Yesterday , in the spirit of GoodGym, I visited Miss J who welcomed me into her home for some general tidying, organising and clothes arrangement. Upon arrival Miss J explained what tasks needed doing and gave her consent for me to commence. She was warm and welcoming, likening me to one of her carers she had nicknamed “Sunshine” — meaning I had brought light into her day. That truly set the tone for the visit! I got straight to work, moving the side table from the bedroom to her bedside in the living room. The dollhouse was relocated from the top of the fridge to the bedroom, and the main task of the day was sorting and folding bags of clothes and consolidating clutter to restore the flow of the rooms. I finished off with a little sweep of both the bedroom and living room. Miss J was wonderful company throughout and paid me the loveliest compliment, telling me I had the caring temperament of a nurse. In true GoodGym spirit, I then walked three miles home — because we do good and stay fit at the same time! It is the little things we do as GoodGymers that can make a real difference — and yesterday was a reminder that the reward goes both ways.

The mid April weather being what it is, our latest group run began with a mix of a rain deluge and sunshine at the Suitcases, which rewarded us with some beautiful rainbows before we even started. A nervous Liam stepped up to lead the run for the first time, leading Aatefa, Sallyann, Heetu, Steph, and Laura on a short but sweet run through the Georgian streets toward the Cathedral. It was a great way to warm up before the main event.

By the time we reached the gardens, the sun had come out fully as we were joined by the rest of the group. We were delighted to celebrate two big milestones: Aatefa completing her 10th task and Miriam reaching her 50th! To mark this milestone Bekah brought a box of chocolates for Miriam, which she kindly shared with the group. We’re all looking forward to seeing Miriam in her new black GG T-shirt soon!

After a helpful briefing from the Friends of St. James Gardens, we got straight to work in high spirits. Heetu and Sophie did a great job clearing litter to keep the space tidy, while Aatefa, Sallyann, Jess, Pri, and Ellie planted new flowers near the Parliament Street end. It’s always rewarding to add something lasting to the gardens and the new flowers will be a lovely addition for the gardens.

The rest of the team headed to the old towpaths at the back of the gardens, working together to clear branches and foliage from the walls. Some of the branches put up a fight but the team weren't accepting defeat and managed to clear a large section of the walls. This essential maintenance helps preserve the site's history, and the team made light work of it with plenty of chat and energy.

The time really flew by and before we knew it we were back at the Huskisson memorial in the centre of the gardens to wrap up the task under the shadow of the Cathedral. A special thanks from Liam to the rest of the group for making the task go so smoothly. It was really appreciated!

A huge thank you to everyone for your hard work and for making the session so enjoyable—we look forward to seeing you at the next one!