It was a drizzly start to the session last night, but it was distinctly cheered up by seeing lots of lovely regular faces, some new ones to the group and even a familiar one back after a little time away - everybody is welcome at GoodGym Wandsworth and always will be!

After a warm up which activated our major muscles we did a quick poll to find out our favourite plants and flowers as tonight we were off to Paradise Community Garden. This space was once derelict land but has been transformed into a stunning garden full of flowers, bees, a pond and a community area for local children and residents to use.

We had a long list of jobs to do, but as always our first task was trying to crack the lock to get in. Thanks to Annabel's expertise once again we made our entrance to find the first of our jobs right in front of us. The head gardener Vicky had sent across some detailed instructions about how to fix the wobbly, unsafe path. She had marked the slabs to be replaced with chalk crosses, which added an extra element of challenge as it had been raining all afternoon. Luckily the chalk had mainly survived so we got cracking shifting heavy slabs and replacing them with hardcore. Now I know the clue is in the name, but the sheer weight of the hardcore bags was shocking! Well done to Steph who somehow managed to transport them to their final destination using a pretty wobbly wheelbarrow. Now that's a workout and a half.

Meanwhile another team was sorting out an uneven path in some dim and dark conditions, while other jobs included moving a massive stove and some heavy tiles around the garden. I think it's safe to say this was quite a labour intensive session but it's these kinds of jobs that really make a difference to small teams of volunteers that run important spaces such as Paradise.

After 40 minutes of hard work we all locked our tools back up and gathered by the exit. Or did we? Turns out that while Eva and Athene were having a surprisingly relevant discussion about how they'd fare in escape rooms and were concentrating so hard on their job in hand that somehow I had missed them in the depths of the garden. Luckily my mistake was spotted before they had to spend the night there!

To finish off the evening we did a five minute leg blast which tested our muscles and built strength, as well as displaying the many ways you can do a variation on fast feet!

Next Monday we're off to Sacred Heart School to help with various gardening jobs with the head. Until then, have a great week GoodGym!

Despite the less than pretty weather, an amazing group of GoodGymers, led by Lorna, headed out to lend a hand at Age UK in Wandsworth.

After a warm up the group ran up to the Gwyneth Morgan Day Centre for older people, a lovely local resource which offers vulnerable and older people physical disability specialist day services and aims to maximise people’s independence by providing support and activities, community-based outreach work and help to become digitally connected.

They have a fleet of buses they use to transport their users to the centre and they asked us to come and help them out by giving them a good wash so they are spick and span for our lovely local residents.

The team got to work with gloves, sponges, buckets and soapy water giving it some proper elbow greaseand bus-ting moves to transform the vehicles. Well done everybody, great work!

Don't forget there is an extra opportunity tomorrow to help out an environmental clothes charity tomorrow, and next Monday we'll be popping up to Paradise to help out this great community space. Until then, have a great week all!

The temperature was dropping last night but excitement levels were on the rise as we headed back to St Mary's School and its epic slide!

We kicked off the night with a much needed warm up and welcomed Patsie to her very first session. As it was Blue Monday - supposedly the gloomiest day of the year although there were no signs of it in Wandsworth - we all named something that brought us joy. Food was very popular, especially, cheese, chocolate and lasagna, as was running, football, dogs and being outside.

It was about 2kms down to the school and we made it there in no time. Jared, the school's brilliant head, was waiting for us with plenty of sacks, and we soon got stuck in. The job was to empty the raised beds on the upper terrace so that the school could create a climate change garden. The area will be filled with plants for the children to help identify, sow and care for, particularly ones that don't need as much rain and so will be sustainable through climate change.

It was chilly work but we soon warmed up with some labour intensive activity. While the upstairs team shoveled, filled, then posted bags through the entrance to the slide, Jordan and Dave were waiting at the bottom to catch them. They were then transported through the building to the courtyard by Jamal, Jared and Catherine in a very efficient human chain! Great work everybody.

Next week we've got an inside task at a local scout hall, which we'll be giving a big spring clean. See you there to banish those January blues!

It's been a complete cracker of a year at GoodGym Wandsworth, and last night we saw out 2022 with a magical Christmas task.

We started off the evening with a warm up and a chat about what we dream of finding under the tree on Christmas morning. Masses of chocolate, flights, a house, a dog - hopefully you all get spoiled this year with that lot! After some festive snowfall the night before, we were very careful with our warm up and run down, taking it slowly to avoid the ice.

Providence House is a youth centre and community organisation that aims to bring local people together and give them opportunities, and we were met by director Esther. She had set up a series of tables with all manner of fun materials, including pens, stickers, stencils and glitter. Our job for the evening was to write cards to be included in loads of goodie bags that were being sent out to vulnerable people.

Fueled by some amazing baked goods from Kelly and Lorna and a whole load of chocolate we got stuck in and soon the creativity was flowing, helped along by the Christmas songs in the background. A warm inside task and no fitness session because of the weather? A Christmas miracle!

Before too long we had created 40 cards complete with uplifting messages to make somebody feel good this Christmas. We got stuffing them into the bags and had a quick tidy up. Great job Christmas elves!

It was then time for the Christmas social so with yet more cake we headed off to a local pub for the Great GoodGym Wandsworth Quiz of the Year. It was a trip down memory lane for us all, but it was Team Triangle of Sadness that came out Victorious with an honourable mention for GoodGym Made Me Do It for best team name!

It's been a fantastic year of doing good across Wandsworth and brilliant to welcome some new faces. Here's to another year of making a difference in the community and a HUGE THANK YOU to you all for everything you do.

There is loads going on over the Christmas period, including helping prep Christmas lunch, making deliveries, and helping host Christmas day at Battersea Arts Centre. Our first group run back of the year is on Monday 9th January - hope to see you there!

Have a very well earned rest and happy festivities to you all!

Last night temperatures were dropping but thanks to the increasing festivities, a very positive task, and a most exciting milestone, spirits were rising!

Our job for the evening was at a local theatre, Omnibus, a charity which aims to bring the arts to everybody, especially young people and the local community.

We kicked off the evening with a warm up whilst also trying to spot the celebs arriving at the BAC for that evening's comedy. No luck - maybe next week!

Most importantly, we celebrated our very own celeb for the evening, Stephanie who reached that magic milestone - 100 good deeds! Absolutely brilliant, give her a massive cheer! You can check out the star herself quite rightly taking centre stage in the photos above.

After a frosty run to the theatre we were greeted by Marie who told us that they'd finally had permission to create a lovely garden in the space behind the theatre. It is a large area with a beautiful mature apple tree but they haven't been able to take ownership of it before now. Luckily the time has come, so we set about giving it a massive weed and going over. First though there was a question of a number of beautiful Christmas trees which had to be moved. With the scent of pine in the air we made like good stage hands and shifted them all to their rightful place.

Next was clearing the area, transporting wooden fencing, litter picking, tarpaulin straightening and rubbish stacking. After all that the space was starting to look a lot better, and it won't be long until we can head back to spread soil and start planting!

We headed outside for our winter warmer body blast, and, trying to ignore the very warm and toasty looking pub opposite, got stuck in to our workout. For 45 seconds at a time we tackled all the main muscle groups and worked up a sweat.

Next week would you believe it is already our last group run of the year? But don't worry, there will still be plenty going on. We have a great session planned writing Christmas cards for isolated people followed by our festive social next week - don't miss out! Plus there are several great missions going on this weekend including wrapping present sofr refugees and making Ukrainian refugees feel welcome.