Garden Preparation Progress Report

This week, we continued with the task we began last week—getting the garden ready for the next phase. Our efforts focused on ongoing preparations, including removing old cardboard, sweeping up dried leaves using rakes, and laying down membrane in key areas.

Although the work was carried out by just three of us (Owen, Isabella and myself), we felt a real sense of progress and accomplishment. The garden is steadily taking shape, and it’s clear that our contributions are making a difference.

That said, as always, more helping hands would be greatly appreciated to keep the momentum going.

Till next time! ✋🏻😁

We're continuing our gardening preparations, with more volunteers helping out - 3 C’s from Goodgym (Chloe, Calvin and Cecilia); *with Isabella , helping Owen.

What we did: - We removed the cardboards that served as weed barrier. - We removed stubborn weeds and dig out the roots with hope of preventing regrowth. - we cleared the soil and ensured it’s free from rubbish, such as plastic, big stones, etc. (Raking and hand-picking them) - we used landscape membranes or weed barriers and secured them firmly with hooks. - As a finishing touch, we spread woodchips over the prepared area.

After completing the day task, we were kindly offered tea and biscuits—an irresistible treat that made it almost impossible to say no! ☺️ Till next time. 👋🏼😃

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 😊

On a chipper Saturday morning in May, 3 goodgym-ers made their way to St Richard's Church in Charlton. Good Gym Greenwich have been working on a project here, and today's task involved the next step, which proved both slightly daunting at the start (that was a big pile of woodchip!) and rewarding to see the progress we had made.

St Richard's is a local community church, with a very weeded outside area, which the team are keen to turn into a more usable community space. During past tasks, we've cleared weeds & laid down a membrane base. Today we were greeted by a freshly delivered hill, made up of pine tree wood and leaf chippings (which smelled amazingly like Christmas trees...!) and it was our mission today to spread this over the membrane layer. Spades, rakes, and buckets at the ready, we dug straight in to move that mulch mountain from A to B, C and D. Our time flew by with much chatter, some helpful supervision from honorary Good-gym member, local cat Freya, and the path really looks like it's taking shape now. Thanks to all involved & have a great weekend! 😊

It’s just a continuation of last week’s clearing the garden. Today, we did mostly pruning of Lime trees. They now look better without the overgrown parts sprouting from the trunk and roots. Thank you Annie for taking the photos.

I cycled to the task and met Owen there. Though it was only two of us, we did what we could. Owen gave instructions on what we can do realistically for approximately 2 hours task.

This is how the task went. We started emptying and spreading a big bag full of woodchip, removed some old cardboad, pulling out weeds by hand including some roots too which was satisfying. After loosening the soil, later on, we seemed to have attracted 2 robins, as they found some food there like worms and insects. I love to be of help even in my small way.

Please note that this is an ongoing project and they continue to need volunteers every Tuesday from 1-3pm. Owen thanked me for my time, I love gardening so I will definitely come back.

After the task, I have been invited to have some cup of tea and biscuits which I accepted the offer, and said, why not? ☺️