The earlier downpour had luckily abated for the monthly volunteering morning at the garden. We enjoyed a varied session, which included weeding the raspberry patch, turning the compost, mulching, taming the sage and lemon balm and even litter picking, where Rob got lucky and found a decapitated Action Man. It was also a day for spotting wildlife, with eight newts seen in the compost pile, a friendly robin and even a mouse. It was lovely to see Alyson back with us and to meet a potential new recruit in Laura. Rob stayed on to help with more mulching and did a sterling job (observed from the comfort of the cafe, but don’t spill the beans!)

Morden Parkrun had a GoodGym volunteer support operations amid rainy conditions. Approximately 150-200 participants braved muddy paths, maintaining high spirits.

A great session all round with 29 guests in total, making for another lively evening together. The hosting team kept things running smoothly and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming throughout. They began with pizza served alongside a fresh carrot, apple and cabbage slaw, followed by a flavour-packed kimchi fried rice topped with a soft-boiled egg and a spring onion and coriander sauce. To finish, guests enjoyed a banoffee Rice Krispie treat paired with banana custard, which proved a real crowd-pleaser. They even received a huge pumpkin as a donation. Another fantastic effort from the whole team!

The team welcomed 33 guests in total, which is the busiest session for a while. The menu went down a treat, beginning with Pizza and Caesar salad, followed by a hearty tomato, garlic and chilli pasta, and rounded off with a delicious banana and blueberry cake for pudding. It was a lively and rewarding session, and a great team effort all round.

The tranquil garden is looking lovely and we were able to see how the log work we did last time has been transformed into seating. Tonight we were tasked with painting the wooden planters green and gold, as well as moving logs and clearing some brambles. It was great to see Georgina, who popped by while doing a litter pick. With her arm on the mend, hopefully she will be back at sessions soon. The nights are drawing in, so we were working in darkness by the end of the task but hopefully the results will be brush-taking! Thanks to Maggie, who lives nearby, for kindly donating some post-session chocolate, meaning that team green and team gold were transformed into team mint and team orange.

Two GoodGymers spent the morning volunteering at Modern Parkrun by guiding and cheering runners, and ensuring everything ran smoothly and safely. Their enthusiasm brought extra energy to the event, supported participants of all ages, and strengthened the link between GoodGym and the local community while enjoying a great start to the weekend.