We were all enthralled last night as Elliot Newton, (that is his real name!) the council’s biodiversity officer, showed as smooth newts in the early stages of life (called an eft) at the community pond and garden we were tasked with helping to maintain.

Four GoodGymers ran almost 3km up the hill from the Quaker Centre while four of the gang met at Vine Close. Two key tasks were set. Luke, Tom and Jana helped to clear the blanket weed in the pond - while carefully putting back any baby newts, leeches and water boatman who were hiding in it.

Meanwhile Helen, Emma, Rachel, Dave and new GoodGymer Sara uses hoes and trowels to remove dozens of grass tufts which have taken over the gravel path around the garden.

What a sense of achievement to play a part maintaining this special community site which members of GoodGym Kingston first helped to restore over a year ago.

Congratulations to Sara for completing her first task - we hope you'll join another.

And always a pleasure to be with Elliot who doesn’t let you leave until you’ve learnt a fact or two, spreading his passion for nature to everyone.

After some demanding sessions clearing the planters outside Surbiton Library in all weathers, we returned for the most rewarding stage of all on a beautiful evening as we finished them with flowers for the summer.

It wasn’t all easy; they first needed to be filled up with enough earth. Luke, Emma and Helen excelled themselves, carrying wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of soil through from behind the library and emptying them out.

Claire, Jo, Julie and Tom started off putting the first plants in before attempting to recreate a mirror image of salvias, bushes, marigolds and petunias in the opposing beds, while Rachel tidied the existing beds.

It served to really brighten up the view outside the library, and hopefully they’ll continue to bloom over the next few months.