One task, double the impact! Tonight 12 GoodGymers carried bin bags of leaves from Christchurch Gardens to Doddington Roof Gardens, proving that one person's trash really is another person's treasure. GoodGym Wandsworth collected the leaves into bags at a previous task, to help keep the church garden, clean, safe and accessible. But rather than see those bags head to landfill, the quick thinking team arranged to carry them a mile down Battersea Park Road and hand deliver them to Chief Gardener Melissa at Doddington Roof Gardens. In their new home, the leaves will be tossed on the compost heap and turned into nutritious mulch to fuel another year of gorgeous garden growth.

We also welcomed Rosie to her first ever GoodGym session and the lovely late summer sun tempted Carol, Andy and Jamie back too! It was great to meet them and to share not one, but two of the local community spaces we have worked with in the past year.

After the task the team took on a 5 minute fitness relay, with two teams going head-to-head in sprints, jumping jacks, plank holds, squats and high knees, to get the heart rate up, test our strength and even have a bit of fun in the meantime. Then it was onto the pub quiz for our monthly social (delayed by one week). Not everyone could stick around this month, but the 6 Salt & Shakers who stayed came a respectable 3rd - no cash prizes for the garden this time, but a good time was had and we all left with a hankering for old-school crisps with names that alliterate (Hula-Hoops, French Fries, Monster Munch...)

It was so great to be back at Doddington Garden again after a few weeks away, and even in that time the garden has sprung up. Tucked away on a rooftop in Battersea, it is an oasis of green that we visit regularly to do lots of different tasks.A much-loved community garden it brings people together and produces some delicious fruit and veg.

It was a bit of a soggy evening, but a happy crew of GoodGymers were delighted to welcome Larisa, Annie and Renee to their first group run. Great to have you join us despite the drizzle!

Once we got there, we got stuck into all sorts of tasks, including getting new plants in the ground, sweeping up leaves to keep paths clear and create mulch, plus shifting compost bags to tidy up the space.

Great to see the garden flourish as the seasons change– and this time we were rewarded with freshly-picked plums straight from the tree. It was a perfect energy boost for the fitness session ahead!

The hard work didn’t stop at gardening - downstairs it was time for a seven-station upper-body blast – press-ups, dips, and a whole mix of arm-burners had us testing our biceps, triceps and traps. We just had time for a run back and some stretches to round off the evening.

Next week, Catherine will be leading the session with plenty of fun, doing good, and getting active guaranteed

Brilliant effort tonight, team!

Not even the threat of torrential rain (and the reality of it later on in the evening!) could put off a compact team of GoodGymers eager to put their energy to good use last night.

A special welcome to Johnnie who braved the weather for his very first session, and earned himself some impressively muddy hands as a badge of honour. Great to have you join us Johnnie (and not only because of your gardening expertise!)

We had brought our usual monthly trip to Doddington forward by a couple of weeks because our task owner Malissa is going to be away, but also because our 9th birthday celebration falls on our regular day. Make sure you join us for plenty of fun, doing good, and birthday themed fitness.

So with the clouds rumbling overhead we ran down to the garden and got straight to work. Jobs included thinning out the borders, digging holes and planting donated shrubs, and waging an ongoing war on a tough root ball (which we eventually won). Thank goodness we managed to get out off making those jammy snail traps!

Towards the end of the task we were forced under cover as the heavens opened, but it just gave us a chance to admire the beautiful plants and produce all around us grown by local people. From fat figs, to climbing squash, stunning lilies to fruiting apple trees, the place was thriving.

The rain was showing little sign of stopping, so we decided to bite the bullet and finish the task. Great job everybody!

Instead of fitness in the square, we broke up the run back with different stations, all focused on the glutes. The targeted workouts aimed at giving us buns of steel, and also earned us a few bemused looks from the passing drivers! We finished off with a hill sprint and stretches before heading back to dry off. Nice work on a very soggy evening! Next week we'll be back in the sunshine at beautiful St Mary's - hope to see you there!

On a gloriously sunny Monday evening, a merry band of GoodGym Wandsworth legends laced up their trainers and headed skyward—well, eventually—towards the leafy heights of Doddington Rooftop Gardens.

Joining us for their very first GoodGym escapade were the fabulous Mariella, Samand Karen! We can confirm they passed the initiation test with flying colours (and only mild compost-related trauma). Welcome to the gang—you’ve officially earned your sweat badges. 🌟

After a breezy run that had us all feeling deceptively fresh and full of sunshine-fuelled optimism, we arrived at the gardens… and were immediately greeted by many, many bags of compost. They weren’t going to carry themselves up several flights of stairs, so with military precision (and a good amount of giggling), a human chain was formed. Efficiency levels were high. Biceps were engaged. By the end, we were wearing more compost than clothes.

Meanwhile, an elite fridge-hunting squad was dispatched to a mysterious building nearby to retrieve a rogue refrigerator that was apparently playing hide and seek. Rumours of fridge-related riddles and mazes are still unconfirmed, but huge props to Dave and Caroline, who found the elusive appliance and to Sam who heroically hauled it up the stairs and into position like an absolute legend.

Back at base camp, composting dreams came true: leaves were swept, a giant compost patch was lovingly sculpted, and weeds were decisively evicted. Shoutout to Mariella, who took on one particularly stubborn root system with the determination of someone trying to cancel a gym membership—no weed stood a chance.

Just when we thought our upper bodies might revolt, it was time for a partnered HIIT session—but with a twist: we paired up with people we hadn’t chatted to yet. Lunges, squats, and a bit of mid-squat small talk ensued. Apparently, nothing says “let’s get to know each other” like high knees and mutual breathlessness.

To round off a Monday evening well spent, we made our way to The Latchmere for our much-loved monthly pub quiz, where compost facts were (probably) not part of the trivia, but team spirit was sky-high.

3 GoodGymers supported Doddngton & Rollo Roof Garden after-school club for parents and their children.

It was lovely to see Katie & Sahil who came to their first session at the after school club and made lightwork of the pizza , chips, fruit & frozen yoghurt preparation while the serving station was being prepared with tea , coffee and soft drinks for this offering. In the process the after school homework club in another annex seeing all this preparation requested some refreshments too for their students, so we quickly found a way to make this happen. and provided refreshments for two groups instead of one.

Lovely chatty moments with parents including one parent who took it on herself to explain who the people in the red t'shirts are to other enquirers and who also shared she wants to know more about volunteering for the Doddington. So we started talking about GoodGym volunteering too, Watch this space for more .....