This week’s GoodGym task was a split mission, with half the group heading to support the brilliant charity Growbaby.

Rachel, Jana, Manasa, Ellie, Emily and Laurel went o Growbaby and we started by sorting a huge collection of teddy bears. Once that was finished, the manager of Growbaby arrived with her large four-wheel-drive car ready for a dump run the next day — and we quickly got to work loading it up.

Rachel took on the role of chief car packer while the rest of us formed a human chain carrying everything from baby carriers and highchairs to old chairs and other bulky items. We managed to fill the car completely — there wasn’t room for a single extra item!

After that, Emily and Manasa sorted bookshelves upstairs, Ellie organised toys downstairs, and Jana, Laurel and Rachel sorted baby clothes.

In just one hour, we got through every task and helped make the space far more organised for the Growbaby team and the families they support. A great team effort all round!

Hestia's Room of Doom

Tonight we ran, walked and cycled our way to Hestia to tackle their room of doom.

Having donned our gloves after a quick biscuit (we were spoilt again by John) we emptied the contents of the room. There was an eclectic mix of items with enough hangers for a small department store, multiple printers, paint, various poles, tents and even tooth brushes.

Having cleared the room it was hoovered and the thick dirt wiped away. Everything went back in groups of similar items and the rubbish and recycling was piled up.

An hour later it looked like a different room and the Hestia team can now find everything.

Levita, Jana, Emily, Anna, and Amy rallied over to Raleigh House in New Malden to mark Staywell’s 80th anniversary. Donning our GoodGym tees, we sparked plenty of interest, chatting with staff about our gardening efforts and forming new connections with curious faces. The surprise treat was Claire, the manager, singing in the band, what a voice! With bunting, tasty treats, and a beautifully decorated garden, we had a wonderful time celebrating and spreading the GoodGym spirit!

Tuesday’s group run took us to Hestia’s Good Energy Club, a fantastic community space supporting people experiencing mental health challenges. Their mission is to improve physical wellbeing, support mental health and reduce social isolation - values very much aligned with GoodGym’s own.

We arrived in force and were welcomed by John, who gave us a tour before offering the ultimate volunteer incentive: snacks in exchange for our cleaning efforts. Armed with hoovers, cloths, spray bottles and plastic gloves, we got straight to work.

We were also joined by special guests Ivo and Hannah. Rather than rolling out the red carpet, we rolled out the hoovers and put them straight to work alongside the rest of the team. After deciding who was tackling which room, John put on a soundtrack of 90s classics that kept spirits high and energy levels up throughout the evening.

The hour flew by, and before long it was time for a final snack break and the journey home. John was hugely appreciative of the help, explaining that the club doesn’t have a dedicated cleaning budget and that maintaining such a large space can be a real challenge.

It was lovely to meet Hannah on her first task, and congratulations again on your new role as CEO of GoodGym.

Rachel, Laura and Jana spent an hour helping spruce up the pathway leading to the MILAAP day centre, which was covered in leaves, seeds, weeds and general debris along the edges.

After a bit of improvisation with the tools — including a snow shovel that turned out to be surprisingly excellent at scooping seeds — the team quickly got to work. Laura tackled the weeds, Rachel led the sweeping operation, while Jana helped gather debris, empty buckets and keep everything moving smoothly as the bin bags steadily piled up.

There were a few dramatic moments when overloaded bags split open, scattering seeds everywhere, but the team recovered quickly and kept spirits high.

By the end of the session, around six bin bags had been filled and the pathway was looking far clearer and more welcoming. Hopefully the residents at MILAAP will enjoy the refreshed entrance!