It was due to be everyones favourite task....painting!! the downpour of rain that started as we gathered outside Glass Mill put a stop to that. After a couple of texts back and forth, we had a new plan of action:

• clear area of driveway for wildflower seeds to be sown
• clear overgrown weeds from fence line (can weeds ever not be overgrown?)
• clear weeds from paths and flower beds
• untangle bindweed

We divided into groups to conquer the tasks and battled with the rain that was still pouring down! A bit of rain doesn't stop GoodGymers but by the time we left waterproof jackets had certainly been tested to their limits!

On Saturday we're heading to Marsha Phoenix Trust for some post-parkrun gardening.

Our task was the clear the weeds and grass at the farthest end of the driveway, it was a good old fashioned goodgym digging and weeding session.

The weeds were tough to get up at first and we didn’t think we’d make much progress but once in a rhythm we cleared a huge section, spending a couple of extra minutes making sure we made it to the fence line. Great work everyone!

We’re heading back on 16th May to paint the fence panels, don’t forget to sign up!

Really cool project to make the garden space at Saint Swithun a nice place to be being driven forward by one local volunteer! I helped prepare the ground for more pretty flowers by pulling weeds and taking up some patchy turf. Project is ongoing - no doubt goodgym runners will be back!

This week we were heading back over to Saint Swithun's church to tackle the weeds. As soon as we arrived we noticed the amazing display of colours from the tulips and other flowers I don't know the name of but I do know that we planted them at a community mission some months back.

The task for this evening was weeding, weeding and more weeding. We divided the tools amongst us and a team headed out onto the pavement to clear the weeds along the fence line whilst the rest of the group tacked the weeds in between the plants and anywhere else they could find them.

It didn't take us long to clear as much as we could and with the tools we had. There was just one stubborn patch of grass that didn't want to be removed.

With all the weeds bagged up into black bin bags it was time for a quick group photo around the only light we could find and then back to our run to Glass Mill. We took a slight detour on the way back, heading into Ladywell Fields to start a running train and work on our sprinting. The train might've crashed once but once we got into a rhythm, it was fantastic to see everyone sprinting to the front.

Great work tackling those weeds everyone!! We're heading back on 16th April to work on clearing the weeds in the driveway.

Having only just missed the last of the daylight (roll on the clock change!), 12 GoodGymers began the evening with a brief reminiscing about last Friday’s group social to Lewisham Lanes, where natural bowling talent was supplemented by some bumper bars use (plus a few Jägerbombs for one team!).

Following a quick warmup, we headed 1 mile uphill toward Hither Green and the familiar venue of St Swithun’s church. We’ve been helping them gradually reclaim their outdoor spaces from nature’s grip across several tasks since their post-lockdown(s) re-opening.

This evening’s task came with an extra challenge, as we had only 5 tools between 12 of us with which to tackling the weeds alongside paths and around planting beds… no problem for hardened GoodGymers, though, as a pair of gloves and some elbow grease is all we need!

Working seamlessly between diggers, forkers and pickers, within 45 mins we’d filled half a dozen black sacks with weeds and grasses and the gardens were looking a lot more cared for!

Having taken a different and slightly longer route back to Glass Mills, the (now dirtier) dozen warmed down to the now regular soundtrack of the nearby spinning class.

With spring slowly making an appearance it was time for us to head back to Saint Swinthun’s and continue clearing another area of the garden and this time it was the driveway. Welcome Luana to your first GoodGym task - hope we'll see you at another soon!

It might have been damp and a cold wind but that didn’t stop us dedicated GoodGymers, we set about gathering some tools and clearing the weeds and grass. There was a lot of wild garlic and grass and some unexpected surprises including a buried toothbrush and a fancy slug.

Once we’d piled all the weeds at the far end of the driveway, it was time to head our separate ways with a spring in our step knowing we’d had a productive morning!