It was a small but mighty GoodGym Westminster group last night for our visit to the Abbey Centre in central London. There really is no stopping Brenda, who arrived straight from another task, having just been helping out at Traid. Amazing GoodGyming!

Our task was at this wonderful community hub in the heart of Westminster. The Centre has been supporting the local community for decades and provides a huge range of activities and services, from health and wellbeing sessions and activities for older people to community support, advice, social groups and practical help for people experiencing hardship. Last night our contribution was in the the Lemon Pip Garden. It's a lovely community space designed for local people to grow, relax and spend time together, with accessible planters and seating. It can be used for gardening, social sessions, outdoor activities, art and simply enjoying a bit of green space in the middle of Westminster.

Brenda grabbed the hose and set about giving the plants a much-needed drink, before turning her attention to the fallen leaves and sweeping everything up. Meanwhile, I headed inside and started sweeping the downstairs stairs from top to bottom - soon realising just how many flights of stairs there actually are in this former Victorian swimming baths building!

With both jobs done, the garden was looking neat, tidy and nicely watered, ready for another day of community use.

Two GoodGymers joined one of Westminster’s newest and most rewarding community tasks, teaming up with Under One Sky to make and pack sandwiches for people sleeping rough. Using donated food, we helped prepare supplies for the charity’s outreach night walks, turning simple ingredients into practical support for those facing food insecurity. It’s a straightforward task, but one that delivers a real and immediate impact.

A special mention goes to Gloria, who is an absolute star and a joy to volunteer alongside. She keeps the session running smoothly, creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and, as a fellow Law & Order fan, always makes for great company. A genuinely worthwhile task with fantastic people, plenty of laughs, and the chance to make a tangible difference. This one is definitely worth putting on your GoodGym to-do list.

A GoodGymer popped into TRAID’s buzzing central London charity shop to help sort and hang donated clothes, giving quality items a second life and helping keep usable clothing out of landfill. Every rail refreshed and garment hung supports TRAID’s work funding projects that empower the people who make our clothes, from organic cotton farmers to garment workers. A simple task with a big impact, and of course, it counts as a session too!

One GoodGymer helped rescue surplus pastries from Gail’s on Buckingham Palace Road and delivered them to St Mary’s Church for Under One Sky. Instead of going to waste, the pastries will be shared with people experiencing homelessness, turning leftover food into a simple act of kindness for the local community.

It seems Sardines are in short supply at the moment - another week where the shelves were bare of all varieties (albeit there were no little gems nor courgettes either). Mr R is convinced that people are stockpiling "essentials" in preparation for "something". Occasionally doorstep conversations with Mr R can take a darker tone...

When I got back to Mrs S's with her shopping this morning, she asked me if I'd passed anyone on the staircase coming up. I wasn't sure if this was an observation or memory test (or both), but could only reply that I hadn't...Mrs S then explained that a nurse had visited only moments earlier to take an armful of blood from her (well a small vial's worth...) and all had gone painlessly...rather like her shopping for this morning (thankfully) - even the sardines were back.