On a very chilly Monday evening, six goodgymers met in Reading town centre, for our first task of the year! Emily, Mike and Zelie joined us for their first task and are now able to get their red t-shirts!

We set off towards a known-littery spot around Broad Street and the Hexagon and we weren't short of litter to fill our bags, although some of the spots we went to were suprisingly (and pleasantly!) litter free!

With cold toes and fingers, after 45 minutes we called time with 8 bags of litter collected, we set off to warm up with hot chocolate, mince pies and something tasty for dinner on the cards!

Our next session will be on Saturday, and this time we'll be inside! Join us for painting at South Reading Community Centre

Four goodgymers met in Caversham for a quick round of flyering for Thames Hospice Superstore on Richfield Avenue. If you need an outfit for the party season, its well worth checking out!

This evening we were joined by Jen who often does GoodGym in Windsor & Maidenhead and Slough areas. Jen is a seasoned pro when it comes to GoodGym, so she was dressed ready for a wet and windy evening, in the snazzy GoodGym gear!

Armed with a stack of flyers each, we made our way around the streets in central Caversham and with all four of us working together, we flew around the estate and managed to get them all through letter boxes in no time at all! Thankfully the weather wasn't as bad as we feared, apart from a few spells of cold rain!

Four GoodGymers helped at New Beginnings on Saturday morning, including Youssef who joined for his first ever GoodGym task!

With the breakfast service going ahead in the front of the building, the four us got to work behind the scenes to make the pantry neater, in date and easier to pick from!

At our last session in the pantry to get all the harvest donations on to the shelves, with more people and less new donations, we could get to work on making sure everything was neatly away in the right places and that everything was in date!

Two hours sped by, and we managed to sort out biscuits and sweets, crackers, soup in a cup, pasta (wholewheat, white and spaghetti), rice (flavoured and unflavoured), sauces, a lot of beans and pulses, tomatoes, potatoes and veg!

With all of that done today, we went our separate ways, knowing we'd done our little bit to help this great community organisation!

This week's run report was written by AI! With Jess' upskilling on AI the topic of the night, here's what it thought we did, given the prompt 'Write me 3 paragraphs on litter picking in Reading, UK. There were 4 people and we collected 7 bags of rubbish'

A small but determined group of four volunteers came together in Reading, UK, to tackle the growing issue of litter in their local area. Armed with gloves, grabbers, and plenty of enthusiasm, they set out to make a visible difference to the streets and green spaces. Despite the chilly weather, the team worked steadily, focusing on hotspots where rubbish often accumulates, such as pathways, roadside verges, and near bus stops.

By the end of the session, the group had collected an impressive seven bags of rubbish. The haul included everything from discarded cans and bottles to food wrappers and other everyday waste. Each bag represented not just cleaner surroundings, but also a step toward encouraging others to take pride in their community. The volunteers noted how quickly litter can build up, but also how satisfying it is to see the immediate impact of their efforts.

Beyond the physical clean‑up, the activity carried a deeper message: community action matters. The four participants demonstrated that even a small team can make a meaningful difference when they work together. Their litter‑picking in Reading wasn’t just about removing rubbish — it was about fostering civic responsibility, raising awareness, and inspiring others to join future efforts. With seven bags cleared in just one outing, they proved that collective action can transform public spaces into cleaner, more welcoming environments.

While AI might not do a bad job of report writing, GoodGym is one of those things that could never be replaced by AI! Join us for our next task soon!

Two GoodGymers met at The Biscuit Factory for a calm but productive task: writing 100 gift cards for Connect Reading. Armed with pens, a cold drink, and steady handwriting, we worked through the stack one by one, adding the gift requests for the giving tree.

It was a simple session, but a meaningful one each card will help make someone’s festive season as it represents a gift they want and thanks to the giving tree will be getting this christmas .

A small team, a big stack, and a good cause!