A small but perfectly formed group of 6 Goodgymers met at the community centre to form a litter picking plan

After splitting into pairs we made our way round the streets and in no tome at all had filled 6 bags with an array of rubbish including a few single pairs of frozen gloves!

We made our way back to the community centre to deposit of sacks, (like santas poor relations) and then onto our homes to warm up

Another good deed done!

Today (with another Goodgymer, Ben) I helped out at the opening of one of the most loved Maidenhead Christmas traditions: the Tree festival at St Luke’s Church, in Norfolk Road. 73 trees have been decorated this year, by local charities, schools, business, etc (shame not to see the Goodgym one this year!) My job was to welcome people at the door, talk them through the visit and assist them with tokens purchase etc- we were nicely busy for a couple of ours and then off to see the trees!

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!