We had a great turn out this Saturday and a lovely sunny day for our visit to the Forest School. Jacqui, Sekar, Amy and Yana were tasked with clearing out the weeds that have suddenly started to spring up with all the warm weather we’ve had. Meanwhile Alexis and Julie had the challenging job of removing the old tree stump that has been in the way of the allotment entrance causing a hazard for the children. The allotment looked much tidier when we were finished and we were rewarded with orange squash and biscuits, as well as the obligatory cuddles with the beautiful animals. It’s great to see the results of our work over the last few months here.

A welcome return to Surbiton Library on a bright evening as part of the WWF x GoodGym’s Workout for Nature event to celebrate Earth Day.

There was nature of sorts, as those of us who have been here before will know that the ivy grows fast and there are plenty of weeds to prise out of gaps in the paving.

Kudos to Dave, Julie and Rachel for the gardening while Tom, Amy, Alexis and Emily first got going with the litter pickers to remove the various nasties that were lurking around. Lovely to then get a bonus help from both Andy and his daughter Verity, who proved an expert sweeper.

Great to be outside, and doing good as ever.

On Saturday Emily and Alexis joined Marylin and Peter at Canbury Community Garden to lend a hand with a few jobs and for some birthday treats. They mixed in top soil with compost, dug up nettles to prepare a the soon to be tomato bed, transferred topsoil to another new vegetable bed and levelled the ground, the hens swiftly moved in to scratch away. Helped Peter move heavy furniture out of the shed and into the visitor’s corner. Marie-Noelle joined them later on and helped finish the weeding We shared some Pain d'Epices treats Marylin had brought back from France to celebrate her birthday 🎂 🥳 and distributed a bouquet of nettles to the hens.

On a glorious sunny Sunday morning, we gathered at Staywell Day Centre with 2 hours on the clock and a mission: to give the vegetable patch, flower beds, and driveway a good weeding makeover! Armed with trowels, gloves, and an eagerness to get stuck in, Amy, Alexis, Farzeen, Emily, and Jana wasted no time diving into the task.

As we worked, conversations flowed freely, with stories exchanged about our professions and daily lives. A highlight of the day was hearing about Emily's exciting news: she’s being presented with a prestigious Majors award tomorrow evening! We all shared in her excitement, which certainly helped lift the atmosphere as we tackled some particularly stubborn weeds.

At the halfway mark, we took a well-deserved break to recharge with biscuits and chocolate. Standing back, we admired our progress so far.

With renewed energy, we powered through the rest of the time, determined to make the residents proud of their newly spruced-up outdoor spaces. By the end of the session, the transformation was complete, and we couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as we surveyed the clean, tidy garden and weed-free driveway.

It was a fantastic day of teamwork, sunshine, and stories for a worthy cause, leaving us all with smiles (and maybe a little mud) on our faces!