from the hosts, a good time was had by all, and lots achieved.

It was certainly nippy last night, but that did not stop a group of buds coming together to, er, nip some leaves in the bud...

We kicked off the first Monday group run of 2025 with lots of cheers, some bad puns, talking about our favourite cheeses, and by welcoming Helen to her very first session - great to have you join us!

Feelin' gouda

We did a much needed warm up whilst discussing all the future plans that January holds - like this excellent new mission gardening at St Barnabus Church this Saturday and another the following weekend clearing paths at Unigate common.

The Age UK Wandsworth day centre is also looking for old magazines to use for an art project for their older service users. If you have any that you'd like to donate then you can drop them off at the Gwyneth Morgan day centre on East Hill for the attention of Frank, or let me know and I'll sort something out.

Just before setting off we each chose our fave cheese. There was blue (clearly influenced by the sub zero temperatures!), brie, gorgonzola and Wensleydale (which was accompanied by a very interesting Wallace & Gromit fact!)

Brie the best you can be!

It was a short run down to the garden and we wasted no time with cracker-ing on with jobs. There were plenty of brown leaves to be picked to fill the raised beds, compost to be shifted, naked trees to clothe and dead branches to transport. There was an interesting disparity in the size of tools on offer, from massive spades to a teeny tiny fork.

Still, it didn't hold us back and it's always amazing to see just how much can be done in a short amount of time. This is our traditional first task of the year, and it's been a joy to see how the community garden has evolved over the years.

It doesn't get cheddar than this

Job done, and with very little feeling left in any of our extremities we made our way down to the square for some EMOM based fun. With five rounds of exercises completed against the clock, we soon warmed up! Great to see you all work so hard and don't forget that if you have any goals this new year I can help with then don't hesitate to let me know.

Most of the team headed off for the monthly pub quiz social which came down to a nail biting finish. There is another one planned with games towards the end of the month, so watch this space!

Great to see you all for a fantastic start to the year. Don't forget you have three more days to make your GoodGym good deed pledge for January - it's a great way to aim for a target and stick with it.

Looking forward to seeing you all at another session that is guaranteed to beat the January blues soon!

Not even the sub zero temperatures could hold make a group of GoodGymers from meeting up to kick off 2025 in true GG style!

It had been a while since we'd been to the garden, so we were pleased to see we had a few bits and pieces to harvest. These included some healthy kale, a few bits of broccoli and some decidedly micro carrots and leeks! Still, small can be mighty.

We also cleared leaves and weeded, and celebrated kicking of the January challenge with hot drinks across the road. We warmed up with some cake and chats, including what you have to do to get into the royal garden party, notorious rugby team escapades and, of course, our January pledges - have you made yours yet?!

A great way to start the new year - well done everybody!

Volunteering at the community food bank was truly “grape”, as we worked to produce smiles and deliver a cornucopia of kindness. The day began by sorting donations into pear-fectly labeled categories—everything from egg-cellent protein options to souper canned goods. It was all hands on deck to ensure nothing went to waste—no task was too small fry for us!

As the doors opened, it was time to put our bread where our mouths were and hand out the goods. From families to individuals, everyone left with a little more spice in their day, thanks to the well-seasoned team of volunteers. Seeing gratitude in their eyes was the icing on the cake, and though the work was tiring, we all left feeling egg-static about giving back.