Tonight’s GoodGym adventure took our group in two directions - to Canbury Community Gardens and Latchmere Park.

The Latchmere Park task was quite straightforward - fill 5 planters with compost. Just a small matter that the compost was in 3 1/2 ton sacks about 100m away from the planters! Emily, Ken, Laura, Petra and Dave donned their gloves and proceeded to fill and empty countless wheelbarrows. the time flew and the task completed with 5 mins to spare. Off to the pub!

Slightly more involved at Canbury Gardens with compost to turn, an elderflower tree to tackle, watering to do and gardening to squeeze in before darkness descended.

Claire kicked things off with an excellent briefing, particularly impressive given the jet lag from her recent trip to Korea! Rachel then provided an unexpected highlight by confidently picking up one of the resident chickens. Despite never having held a chicken before, she looked like a natural, comparing it to picking up her three-legged cat. The chicken seemed perfectly content! 🐔

Luke, Saber and Jonathan got stuck into turning the compost, while also attempting to secretly sign Rachel’s birthday card without her noticing.

Meanwhile, Jana and Marie-Noëlle gave the dead elderflower tree a giant haircut. Marie-Noëlle wielded the enormous loppers on the larger branches, carefully avoiding the tomatoes below, while Jana tackled the smaller ones. Saber later took over with a saw and ended up up the tree, prompting a few concerned looks as we watched his balancing act! 🌳😂

Claire tracked down the wheelbarrows and collected water from the river with Rachel, who later became our human lighting department as daylight disappeared.

Jana then tackled one final job, digging a hole for a donated berry bush, which we just about managed to get planted and watered before darkness took over. 🌱

With everything wrapped up, Claire entertained us with tales from Korea.

Compost turned, tree dramatically restyled, water collected, bush planted, chicken cuddled and birthday card covertly signed, another productive and slightly chaotic GoodGym evening! 💪🌿🐔

This morning I arrived to help Marshall this popular event.

Went to be a marshal for the junior parkrun. Always need volunteers.

This morning bright eyed and bushy tailed, Theodore and Emily arrived to marshal, provide support for the kids that turn up week after week for their parkrun.

In the times Emily has been there some of them have told her proudly they can run faster. Today was a milestone for one as a girl and her mum were going to complete the whole circuit this time. As Theodore says, "consistency is key".

Also, Louise volunteered at a local adult parkrun.

Well done on getting out there and supporting your local park run.

This morning I arrived to be a Marshal for the Junior Park Run, today instructions had to be gone over and repeated as in the kids excitement, risks don' t exist. There is nearly always some first timers.

This afternoon the task was to get rid of all the mickalmas daisies that had spread on the bed, and around the outside. Then we worked pulling out thistles from a area further down in the back of the park. 2 bags later I walked home for my reward [ a cup of tea]