We've gardened in freezing rain, scraped graffiti in sub zero temps, even pulled weeds with the threat of snow - and finally, the evening came. An indoor task! Perfect timing as well, as it was pretty nippy out there last night.

Our job for the evening was to address and stuff envelopes for a charity called Sparkle which runs an intergenerational centre. It brings together elderly people who might be facing loneliness with young ones who can benefit from their experience. A brilliant idea! They just need some help spreading the word about their amazing offering.

So we met at St Michael's church, where some of the activities including gentle exercise, arts and singing are held. It may have been a toasty inside task, but it was no less of a challenge as we found we had no fewer than 1700 envelopes to fill!

Wasting no time we formed an efficient production line, some of us writing, some stuffing and some sealing. While we worked the conversation was certainly wide ranging, from the merits of singing butlers to the best parkrun breakfasts, the joy of sleeper trains and what exactly is meant by 'vibe merchants'.

No wonder then that some of us may have got a little distracted and 'Dear Neighbour' became 'Dear Envelope'! Mentioning no names but a certain glossy beard might be a good disguise?

After a good solid session working away, we had a final count and managed a grand total of over 1000 envelopes - amazing! Next week we'll take on the job of delivering them - hope to see as many of you as possible there to get the word out far and wide!

We had got so used to the comfy warm room that our planned session on agility and balance morphed into a cosy strength and conditioning session. But that didn't mean that there was less, ahem, vocal feedback. Still, hopefully Pritesh didn't pull every single muscle in his body and Steph's hip flexors survived the journey home!

Great work everybody. Join us next week for the second part of the task or check out this week's community missions.

The Katherine Low Settlement in Battersea is an amazing hub for all sorts of charities. They support refugees with various programs, have clubs for the elderly, provide food for vulnerable groups and loads of resources for kids. They also have a garden which has been neglected over winter, and needed a bit of extra love. Which is where we came in!

A big welcome to Holly who joined for the very first GoodGym session, great to have you with us Holly!

We met at a very chilly BAC and got straight into getting those frozen muscles with lot of dynamic movements up the hill. We finished off the warm up with a quick Valentine's Day related quiz question with a bit of a dark edge to it before setting off.

After a brisk run down to the centre we were shown the garden and given a list of jobs which included deadheading, sweeping, clearing and weeding. There was also a job inside for the lucky few tidying up a games cupboard and sweeping.

Before long we were a buzz of activity and within 25 minutes of hard work the garden was looking so much tidier and more welcome for the service users. The games cupboard was immaculate and ready for use by the kids club, and the floors were spotless thanks to Jo and her giant brush.

After a few minutes thawing out in the warm we headed back out to face the night and do a fitness session based on lower body muscle groups. Every 30 seconds saw us change up the exercise, from curtesy, plié, oblique crunch and static squats, to lunges, jumps, single leg holds and pulses. Phew!

Next week we have an indoor task writing envelopes for an intergenerational charity - sign up here

Great work everybody, thanks for all your efforts on a pretty cold night!

What a fantastic way to close out our year of GoodGym runs! This evening’s mission marked our last run of 2024, but not to worry, if you’re itching for some GoodGym action next week, I’m happy to set up a community mission on Monday—just let me know!

We started with a warm-up and the all-important question of the week: Should we retire the question of the week? I was expecting a mixed reaction from some of us thinking it was a fun tradition but it was time to draw it to a close, and others wanting to see it continue into 2025. Unexpectedly the result was unanimous - question of the week is here to stay! (But we might start taking it in turns...)

It was also fantastic to welcome Jack for his very first GoodGym session! Hope you enjoyed it, Jack, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Our task tonight took us to the Gwynneth Morgan Day Centre, a vital local hub supporting older residents of Wandsworth. Age UK Wandsworth provides this space for social interaction, activities, and vital services to improve the quality of life for the elderly. It’s wonderful to be part of a project that gives back to the community in such a meaningful way.

Our jobs for the evening were varied. We started with washing buses, ensuring they were sparkling clean and ready for action. Next, we attempted to fix and move a planter (a tricky job with a bit of a fight back from the planter itself!), and we finished off with some leaf clearing, making sure the area around the center was tidy and welcoming. There’s always plenty to do, and we were glad to be part of it.

A huge thanks to Frank for the thoughtful gift of chocolate, which definitely fueled our run and work! We were also pleased to see GoodGym Wandsworth included in the Age UK Wandsworth annual report—a lovely reminder of our visits. And of course, there are always more jobs to do—so we'll be back in 2025!

Before we headed off, we enjoyed a fitness session featuring Tabata, which was intense but at least kept us warm. We even finally figured out how to correctly pronounce “Tabata”—you’d be surprised how long its taken me!

Finally, don’t forget to RSVP to the GoodGym Wandsworth Christmas Party on Thursday, December 12th! It’s going to be a great time, and we’d love to see you there. Details here - and rest assured there is no pressure to sing, we welcome spectators and performers alike!

That’s a wrap for 2024. Can't wait to see you all next year—stay active and keep spreading the good vibes!