Last night we were in a spooky Cator Park helping to tidy up some of the bushes and paths ahead of the friends group's dog show this weekend.

After a quick dog vs cats chat in the pub, we jogged down to meet Millie in the park.

We were equipped with hoes, secateurs, shears and a wheelbarrow and worked on a couple of the big hedge sections to neaten them up and clear weeds and pine needles from the path.

It didn't take long for it to look much more presentable, and mean the paths were wider.

Nice one, gang! ✂️

Off to Blenheim Arpley Green, just down the road in Penge. We did a little loop of the local park to stretch our legs, chatting about sports to spectate and sports to try out - the more unusual the better! With Mark about to start parkour, and liking the atmosphere at women's football matches, and Liz liking to watch a bit of kickboxing, we had plenty of skills to ponder. Arriving at the task we were warmly welcomed but a few of us vs two huge piles of woodchip - we needed to make as big a dent as we could. The aim was to shift the woodchip to newly prepared green spaces round the corner, using barrow, shovel, wheelie bin and buckets. And so we did, making quite a dent in the piles and clearing pathways to make access easier. Soon those new spaces will flourish, the trees will root deeper over the winter with better water retention, and there will be less complaints about the piles of woodchip :D The three of us set off into the night, warm from the glow of our workout and the help given.

Some stellar clearing of a couple of beds in Crystal Palace Park tonight, right next to our regular Water Tower Base haunt, and a similar task in a way.

Invisible Palace look after a bunch of flower beds around the park and are taking on one that is particularly overgrown. Their volunteers had made a great start and we were continuing to clear out grass, weeds, brambles, bindweed and a huge buddleia.

We got a good workout in and made a really big difference to the space.

Nice one team 💥