This morning we attended tne Dons Local Action Group networking breakfast which was a great way to connect with some of the local community. We even had an impromptu moment on the mic, where we shared a brief few words about what we do.

We chatted with old contacts and made some great new connections, even picking up a couple of exciting potential requests for help! It was particularly encouraging to find that far more people have heard about GoodGym than when we attended last year.

Huge thanks to the Dons Local Action Group for hosting, it was a truly worthwhile start to the day!

Last night our trusty crew tackled a truly rewarding task, proving once again that a little sweat and a lot of smiles can make a big difference. Our mission after running to the Methodist Church was to extract the sunflower seeds from the flower heads, retrieve the last tomatoes from the plants in the greenhouse, pulverise the sunflower stalks with a mallet (Jo particularly enjoyed this) and generally tidy and prepare the garden for the colder months. By the end of the evening everything was shipshape and there were heaps of green tomatoes ready to be transformed into chutney. Now that's something to relish.

We swapped our running shoes for networking shoes today and attended the Carers Information Event at Raynes Park Library to share more about Missions in Merton. With a guest appearance from an ex-Merton GoodGymmer (who had moved away) it was a great opportunity to catch up with other volunteers, organisations and meet a few new faces.

It was hugely encouraging to hear some positive feedback from those who have already referred an individual - proof that our practical support is making a real difference. We're hoping to get more GoodGym members 'mission verified' so we can continue lending a helping hand where it's needed most.

This was a post-parkrun mission teaming up to support Merton Friends of the Earth with vital tree care in Morden Park. The windy weather guaranteed a physical workout as we dove into the saplings, carefully clearing the competing weeds, vines, and grass. The job was finished by applying a good layer of mulch to nourish and protect the young trees. Mission complete, followed by cozy coffee and chat with other volunteers before heading off having had a very active start to the weekend - well done team!

It might have been blowing a hooley but that didn't deter our hard-working team, including Isabella who was joning her first Merton session. Maggie set us to work clearing leaves (the wind had already made a start) and planting, while Williams spent his second day in a row taking care of compost! The local residents are all super appreciative and one even donated a chocolate cake. As the evenings are getting shorter, we ended the session in head torches. This may be our last evening here for a while but it will be lovely to see the fruits of our labour come spring.