10 GoodGymmers "came together" outside the Braywick Nature Centre on a much warmer evening that we've been having of late to attempt to build stag beetle habitats. Unfortunately, upon trying to locate the equipment we realised that our task owner may have accidentally forgotten we were coming and hence had to think of a plan B(eetle). Perhaps "Yesterday" I should have sent a reminder to say "Don't let me down". Amy and I even tried calling for "Help!", but alas, in the end we just had to "Let it be".

Thankfully our glorious leader Amy had a colony of litter pickers in the boot of her car (sadly, not a VW Beetle!) so we set to work with the intention of having a social walk around the parkrun loop, a very "long and winding road", whilst clearing up any litter we saw en route.

We stag-gered around together, chatted and cleaned up a few bags of rubbish. Great job team! Hopefully we can return another evening to give the beetles a "little help from their friends" so they can "twist and shout" in their new home!

We also congratulated Tony on his 50th good deed this evening! Well done Tony!

The community allotment task was cancellled so seven intrepid good gymers and a dog (Flora) set off in the sleet and snow to pick up rubbish. They searched gutters, delved high and low in hedges and scanned the green spaces to fill up five bags before returning to the meeting place. They celebrated with delicious marble chocolate cake baked by Jess before setting off for home!

7 Goodgymmers paraded around Maidenhead in the rain delivering leaflets for the Norden Farm Latern Parade!

The team met and after a swift briefing and photo they split into two groups. Jen, Anne-Laure and Georgetta set off to cover Fotherby Court and Langdale Close whilst Ben, Angela, Viv and Jess covered the Wallingford Way estate.

The Wallingford gang finished quite rapidly as there were lots of inaccessible flats and so they set off to meet the others and finsh off their area. It seems this team were speed leafletters as everything was soon done......but Jess had another estate up her sleeve and so everyone headed for Greenfields and rapidly dispatched more leaflets.

Discussions tonight covered the variances in location of front doors and also height of letterboxes - some down low, requiring some squatting to reach, and others just right for a small forward lunge and arm extension! Overall this task had it all - Do Good and Get Fit!!

With some leaflets left over everyone took a handful to deliver in their local streets.....the more the merrier at the latern parade! a little washed out we took another photo, but I'll let you guess in which order the photos were taken!

7 Goodgymmers met at the Mencap Society hub in Highview House.

Colin, our task owner, and hardworking volunteer at Mencap showed us the front garden which needed tidying up. There were trees to trim, shrubs to shear, weeds to wrangle and leaves to sweep, plenty to keep us busy!

Tony set to work tackling the bigger trees and brambles, while Ben took charge of sweeping the leaves from the paths. Viv took aim at the front of the garden cutting back the overhanging plants. Didem, Anna and Anne-Laure and Jess set to work on the weeds, all not entirely sure what should be pulled out!

In just 30 minutes the team had made a huge difference to the area and the change was clear to see. The rest of the time was then spent tidying up the clippings and getting more of the pesky weeds out! Two full green bins later the team had done a superb job.

Colin invited us in for tea and cake and to see the members who were their for their Wednesday night club. It is such a lifeline to many people in the community and it was great to be able to help them.

9 Goodgymers and 1 head of the PTA made their way to all saints school for a round of hole digging for the planting of trees by the children, bin emptying followed by the collection of nearly 2 hippo bags full of leaves!

It didn’t go unnoticed that it was the first task Louise has lead where it didn’t rain! which has clearly now jinxed the coming tasks

A play on the scooters found in the bike storage ensured that we were entertained and warmed up nicely before we all made our way home to warm up frozen toes and noses!