The days are gradually getting longer and we were super lucky with a nice mild Wednesday evening for tonight's task. After a quick warm up and exchange of our favourite things about spring (cue lighter nights & pretty flowers) outside Woolwich station, 1 2 goodgymers made their way uphill, walking, running and cycling, to Dee's Childcare, one of our regular task locations, where adventures awaited us in the huge outdoor space.

Past tasks have involved everything from hanging Christmas decorations to constructing mini-roundabouts, slides and stages. Today's task started with the perfect puzzle being sprung on us: deconstruction of a damaged trampoline & install of a replacement. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the pieces simply did not fit together well enough, so plan b involved making the area safer with boards & barriers to block the pit. (watch this space for future tasks once new parts arrive!) There was also time for some wedding (oh no sorry, let's blame autocorrect: weeding... but one ring at a time here...) and sweeping amongst the borders made up of recycled plastic bottles.

A swift downhill run and a ten minute interval training challenge completed our session. A very warm welcome to Vicky on your first task- lovely to have you with us! Thanks all & see you soon 😊

Next week we've got some outside jobs at St Richards. This weekend Bexley have their 9th birthday celebration and task, gardenjng at the hospice on Saturday and on sunday we have westcombe woodlands. And all the usual parkruns of course!

Yes, its another Musically-inspired GoodGym report...🎼"But Goodgymers are all around me & so the good deeds grow... 🙂"

The last Wednesday of the January Challenge dawned like the recent pink skies over the Charlton area, and 11 Goodgym-ers awoke to pass the time until tonight's task. 🎼Workin 9-5 helped with that, and soon 6.45 rolled around, time to 🎼Run the World...or at least to St Richard's Community Church in Charlton. Our task this evening was based in the back garden area of the church, continuing our valiant battle against the ever-present weeds in the area. All while trying not to get 🎼Blinded by the Light (of the many head-torches). The recent rain had helped soften the ground a little, making pulling up the weeds that bit easier, and it wasn't long before we had a veritable stack of vegetation. A quick dig over with the 🎼Ace of Spades and our work was done.

Great work all & a warm welcome to Alina on your first task!

Next week we're meeting at Charlton House for some weeding at Charlton URC.. On Saturday as well as the ususal Parkrun volunteering, we have litter picking in Sutcliffe Park.

Until next time!

I have been taking part in the Big Garden Bird Watch for quite a few years now.

As usual this year the birds did not behave and show up when I needed them to!

In 2021, the Covid lockdown time, my Uncle and I (who was in my bubble) sat, 2 metres apart, for an hour in my conservatory expecting to record the usual finches, robins, sparrows and variety of tits that visit the feeder. But nope. Nothing. Niche. Nadda. No visitors. It was raining but that was the allotted time so we went ahead.

2 photos of the garden with no birds for context. 😁 (taken last summer)

This year I saw one small great tit hop in the feeder and that was all. But just as I was about to conclude the hour a huge heron took to the sky from a garden two doors down. They have carp in a big pond and he was no doubt stalking those. They are thankfully covered in tough mesh to protect them. Should I fib and say it landed? The rules state that you can’t record a sighting unless the bird actually lands in your garden. So another year of frustrating non sightings of my garden friends.

But I shall be back next year. Even if just to sit, still my mind, relax and think of nothing else for an hour.

Tonight, 9 Goodgymers met for a school reunion, taking us back to Charlton Manor Primary where we painted the town grey! (Well, some cupboard doors anyway).

After an ice-breaker discussing favourite nuts, a slightly stormy evening pushed us on our way for the run, readying us to brush up on our artwork once we got to the school. Here we continued our project of painting the key stage 1 hall, this time covering the wall of cupboards in a glossy grey. Teamwork makes a task run super smoothly, and with rollers, cutting-in brushes and a few stretches & climbs, our job was done.

Brazil-iant work all, and cashew soon!

A star-studded cast to celebrate GoodGym Greenwich's 10th Birthday!

An unseasonably mild Sunday morning greeted 18 goodgymers as we made our way to Brooklands school in Kidbrooke. Whilst the school is a little tucked away, the huge grounds provide plenty of outdoor space for the children and their families.

We joined a group of existing volunteers from the school, and were soon wheelbarrowing soil to the growing beds as well as clearing weeds. One of our target areas was an enclosure containing a pond; again involving clearing weeds, bracken and planks to free up the pond area for its proper use. Discovering a few baby dragons* added to the magic of the event, along with a confused toad and lots of ladybirds.

(* thankfully these turned out to be the non-fire breathing variety, which are Newts to us (!) They were carefully looked after by a member of the team to be returned to a safe habitat).

A busy hour soon runs out, so a final group photo provided the icing on the rake for GGG's birthday mission. Special welcome to Iyabo for your first good deed with us - and lovely that you could join us for our lunch to celebrate our birthday!

Coming up...

On Wednesday we're continuing our painting of the hall at Charlton Manor Primary School.

On Sunday we've got our (optional) group run and litter pick on Woolwich Common.

And the following Wednesday we're helping at St Richard's.

Thanks all & see you at the next task! ⭐