A group of us carried on the work from last week and continued to plant the hedging whips (who knew they were called that?!) in Morden Recreation Ground. We got into a great pattern of whipping and sticking and lots were planted! Congratulations to Alex who completed her 25th GoodGym session!

Tonight’s group session at Merton’s Community Fridge proved that no two missions are ever quite the same. We were originally tasked with moving and replacing shelving, which involved shifting a large number of items from the storage area - but the task list quickly grew as we gained more sign ups!

In true GoodGym style, we took it all in our stride. While some of us handled a decanting of pet food job, others tackled the opportunity to deep-clean the elusive spaces behind the fridges. Whilst of course the shelves were built, moved and dismantled. Fortunately, Ben had a toolbox on hand to provide that extra GG magic, ensuring the new shelves were securely fixed to the wall.

It was a fantastic productive night - what an amazing team effort. A big welcome to Atif and Ben for joining your first ever Merton group session. We really hope to have you join us again soon.

Tonight, we arrived at the South Mitcham Community Association for a deep-cleaning marathon that really tested our range. We didn't just stick to one corner; we were everywhere, scrubbing tables and chairs, removing the mysterious sticky residue that community centres seem to generate and scraping off specks if paint. Once the furniture was looking suspiciously clean, we pivoted to the bookcases and another room upstairs for some thorough book organising and more - cleaning!

It was great to help out at this community space and with such a great turnout we could take our time. Which meant we had a few minutes to spare and a chance to sit down and take a moment to thank Caroline with a card and gift. After a year of leading us as Area Activator, she’s stepping down. Thanks for all your support.

Tonight, we took on a fresh challenge at a new location: Morden Park Baptist Church. We dived straight into the kitchen, emptying cupboards and scrubbing every inch. Our efficiency was so high that we even had time to tackle both halls, clearing away the cobwebs and giving every surface a thorough clean.

Seeing three spaces completely transformed in under an hour is incredibly rewarding - especially since we were down a few regulars and a small group.

A huge well done to the team and a massive welcome to Zahrah on her very first session. We hope to see you back for another mission very soon.