Collecting the litter spread far and wide across Kingston and beyond. Friday feel-good vibes attained by stepping outside, getting some fresh air and making our environment a cleaner place for everyone :)

The streets of New Malden are clear of litter and overhanging spiky plants thanks to a great group of GoodGymers!

Armed with loppers, secateurs and litter pickers Claire, Doris, Emily, Jade, Petra, Tom, Rachel, Dave and Emma met up with Councillors Kamala Kugan, Andrew Bolton and Andrew Sillett, who were keen for us to tidy up the roads in Coombe Vale.

We filled numerous bin bags with litter from the grass verges and alleyways and two huge waste bags with cuttings from plants which have been blocking the pavements.

The councillors were very grateful for the difference we made in such a short time as well as a few residents who popped out to thank us.

A very satisfying way to spend a sunny evening topped off with a chatty run back to our base at the Quaker Centre.

A great group run to Sobraon House last night where we helped to tackle another section of the garden of this assisted living home. A huge pampas grass had taken over and was overhanging the walkway making it difficult for Reg, one of the residents, to get his wheelchair past without being attacked by the sharp leaves. GoodGym to the rescue!

Sabir and Jade got started on the hue pampas grass which must have been about 10 feet wide. It had been left to grow and my word it was a giant of a plant. They pulled out the dead leaves with their hands and got the loppers out for the rest. Now you see it, now you don't!

Tom, Melanie and Anne, our lovely local councillor, got started on the trellis and got the overhanging leaves to a more manageable length whilst also tackling other areas of greenery that had gone to town with all the rain and sun. The big brush was used to go round all the walkways to increase accessibility and it very quickly improved the aesthetics of the garden.

Rachel and Emma filled up a huge waste bag with bits of metal, broken plant pots and all manner of waste found in the beds. Gross a job as it was, it was soon done, and a grotty corner was grotty no more.

The time went quickly and we had to work hard to get all the cuttings out the garden and by the road for collection by Glendale the next day. The whole of the garden had more light and was a whole lot more accessible than when we first arrived. Reg had been watching and encouraging us and at the end he was asked his thoughts on our hard work. "It's magic', he said giving us the big thumbs up.

Soon it was time to head off and some of us ran off to The McFly concert down the road at Pryzm! A great task and a fun GoodGym evening out as well.

Well done to Melanie on her first task! Welcome to the group and thank you for all your hard efforts. There's another task for Sobraon House in July so sign up for it to help this community.

To celebrate the launch of the GoodGym partnership with Raleigh, six of us ran and cycled back to the gardens at Sobraon House, in Elm Road, Kingston, this week to finish the job we started.

After lots of clearing, cutting back and pulling down tonnes of a fast-spreading vine which was smothering all the trees and blocking the light, we now had the daunting task of bagging up all the garden waste.

After our brisk run there, we used secateurs and garden shears to chop it up, easily filling three large haulage sacks. We also continued to clear dead shrubs, broken pots and furniture dumped around the estate to try and improve the environment for the residents in the retirement blocks.

Thankfully we had a much drier evening and were then able to enjoy a glorious run back to our base along the River Thames , all feeling great about what we had achieved and enjoying the setting sun. And on our way home we enjoyed a little chocolate treat thanks to Raleigh - delicious!

A big warm welcome to Julie on her first mission with GoodGym - so lovely to meet you. Hope to see you on another task soon.

A drizzly night at Sobraon House where we were tasked by Kingston Council to get rid of all the rubbish and cut back some large conifers in their garden so the residents with assisted living will be able to enjoy it for the summer.

No mean feat as it proved a mighty haul as the bulk had been illegally fly tipped over the fence. Plastics, metal, and broken garden furniture including an old swing seat that all needed to be removed.

Our hardy runners arrived and joined Kingston Councillor Anne Owen, a bit damp but in good spirits, and we all got stuck in to fill 3 huge haulage bags as well as lug the broken furniture to the collection point for Kingston Council's waste to collect.

We'll be back next week to chop up the green waste which is likely to fill another 3 huge haulage bags.

Could this be GoodGym's largest haul yet?

The standard issue litter pickers may not have been up to the task but we were toasty hot in collecting as much litter as we could reach. From a toasty machine and mobile phone to your standard cans, glass jars, boxing glove and carefully placed dog poo bags where the dog poo bin used to be... there was all sorts of rubbish to be found. But this man's junk was no one's treasures.

We met with Alison, a local resident, in the car park who told us of the places to find loads of litter. We didn't have to go far as the car park itself resembled a mini Villiers Road tip! But we split up into various groups anyway and tried to tackle as many areas as possible bringing the full to bursting bags back to be collected at some stage.

The job's not done yet though, with plenty more we couldn't quite get to so next time, come armed with shears and clippers for the brambles and extra durable pickers!

Shout out to Junior GG Kingston member Arthur earning his photography badge and in beating Laura in their alley way sprints.

** Disclaimer: No children's ears were boxed in, in the completion of this mission. **