Welfare visit for Mrs D

Another session at the Baby Bank and another huge pile of clothes to sort. It was nice to coincide sessions with Sue for a change, who usually goes on a Wednesday. Despite a team of corporate volunteers also being in, everything was calm and we had a productive morning quality-checking the clothes donations, with just the occasional 'Aw, that's cute' being uttered as we worked. Carol took on the most important task of the morning, making tea and coffee for all the volunteers

Rupi and Sheila chose a lovely sunny evening to help out at the community allotment. After doing the watering, we got down to the main task of planting the peas. The main support structure was already in place but we added some extra poles and wired them in. We then teased apart the mass of pea seedlings and planted them at the bases of the poles. it wad great to see some worms busy in the soil. After watering them the plants in, we arranged some netting over the poles to deter the birds from pecking at our peas. we look forward to being able to pick some peas in a few weeks

Nine Goodgymers set to work tidying and sweeping the back garden at Mencap. Sheila, Viv, Jess Mike and Georgetta weeded, trimned and swept the planter area with lightning speed! Roberta, Ben and Sol dug out weeds and tidied the area near the shed. After yet more sweeping and moss removal the garden is ready for the mencap community and the warmer weather! The evening was rounded off by celebrating Angela's 100 th good deed with a wonderful poem and cake from Amy and Sheila.

....and here is Amy hijacking Angela's report to share the poem:

Angela Shaw: A grade A GoodGymer, to be sure!

Active and athletic!

Altruistic and able!

Agile and adaptable!

So amazing, that even without one of her ‘A’s

She’s an angel.

The only problem with Angela

Is that finding rhymes is a challenge, er…

And the word angel

Is also hard for a poet to wrangle.

Her amazing achievements we cannot ignore,

So thank goodness for her last name, Shaw,

Which rhymes easily with words galore!

Angela’s good deeds now number twenty and fourscore

(Which means 100 in the language of yore)

If she has a spare moment, she doesn’t snore.

She’ll go to Nature’s Haven and sand a door!

She’ll shovel sludge to work her core,

And clear away brambles til her hands are sore.

She’ll give foodshare donations to the store,

But on Balsam and Ragwort she’s waging war!

She picks up litter, she sweeps the floor

And she tidies up plastic from the sea shore!

She put the lantern parade leaflet through your door

And doesn’t even mind a pothole chore!

On paddleboard or bike she loves to explore.

And her cycle abilities are really top drawer:

She teaches bike safety to kids in year 4

And even support rides with Peggy the tri-shaw!

So let’s hear it for this legend of local folklore,

Our faith in humanity she does restore,

Hip hip hooray for Angela Shaw!

Laura, Karen and Sheila helped out at Braywick Plant Nurseries, potting up plug plants. It's nearing the end of this job for this season and the greenhouses are looking very full of plants ready to sell. We had the honour of potting up the last of the plants to go into 6-packs (Pelargoniums and Petunias), but also impatiens and lavender. Well done on speedy potting up, and the nursery, as ever, we're grateful for our help

Four GoodGymers gathered at Ray Mill Island to help the Friends with their ongoing project to transform the area into a more welcoming and biodiverse place. Today's task was to continue with the dry hedging which is separating off an area which has been sown with wildflowers. Various old branches had been collected which we added to the hedge, and some stronger, more flexible hazel branches were woven over the top to help hold everything in place. We also planted a small oak tree in the area which we hope will one day grow as big as the copper beech which is on its way out (but is still a treasure trove of biodiversity) We all learned some new skills. The last job was to water the recently- planted areas - Mick using the hose, and Sheila making use of the Thames water whilst not falling in!