It was a beautiful sunny morning today at the Forest School Allotment. Helen, Amy, Rachel and Julie started off by moving the compost from the old raised bed which was in a shady corner into the new beds in the sunnier side. It was heavy work but with a few of us we worked quickly, so there was time to help Alex with some heavy lifting jobs that needed doing. We moved some bags of compost and some heavy plant pots into their new homes. It was great to see the results of some of our earlier efforts, with some plants we’d saved from the old beds and pots coming into flower. Kate and Rob brought their new arrival to say hello, and we all enjoyed spending some time with the animals (goats, rabbits and best of all CHICKENS). A great task today and a big welcome to Amy on her first Goodgym mission.

Saturday morning 6 GoodGymers were back at Canbury Community Garden to help Marilyn transfer the old compost into the new bins at the shady end of the garden. Team 1 prepared the new compost bin area under the watchful eye of resident Robin. Team 2 dug up the old compost pile, giving it a good stir and wheelbarrowed it over to the new bins. The four hens helper soon dived in, scratching for food and wriggly treats. The old bins will soon be torn down to make way for some new planters!

On a crisp autumn morning, Jane, Helen, Petra, Jana, and Jana’s dad took on the daunting task of clearing the day centre terrace of its leafy blanket. The mission was made especially tricky as we discovered there wasn’t a broom or rake in sight. Armed only with bare hands, we dove in with determination and a good dose of humour.

Before long, our efforts were rewarded, and we cheered as two wheelie bins and three bin bags overflowed with evidence of our hard work. A well-earned tea break followed, where Petra and Jana’s dad kept us entertained with nostalgic stories of growing up in the Czech Republic. The camaraderie made the chilly task feel warm and lively.

However, just as we toasted our progress, a playful gust of wind arrived, scattering a fresh wave of leaves onto the terrace. Undeterred, the team switched gears and began tackling weeds lurking between the paving stones.

One final sweep (by hand, of course!), and we declared victory over the terrace. Huge thanks to the team for their energy, laughter, and hard work. Great job, everyone—until the next round of leaves falls!