Tonight's task for GoodGym Greenwich brought us back to St Richard's Church in Charlton, where we're working on a ongoing project to make the outside area, formerly a weeded wilderness, a more user-friendly, comfortable area for the community.

For anyone following this project, we've battled rebellious plant life, embraced our inner cave people by fashioning our own tools for staple administration, and turned mountains (of woodchip) into molehills.

So on a lovely rainy breezy sunny evening in June, 7 goodgym-ers got to work continuing with this process. First the cardboard had to come up, which has helped restrict weed growth, then it was back to our routine we've got going now of digging, membraning and spreading the pine-scented woodchip, and with lots of chatter, the task time flew by. Time for a quick group photo and update on plans for the area, before our ways parted until next time! Thanks all & have a good week 😊

Yesterday morning, 8 of us gathered at Mycenae Gardens to dig up weeds, lop the low hanging trees and gather a giant bag of pine cones which will be given to some local schools. Well, those that Arthur didn't manage to scurry away in his pockets.

The gardens have recently received a grant to plant up the areas we've been weeding and they are gradually looking more tended and we'll be doing some more planting in the Autumn.

After an hour, we enjoyed a lovely bit of cake and headed off to the pleasance for a coffee.

On Wednesday we're back at St Richards.

Until next time!

Rachel

The sun was out and so were Good Gym. An amazing 8 of us turned up to help the team at Hervey Road, where Annie and Richard are working hard to build a garden behind the sports field.

We were met first by Khai who had had the presence of mind and kindness of heart to bring water for everyone, which was really helpful as it was certainly hot. Annie soon arrived and were assigned to a multitude of tasks with some of the team watering some very thirsty trees, others cutting the grass and others weeding the various beds, all the time making sure we didn't cut down or kneel on or otherwise trash any of the beautiful wild flowers growing. And what was also nice to see was that we were joined by countless bumblebees and ladybirds, showing that South East London is a wonderful hot-bed for nature.

After an hour we were all pretty much exhausted and it was time for photos before heading off to enjoy the sunshine,

Finally, I can''t finish the report without a shout out for Sarah, who had completed her 400th parkrun that morning,. This is such a brilliant achievement so well done Sarah.

Wednesday saw 5 Good Gymers arrive at a surprisingly sunny Charlton House for our weekly group run. Tonight, we were off to Brooklands Primary School, a lovely little school with a big pile of soil to move. It was a long run so after some short formalities off we set, through Charlton and Kidbrooke and over the edge of the heath to the school. On arriving we made sure we all showed our best sides as Nadirah and her team were patiently waiting for us to continue creating their Good Gym documentary opus.

And so to the task, having moved a huge quantity of woodchip the last time, tonight it was time to move a large quantity of soil to the raised beds. Wheelbarrows and tools, both adult and child size, were assigned and most of the group started on the soil, with one person taking a bit of time to remove the weeds from the bed. The production line was hyper-efficient and, before you could say “I’m ready for my close-up”, the pile was soon shrinking. And despite the hard work some of us still had time to answer questions from the film team relating to our Good Gym experiences. After half an hour we were all done, we said our goodbyes to the file crew and ran off into the sunset.

Wednesday was no ordinary session. Firstly we had two newbies join us, big welcome to Ibrahim and Bobby - it was great to have you along!

Nadirah brought her team of students to film their documentary on an interesting run club- thanks for picking us!

After a quick interview, we introduced ourselves and shared our best binge worthy shows (books for those who don't watch much telly) and then did a little warm up and headed off for our run. We did feel rather important, with Nadirah sprinting ahead to get some action shots of us all. Now we know what it's like to be chased by paparazzi.

At the garden, Annie got us to task, with Robert and Ibrahim watering the trees. Shout out to Sarah for managing to open the padlock, we wouldn't have got far without the hose! The rest of us got to work weeding and cutting back the grass while chatting away and the crew filmed the lot. A lovely evening in nature and a good reminder of the positive impact of exercise, community and doing good- it does us so much good too!

After a group pic, Bobby headed back with Annie to take the wheely bin back and the rest of us headed back to Charlton House for a little stretch and a few shots of us walking away at the end of the session.

Well done team. It makes such a difference for 10 of us to do a load of work at the garden and Annie's always so grateful.

Next weds we're back at Charlton house for a run to Brooklands to do more soil shifting!

Until next time,

Rachel

This morning 10 of us gathered, with four mini litter pickers in tow, to join the Friends of Woolwich Common for their monthly litter pick. Such is the GoodGym community that several of us bumped into each other in Charlton Park - on that note, special welcome back to Ibrahim on your third task in a week! Seems like someone's got the GoodGym bug!

After gathering all the necessary equipment, we all headed off to different parts of the common, filling lots of bags of rubbish and a couple of dumped chairs and lots of chats along the way. Thanks to Robyn for sharing her snacks at the end! And to Ashton for pumping up my running buggy tyres. No excuse now!

On Wednesday we're back at Brooklands School for more soil shifting.

Until next time 😊

Rachel