This week’s task took us back to a very familiar place: the home of the Comboni Sisters in Chiswick. It was a bittersweet visit, as the sisters are preparing to move to Birmingham due to the rising cost of staying in their current property. After many years of helping them with gardening, lifting, sorting and everything in between, this was our final task with them — so we were determined to make it count.

Loft Carpets: The Great Descent We kicked things off in the loft, where a fair collection of carpets awaited their journey downstairs.

Jalal, Ariane and Luis were stationed up top, sending the carpets down one by one — some surprisingly heavy! The rest of the team formed a chain below to carry them safely down the multiple flights of stairs. A great bit of teamwork and a proper GoodGym-style warm-up, whether we wanted it or not!

Once the carpets were sorted, we moved outside for some garden TLC.

Jalal took charge of the lawnmower and gave the grass a much-needed cut. The rest of the team focused on weeding and tidying up the borders.

The garden is fairly large, so although we didn’t manage to finish everything, we made a big difference. With a bit of winter sun breaking through, we hope the sisters can enjoy a brighter, tidier space in their final weeks here.

It felt meaningful — and a little emotional — knowing this was our last visit. The sisters have always welcomed us so warmly, and it’s been a privilege to support them over the years. We wish them all the very best in their new chapter in Birmingham.

Great work tonight, team. A strong turnout and an even stronger show of effort and generosity. Done and indeed dusted!! Exactly what GoodGym is all about.

It was a bumper session last night at GG Hounslow, where we had the pleasure of welcoming three new faces, and welcoming back one we hadn't seen in too long! So great to have you join us for the first time Cristina, Mark and Nina, and lovely to have you back for a flying visit Johnny!

With a reprieve from the heat of the last couple of days, we had a beautiful summer's evening to make the most of, so there was no time to waste. After a quick warm up (with a bike based alternative demonstrated by Mark!) we set off for the Comboni centre, a centre for spirituality run by Sisters, who care for sick people.

The lucky first few queuing up at the shed to be handed out tools by Sister Expedita got their hands on trowels, forks and other legitimate utensils, while the others received....bread knives! Still, we didn't let it hold us back, and got to work on the lawns pulling out the weeds coming up thick and fast. It soon became clear that only bad workmen blame their tools, as the knives were more than adequate for the task - and Christina even commented that her broken knife was even more effective. That's proper GG spirit!

Meanwhile Nina and Florian were doing a beautiful job weeding around the beautifully scented roses, while Cookie and Biscuits (aka the two Johnnies) were working to clear a large area around the back of the building.

After 45 minutes of hard work, Sister Expedita was pleased with our work, and after a quick photo opp, we set off for Turnham Green.

That wasn't the end of the hard graft, as we took on the three minute mountain leg challenge, followed by an arm finisher! Phew. Great work everybody! If you're looking for a mission this weekend, why not sign up for this one helping set up at Waterman's Park? It's going to be a fun one!

Eleven goodgymers descended on the Comboni Project on a bright Wednesday evening. The sisters greeted us like old friends and ran through the tasks they were keen to get our help with.

They were especially keen to enlist the help of "two strong men" and within a matter of seconds of arriving, Gus and Steph were led inside and taken to the prayer room. What happened there nobody knows, we are nun the wiser.

According to Steph they went to the 1st floor of the building to make space for a cupboard. Then moved the cupboard from a room on the top floor, through a small landing space down the winding stairs to the room where they had made space. Then moved the furniture back again. If you managed to follow that you're doing better than me...

Eventually the dynamic duo returned to the rest of the group, who by then were on a mission of their own, trying to clear endless weeds from the front and back garden.

Alanna and Jon, were working on the front garden clearing weeds and cutting back herbs. While the rest of us were set to work in the back garden clearing the lawn and two borders.

The sisters worked with us and we managed to fill three bags. Nun too shabby!

We'll be back to continue clearing the lawn and helping the sisters keep on top of the garden very soon.

From foodbanks to the riverside, schools to Chiswick House itself, we cover a variety of organisations for our tasks in Hounslow. One special one was our location last night. We were back for our regular visit to lend a hand to the sisters at the Comboni Centre.

