Commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday, 8 May 2025.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies, Chris Ken and Anita spent time decorating one of GoodGym Richmond‘s sponsored plots in Buccleuch Gardens in order to remember and honour those who served in World War II and also the millions who lost their lives in the conflict.

Most of the 90+ reusable poppies had been premade from recycled clothing but the session started with a sewing bee where we made up further poppies from pre-cut petals and centres (cut out from a pre-loved faux suede coat bought from a car boot sale for £1) and then created the distinctive black centres of Flanders poppies using a permanent marker.

Half of puppies were combined with lengths of freshly cut ivy (weeded out of the adjacent border) to decorate seven withie wreaths that we then attached to the black railings of the arcade. The other poppies were wired onto the tips of the branches of the alder tree in the arcade lawn.

Taking the step ladder home at the end of the session there was an opportunity to walk across the nearby poppy-decorated pedestrian crossing on Petersham Road which marks the entrance to the Royal British Legion’s poppy factory.

Ken and Dave met up this evening to dig a few test holes in a 'dodgy' alleyway next to a school. The plan is to plant a few trees and plants along the alleyway to encourage people to use it more and to lessen the dodgy behaviour that has occurred in the past.

Test holes dug with varying levels of success but the conclusion that, with a bit of hard work, some planting can be carried out when needed 🙌

Fun task this morning as a bunch of goodgymer's and other volunteer groups combined to do a mass litter pick across Petersham common. Led by our unfortunately injured, but local resident outdoors man Ken - we set about combing the area clean of garbage. There was a lot but we smashed through it, and felt good for having done our bit! Coffee and a stroll past the 3 pigeons plot (another goodgym managed site) to admire the lovely flowers and we were done!

On to the next one... Monday ... "we go again! We do not let this slip!" :-)

A warm welcome to Honor this evening who joined us for the first time to run from the Tap in Richmond out to Petersham Common. There task owner and member, Ken, met us to explain the tasks needed to work on the last section of traditional hedgerow down Star & Garter hill that we started last winter. This included fence post carrying, fence post bashing and binding between posts, hawthorn planting and some surrounding litter picking. The team set straight to work including another first time GoodGymmer, Emily 😍

When it came to the time to run back, Ken plied us with fortifying chocolates as the group headed back up to Richmond High Street for a well-deserved rest and warm up!