Sue, Maggie and Sheila joined taskowner Karen at Spital Cemetery on a very hot morning. We started to tackle a huge mound of ivy and bindweed to try to discover what was beneath. Gradually the stonework underneath started to be revealed - a cross and a tall obelisk, both of which are now lying prostrate. More work will be required to remove many years of tangled growth, but we've made a great start

Sue , Maggie and Sheila were at the regular Spital Cemetery workparty, and were joined by one other volunteers. while Maggie went off to tidy some of the war graves, the others started to tackle a tangle of hawthorn and brambles that were completely obscuring one of the headstones. Much chopping later, we had a couple of hippo bags of debris, and the headstone was revealed. To help get rid of as much of the dead branches as possible, some well-aimed boots did the trick. We were delighted to find a jersey tiger moth caterpillar, which we let loose to find it's favourite food of nettles and brambles, of which there are plenty! The headstone belonged to Alfred Stevenson his wife Ellen Mary and youngest daughter Helen Mina

Karen, Sue, Maggie and Sheila met on a beautiful sunny morning at Spital Cemetery to help tidy up some graves. The first grave we attacked, had been overrun with brambles. Once we had cleared the area, it was revealed to be in memory of 3 sisters, daughters of John George Care. A quick Google revealed that they had 15 siblings and another 11 half siblings! Mr Carey, an architect and surveyor of Gloucester Place, had been a busy man!These were the 3 unmarried daughters. We moved on to trim a Pyracantha bush, whose thorny branches were overhanging the path. Lastly we cleared some branches of a wild rose masking another grave belonging to Richard Mentz-Tolley, who we discovered to be an Ironmaker of Osborne Road, Windsor. Karen and Sue worked hard to uncover the beautiful stone cross which had fallen onto the grave, but since covered over with soil and creeping weeds A really interesting morning!

4 Goodgymers joined Taskowner Jaren and another volunteer at a very sunny Spital Cemetery for a regular workparty. Maggie and Sue flexed their muscles re-siting two fallen stone crosses on their graves and clearing the grass so that the outlines could be seen. Meanwhile Karen and Sheila cleared the brambles from a large memorial dedicated to the Riley family. Another satisfying session

Spital Cemetery stalwarts Sue and Maggie were joined by Sheila and Karen for the first work party of the year. We also welcomed Sarah for her very first GoodGym mission. Taskowner Karen gave us a safety briefing , and we were off to find some graves that needed attention. We cut back bushes, and even the lower branches of large trees to reveal hidden gravestones. Our reward was to be able to read the touching inscriptions, now revealed.

Armed with hot (ish) water, sponges, buckets, telescopic brushes and a hose pipe, Sheila, Sue and Jen made short work of cleaning the outside of 3 of the People to Places minibuses. There was plenty of chat as we cleaned and we even had time for a cuppa made by taskowner Dave.

It was Sheila's first time at this task and she took to it like a bus to water and particularly enjoyed drawing the GG logo in the grime before we started.

Next week we are at the Holyport depot for more of the same.

On a beautifully sunny, but chilly, morning, Georgeta , Sue and Sheila joined about 10 other volunteers at Ockwells Park for a community orchard pruning session. Rosie, one of the Rangers, took us through all the things to consider when pruning a fruit tree to enable the fruit to grow well. And then we were let loose on the trees! We divided into groups and each tackled a tree. With guidance from Rosie our confidence grew, and we piled up the cut branches under each tree. We certainly learned a lot and several of the apple trees are now in much better shape for next season. We can't wait until next autumn when we can taste the fruits of our labour!