The sisters here run a centre for spirituality where everybody is welcome. They have a huge garden which needs a lot of looking after, and as we were told last night, the youngest of them is in her 60s so some of the bigger jobs are tricky to do.

We were met by lovely Sister Expedita. As her name translates as speed or haste, it was very on brand for GoodGym! She took us round the area handing out jobs as we went.

Tish and Georgia got their hands on loppers and went straight to work on a big overhanging bush, while Paul and Chris were challenged with uprooting and moving various trees. Gus dispatched a huge root in record time but then had the job of sawing it up for the rest of the night. Meanwhile tree surgeons Luis and Emily had shot up a ladder outside, and Jon and Michelle got stuck in weeding and clearing flowerbeds. Will and Jonny were on weeding and clearing, and before long all the jobs were done and dusted!

We took a short run back to the green where we did three sets of three minutes working on three different muscle groups - glutes, abs and arms. With the backdrop of a beautiful sunset and the encouragement of Paul and Luis, we worked our way through them one by one, and finished off with stretches.

If you'd like to continue your week with some more GGing, then there are a number of missions happening, including helping set up an inclusive music event at Waterman's park on Saturday and Sunday.

We were back with our favourite nuns last night, as our task was at the Comboni Centre for Spirituality. The centre is a sacred quiet space open to all, and available for use by individuals, groups and schools as a resource for the vulnerable.

We were greeted with our usual warm welcome from Sister Natalia, and also met the new Sister taking care of the garden and grounds.

It's a huge space and a massive job for just one person, so we were happy to help out. Gus began by replanting the rhubarb, Chris and Alan were tasked with removing the bamboo and clearing the side return, Steph and Emily took on the big job of pruning the front area while Michelle and her trusty mower took care of the expanse of grass, creating a Wimbledon worthy lawn!

All the while we were kept company by the nuns who kept popping out to see us, check we were okay and give us glasses of juice and water.They were there when Alan took a bump to the head, quickly furnishing him with a pack of peas and some words of solace - before insisting we took a picture of him with his dish cloth on his head! It took us the whole session to get the majority of the jobs done but there was still plenty left to take care of, so we'll be back for part two soon.

Before we left more of the sisters emerged for one final photoshoot, and asking when they could get their own GG tshirts! We may have a new spiritual GoodGym branch just off the high road...

There is a lovely community mission happening on Saturday on Turnham Green that could definitely do with some more help if you're free.

Next week we're back at Chiswick House - hope to see you there!

It was a quiet, more mindful task last night in Hounslow as ten of us ran to the Comboni centre for Spirituality for our Wednesday group run. We had an enthusiastic welcome from the incomparable Sister Natalia, who explained all the jobs to be done.

While one half of the team tackled the weeding, edging, pruning and tidying at the front of the centre, the second group were taken round to the back of the building and got started on various tasks.

There was plenty of weeding to be done, and also the small matter of two very large pots to be moved from the back of the building to the kitchen, where Sr Natalie hopes to grow herbs. It seemed simple enough, but when Chris and Emily tried to lift them, they quickly realised that there was no lip to hold onto. After some consideration, the pair created an effective rolling system which - after a bit of practice - worked a treat!

As this is a spiritual place, we were careful to keep noise to a minimum within the garden, and concentrated on the work itself. before we knew it, 45 minute was up and it was time to leave, but not before a group photo - with Sr Natalie in pride of place of course!

We took a speedy run back to the Town Hall and found a spot for a short leg blast. With five minutes, eight exercises, and no breaks, it was intense but effective, especially with the dreaded squat finisher!

Next week instead of a group run we will be doing a Wednesday community mission helping out at Gunnersbury park, so meet Chris and Tish at the North Lodge in Gunnersbury park at 18:45 for a spot of Valentine's bramble bashing!

We also have two missions coming up which need a few pairs of helping hands. Could you spare an hour to help litter pick at Manor Gardens allotments on the 18th?. There is also a fun session to shovel horse manure with Cultivate at the riding school on the 24th. Happy GoodGyming everybody!