On a bright Saturday morning, 6 brave GoodGymers descended upon Danson Park, armed with gloves, loppers, and a healthy dose of enthusiasm. Our mission? To join forces with the Friends of Danson Park and take on the park’s most prickly residents – the brambles.

Now, these weren’t your average, polite little plants. Oh no. These brambles had clearly been training for battle – all spikes and attitude, stretching far and wide like they owned the place. But with teamwork, determination, and the occasional “ouch!” or “I think it’s got me again!”, we managed to clear quite a sizeable patch.

The cleared area will soon make way for new bushes and trees, giving that part of the park a well-deserved facelift (and perhaps a less pointy future).

A big thanks to the Friends of Danson Park for hosting us – and to our fearless team for proving once again that even the spikiest challenges can be overcome with a bit of teamwork and a lot of good humour! 🌳💪

On Saturday, our GoodGym team rolled up their sleeves and joined Jason – the wonderful gardener at Community Hospice – for a mission that was all about soil, sweat, and smiles.

The job? Clear out the flower beds in the Sensory Garden, sieve all the soil, and then put it back in. Sounds straightforward? Well, it was a proper workout! Buckets were filled, sieves were shaken, and the odd stone or stubborn root put up a fight.

By the end, the beds were ready for a fresh start. Jason and his gardening team can now plant a whole array of new, beautiful plants to brighten up the garden. It’s more than just flowers – it’s colour, life, and cheer for the hospice patients and their families who enjoy that space every day.

We left a little muddier, a lot sweatier, but very proud. Sometimes the best way to spread joy is to get your hands dirty.

This morning we gave the big conifer outside Danson House a proper makeover. First we battled through lots of very spiky plants, then spread a fresh circle of mulch all around the tree. It now looks brilliant – like it’s ready for a photo shoot!

We also collected a huge 29 bags of wilted grass, weeds and rubbish. The area looks so much tidier, and the tree is definitely the star of the show.

Well done team – spades, mulch and teamwork made the magic happen!

As the advertised task was cancelled late in the day we relocated to the Welling Library 📚.

It was a good job we did as it was totally overgrown again!

We all set to work with our secateurs and brooms 🧹. As you can see from the before and after pics we made it look perfect, ready for the public to enjoy in the morning.

We couldn't resist going for a drink and a snack after for Sarah's birthday 🎉 at Devis Corner ☕️🍺.

A perfect morning at my first ever GoodGym session!

After a nice half an hour stroll up Bostall Hill, I took in the breathtaking gardens as I arrived a little early. Walking up to reception, nervous and full of excitement, Sarah and Johnny welcomed me into the GG community. I met the lovely head gardener, Jason - aka Van Gogh - credit to him for the pun in this title!

We made a start as the rest of the team showed up, with the mission to clear the pathway at the entrance and battle the thorns. A team of eight was the perfect number. Teamwork makes the dream work! Within an hour, we transformed the entrance.

Zita was a powerhouse, attacking the ivy in minutes, snipping and raking. She never stopped. Ceci was a pro with the shears and came up with great references for everyone: Sweet Caroline and Simon Says. She couldn't resist sharing a few dance moves at the end of the mission.

It was so lovely to start the weekend off with a rewarding workout, feeling that we are contributing to our local community. I discovered that Caroline went to the same secondary school as myself and met her husband at a pub in Bexley.

After a few photos, a few of us shared lunch, which was the perfect ending to the day! The hunter chicken was a great recommendation, although the lasagne looked just as tasty! Thanks to Robert for sharing his chocolate cake with us.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again next month.