They have a really great new play area at Sydney Gardens. One of the features is a sandpit, through which runs a water feature from top to bottom. Problem is with sand is it disappears with time.

Some of this could be explained by he usual processes of fluvial erosion but in this case enthusiastic children likely contribute in the course of doing exactly what they should be doing, play.

The task for the 5 GoodGymmers that attended was to replenish the sand in order that play could continue. Naturally the location of the backup sand was the furthest distance away from where it was needed. I'm beginning to see a common rule here, the need for a 'heavy to transport' material is inversely proportional to its distance from the location it is needed.

Undeterred, GoodGymmers Stephen, Mark, Kate, Jane and Meyrick set about the task. We had three wheelbarrows though, so our output was limited. Plus one of those wheelbarrows suffered a puncture at the start to we improvised.

We mus have made a dozen trips though, gratefully received by the on site volunteers who were raking the sand over to return the sandpit to its former glory.

No doubt this will be required again as play resumes, but all in all a Sandtastic effort from all involved.

7 Goodymers headed to Alice park to help with a variety of tasks.

We welcomed a new Goodgymer to the team! Welcome Vish it was lovely to meet you

We divided into two teams. Half the team were sawing wood and then using the wood to create a new natural fence in the garden.
Whilst the other half of the team were up and down ladders creating a bamboo frame to support the new grape vines.
We look forward to seeing the grape vines grow and provide a new natural shelter at the back of the garden.

As usual, the time went quickly and before we knew it, it was time for a rewarding hot drink and biscuit.

We look forward to joining the Alice Park volunteers again next month to finish our new boundary fence :)

This month's visit to Alice Park saw us continuing work on the new path which we'd made a start on last month.

With seven pairs of hands this time, we made fairly quick work of digging out the trench in the line of the path, ready for future bark chipping. And also started off the fencing down on side of that by hammering in stakes at regular intervals.

After a refreshment break, some of us joined in the community session of Christmas wreath making which was also going on today.

Watch this space for more path updates from future sessions...

OK, so it's almost winter now and it's no longer warm anymore, but we are all grateful for blue skies and sunshine when on a GoodGym mission. This was one of those mornings, air crisp and chilly but warming under a late Autumn sun.

Five GoodGymmers arrived at one of our favourite locations, the walled garden at Newton St Loe. This Grow for Life project has been ongoing for the last couple of years and aims to be completed by 2025. Grow for Life's purpose is to provide social and therapeutic gardening sessions for people affected by low confidence, anxiety, depression or isolation.

In attendance to help was the ever enthusiastic Wayne who greeted Stephen, Jane, Natalie, Mark and Meyrick. Always prepared, he told us what he needed us to do that morning and we set to work.

A considerable amount of wood chip needed redistributing, some of it initially along the top by the main wall, let's call it a 'rampart'. If I could understand some of Wayne's grand vision, there will be trees and a path along here, and it is towards that goal that we added progress.

Elsewhere wood chip needed laying down over well worn paths throughout the garden. Whilst helping with this, barrowing and distributing, I took my eyes of the work that was going on at the top, but I believe Jane (to whom we are very grateful for continuing to organise this mission), took on the mighty bindweed.

Towards the end, inevitably, manure was involved. Horse manure to be exact. We reworked the compost piles, turning them upside down and layering them with woodchip, greens and horse manure before signing off with whatever we wanted to harvest from the garden.