Our session at the Community Hospice got off to a brilliant start when Ivar arrived bearing a batch of home-baked solskinnsboller – Norwegian “sunshine buns”. They were absolutely delicious and perfectly suited to the sunny weather 😎.

We were also happy to see Mo wearing her red GoodGym tshirt - definitely part of the team now!

Fortified by our sweet treat, we headed with Jas, the Hospice’s Head Gardener, into the woodland area, where our task was to reclaim a patch of ground from the bracken and brambles that had started to creep back since they were last cleared a year ago.

Thankfully, the shady woodland offered some protection from the sun and we took things steady in the heat. This said, all the crouching, bending and pulling certainly provided a good leg workout!

Our trusty yellow gauntlet gloves proved invaluable as we tackled the thorny brambles and provided Ivar with the perfect inspiration for his pun in the title of this report!

After 75 minutes of ground work, three bulging bags of greenery had been consigned to the compost heap and we were super happy with the transformation.

We really enjoy our monthly visits to the Hospice, helping to keep the peaceful gardens looking their best. And a it's always great way to spend a Saturday morning with good company.

Why not join us next time!

What did you do last night?

We spent a lovely hour in nature, building bug hotels for Holy Trinity Lamorbey Primary School.

Seven of us headed to the school, where a stack of pallets and bricks was waiting to be transformed into new habitats for insects and other tiny residents.

Working in two teams, each took on a hotel of their own. We started with an upturned pallet and filled it with leaves, twigs, fallen branches gathered from around the grounds, plus a haul of pine cones we’d collected and brought along. Once each layer was packed, we set bricks at the corners to act as spacers and repeated the process. By the end we'd created the bug equivalent of two multi‑storey skyscrapers!

Afterwards we enjoyed a slice of battenburg cake (I know, when was the last time you had battenburg!) which rounded off the session very nicely!

It was a really peaceful, enjoyable task: gentle activity, plenty of fresh air, and lots of good chat. And best of all, the new habitats will support the school’s eco learning curriculum, giving pupils a chance to explore and understand the wildlife right on their doorstep.

Next week it's something completely different when we visit Parkview Care Home where they always have something lined up to keep us busy, with their lovely residents lending a hand. Sign up here.

Tonight we made a splash in Welling as we teamed up with Discover Welling, PureGym and a local councillor to give the mural pedestrian tunnels under the railway bridge a proper spring clean!

We met at a nearby pub to fill up the buckets in the loos, no small feat when faced with little sinks! 🪣

Then came the challenge of carrying the liquid to the tunnels without slopping it all over the place. Who needs the gym when you’ve got a bucket workout like that? 💪

First job, a clean sweep! We brushed up broken glass and litter, leaving the pavement neat and tidy. 🧹

Then it was time to get soapy with the sponges, giving the murals the spa treatment they deserved. 🧽

There was some sticky business with stubborn stickers, but with plenty of suds and elbow grease we won the day.

By the time we'd finished, the tunnels definitely looked better. Proof that many hands can make a difference in just a short time. We wrapped up with a few team photos before heading home.📸

This was our second stop on Discover Welling’s Tour of Welling for the Great British Spring Clean, and we’re not done yet! There are more chances to dive in over the next fortnight, so don’t miss the opportunity to join us.

Let’s keep Welling bucket-loads better, one task at a time! ✨

Eleven Goodgymers came along to tonight's task for our 9th birthday. What a great turnout!

We were back at Box3Education, helping transform their unit in Bexleyheath Mall into a community space. Walking through the closed mall to get there was a little surreal!

Professor Levi met us and we soon got started with painting metal shelving units, and there was a lot of them!

We got stuck in with brushes and rollers, being super careful not to get paint on the nice floor. (Thankfully there were industrial wipes available to mop up drips!). While we worked there was lots of talking and banter, with a few jokes and hot drinks thrown in!

I noticed some black paint on my GoodGym top... I only had my-shelf to blame!

The session flew by and it was time to wash the painting gear and make our way out of the mall.

We then headed to the nearby Wetherspoons where Lisa and Graham had secured a large table for us.

The evening continued with food, drinks and more chatter, plus a chocolate Connie Caterpillar cake complete with candles and a rendition of 'Happy Birthday To Us'! Nine years of doing good and social fitness in Bexley - that's a brilliant milestone!

A great night was had by all, thanks for coming everyone. Here's to the next year!