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.

Amy and Petra met Brian on sunny Sunday to help with paining a wooden flowerbed. Moving it from under very wet plastic sheet into the sun - that was the heavy lifting done. We then sanded it down and painted it whilst catching some sunshine. Stopped for cup of tea and a biscuit that Brian kindly provided. See you in April.

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!