Well, that’s the song that David quoted to us when another two of his tools got broken this week by two overly enthusiastic Goodgymmers! But I am getting ahead of myself… Five Goodgymmers, Daryl, Roger, Caprice, Keith and Lea, turned up for another session of attacking shrubs in the church garden. That “attacking” was obviously taken too literally by Keith and Daryl… one managed to break a fork and the other managed to break a spade within ten minutes of having started! David Jokes, no, not joking, was none too pleased, although in the end he did manage a joke about it, doing justice to his name. Lots of stuff removed again, lots of barrows wheeled again, but no cutlery was found this week! We must have done a thorough job last week. All looking pleasant enough, even though it was getting too dark to see. Our next session therefore will have to wait till the spring. Pity, we had fun while working hard.

Five Goodgymmers, Mohammed, Roger, Paul, Keith and Lea turned up at St Aldhelm’s church for some more weeding of the church garden. Forks aplenty. As well as grasses galore, ivy galore and ….. cutlery galore?!?!?! We kept on finding teaspoons…the vicar came to say hello and luckily cleared up the teaspoon mystery: they wash their cups etc after coffee mornings, but as the church has no sink, they throw the water in the bushes. The phrase: don’t throw the baby out with the bath water comes to mind, or rather: don’t throw the cutlery out with the dishwater. Anyway, definitely lots of done again with a very happy David, the gardening volunteer. Lea, however, was not so happy when she got home: oh horror… no after picture 😱😡😢! Maybe next week we can take one, as well as another before picture because we will be tackling the invasive holm oaks. If you want some hard graft, do turn up next week. Holm oaks are notoriously stubborn!

Four Goodgymmers, Sarah, Roger, Keith and Lea, turned up at St Aldhelm’s Church to meet up with David. No weeding like last time, no, the big stuff today! Roger wielding a pitchfork to take a self seeded big (whatever it was) bush out, Sarah happily lopping away at huge laurel and rhododendron bushes, with Keith attacking holly, laurel and a strawberry tree with a vengeance! And Lea… on wheelbarrow duty! Luckily Roger joined her after uprooting the whatever bush and together they wheeled 28 barrows around the corner past a group of non-budging people and a rather badly parked van into and beyond the memory garden. All that gardening work resulted in a huge pile… and a happy David, hoping that we will manage at least one more session there. Thanks everyone for your hard work.

Seven Goodgymmers, Millie, Emma, Sophie, Mohammed, Roger, Keith and Lea, got together to help Patsy and Scott of the Dorset Children’s Foundation. Well… got together was not actually the word: we were split up, three at Pokesdown and four at the new premises in the Sovereign Centre. At Pokesdown Roger and Lea loaded a van with office furniture, crates of stuff and bags, while Keith did his favourite thing, unscrewing a huge desk. Once loaded, we went to the other site, but that sounded easier than it was. WHERE, oh where, did we have to be? Luckily we found out where to go and, more importantly, where everyone was. Then the unloading started. That was actually such a quick job that Lea got Patsy to give us some other jobs. She was mighty pleased when the girls helped with painting the bathroom, with Mohammed looking like a professional sanding down a cupboard. Roger and Lea also joined in the painting. With five of us there it was done in no time. And Keith?! He had the important task of trying out this wonderful hanging seat. Patsy was happily surprised at how we got on with things and is already thinking of other tasks we can do. Thanks everyone for your help!!