A year on from our first session in this garden, it was lovely to see how well it's coming along, with the first daffodils shyly emerging and the impressive new bay tree resplendent in its pot. For this session we were planting fruit trees, moving blackcurrant and raspberry bushes, cutting back lemon balm and doing some weeding, all under the knowledgeable supervision of Inger. The sun came out and it didn't really feel like January. We'll be back next month!

Lovely couple of hours spent at the Mitcham Community Orchard & Garden today. Helped tidy up the nature pond whilst enjoying a rare bit of sunshine. Coffee, cake and a chat with the other volunteers afterwards made for a very pleasant morning.

A duo of GoodGymers headed to the Wimbledon Quarter to support The Wheel with their first clothes swap event. We hit the ground running (and lifting), helping to move tables, unload bags of stock, and transform the space into an organized hub for pre-loved donations.

A productive morning at Mitcham Orchard preparing the orchard for the colder months:

Mulching: We spread mulch around the trees. Learning that this vital layer insulates roots, retains moisture, and suppresses weeds. Harvesting herbs: The air was filled with fragrance as we harvested the rosemary and oregano, carefully bunching the sprigs. These bundles are now ready for drying and sharing, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

It was a delightful and productive session, with everyone enjoying the fresh air and the satisfaction of getting outside and active.

We paired up to support Sustainable Merton this afternoon at the Greener Giving Pop-Up Market at Wimbledon Quarter. Tasked with a mission to direct passers by to the one day only event we were armed with leaflets and plenty of GoodGym smiles. A great way to get a few extra steps as we lured the footfall in from the outside. A simple but sometimes challenging job, but supporting a great local charity and some lovely independent stalls.

As ever, the regular volunteer day at the community garden was a hive of activity. We got stuck in loading wheelbarrows, mulching flower beds, digging over the compost and generally having a good workout in the mild weather. A mischief of mice, an armada (yes!) of newts and an inquisitive robin all livened up a very enjoyable session and meant we stayed well over the hour. We'll be back!