GoodGym was back at Nursing Home to continue helping clear an area of garden for a new pergola and seating area for staff. Today's task was to cut down three large shrubby trees, remove another lower shrub and finish clearing the area of any other vegetation.

The rain kindly eased off, allowing the merry band of 5 GoodGymmers to get stuck in and with an array of tools provided, they did just that.

John and Miranda (undeterred by the weather to attend her first session, showing true GoodGym spirit!) tackled the low height shrub, while Holly and Anne reduced the tree-shrubs to stumps to be extracted in Phase 2.

Two new tonne bags were filled quickly. Varda the task owner had luckily brought her kids who willingly jumped up and down in the bags so we could get more in.

Lobo turned up in time to supervise jumping, advise on pergola dimensions and ultimately take on the grand task of removing the tree-shrub roots with the pickaxe, which everyone else was too scared to use.

Despite a valiant attempt, however, the task left us stumped..... as the roots were far too deep to dig out. Another attempt will be made some other time when an electric saw is added to the collection of available tools.

After an hour or so of hard graft, the task was complete, everyone was caked in mud and very pleased with themselves.

We'll be back at Mary Seacole Nursing Home on Sunday 26th January to put up the pergola. Join us if you can.

Three queens achieved levels of garden clearing success worthy of a Christmas miracle. There wasn't quite gold, frankenscence and myrhh in the stacked garden waste bags, but it just as rewarding.

It was a beautifully sunny morning and in spite of low last minute turnout, the GoodGymmers were not about to turn away a challenge. Anne and Sooz met task leader Varda and the three women made light work of a huge clearance.

Come back for the next part of the task where we get to grips with uprooting a huge tree and clearing the remaining ivy, ready for turf laying.

See you in January!