Setting off for a run outside a cosy pub on a rainy night may have a touch of insanity about it but when it's part of a group and you're off to do good, it's surprisingly possible!

This evening's 2km run took us through Richmond centre and out to Petersham Common, via many dark puddles to dodge! We met task owner Ken by Petersham Farm gates where he took us through the simple instructions to plant 300 native bluebell bulbs in the woodland, away from the paths. Between the lot of us the task was soon complete, even through the rain, and Ken shared out kit-kats for the team.

At the end of the session the cosy pub beckoned us back to Richmond and the 2km run back ended with a Taskforce meeting in the warmth. 🔥

GoodGym Richmond’s Monday 11th November Group Run was a ‘second Monday’ task at our sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens.

Despite the cold and the dark evening we got a huge amount done: repatriating fencing; sweeping cleaning and cobweb dusting in the Arcade; strengthening the ‘twiggy barricades’; weeding and leaf removal on and around the Arcade lawns.

However the evening was really about celebrating Ken’s 100th ‘official’ GG Good Deed, although we know he has really done many more.

And we also salute his incredible input as a task provider to GG Richmond, inviting us to help with improving Petersham Common and teaching us about bats, hedge and fence building , horse troughs, planting, drainage, ecology, woodland management, haloing and so much more.

So we salute Ken Mackenzie. Environmental hero . Richmond’s Green king.

One GoodGymer (me!) went to the Habitats and Heritage River Thames Drawoff clean-up.

This is a long running project that happens every November when the Port of London opens up Richmond Half Lock for maintenance in November. Richmond Lock normally closes the sluice gates 2 hours after high tide to keep water back and make the River Thames navigatable between Richmond and Teddington Locks at low tide. In November they carry maintenance out in the sluice gates so they are left open. So at low tide the river empties exposing huge sections of the River Thames foreshore that is normally several metres under water even at low tide. So on went the wellies and into the mud to look for treasure. In no time I had filled a bin bag full of old nails, screws, plastic and broken glass. I also saw the old Tudor wooden posts that are only visible during drawoff that were once the dock to Richmond Palace for the likes of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. Just some sticks in the mud. Come out next year as this is a fun and interesting project.

There was a definite chill in the air this time as the GoodGym Richmond team gathered with the Friends of Ham Lands for our monthly mission.

A small but hardy group of five met up with Sharon and her gang and awaited instructions. The instructions, to nobody’s great surprise, were to tackle a patch of bramble.

We armed ourselves with loppers, shears and secateurs and got to work, making good progress against our spiky foes.

Excitement arose when Ken asked for Chris’s help some way from the main group. At Ken’s request, Chris climbed up a tree and sawed off a branch, which was overhanging a small sapling and blocking its light.

As usual Sharon had come with provisions and we called time for cups of tea and coffee with biscuits, very welcome on the cold morning. Then we said our goodbyes and headed off for Saturday plans.