It was all anyone was talking about all day, but on the hottest day of the year so far, our intrepid GoodGym crew forewent the air con and dark rooms and braved the blazing sunshine for a brand new task – heading over to Balham Nursery to help create a beautiful garden space for their under-fives.

We took a gentle jog to the site where we were warmly met by headteacher Natasha and immediately offered ice-cold water, which was very gratefully received. After a quick briefing, we got to work clearing and transforming the space.

The area needed a bit of TLC to become the safe, vibrant spot the nursery envisions – a place where the children can play, sit, and learn among wildflowers. We raked, weeded, and cleared debris to make it safe and welcoming. Along the way, we unearthed a number of long-lost treasures: colourful balls, plastic spades, and even a lion – along with a few other wild animals! Naturally, all creatures great and small were carefully returned to their rightful home.

The heat at 7:30 wasn't conducive to pushing ourselves further so fitness was shevled - but only until next week! So after a satisfying tidy-up, a bit more water, and a final look at our progress, we called it a success and made our way home.

Next week we’re heading back to Doddington for our regular monthly visit – and then on to a pub quiz. Come along and join the fun – we’d love to see you there! Here's the sign up page

Mission Accomplished at Cressingham Gardens

Our dedicated team of GoodGym volunteers got their sweat on while making a real difference in the community! We tackled a major garden transformation project that left everyone feeling accomplished and energized.

Tasks Completed

• Full garden weeding - cleared the entire space of unwanted growth
• Central area restoration - removed weeds, concrete blocks, and old wooden edging to create a clean, usable space

Highlight of the Day

The most memorable moment came when we discovered an unexpected family of residents - five adorable little toads! 🐸 This delightful surprise brought smiles to everyone’s faces and reminded us that our gardening efforts are creating habitats for local wildlife too.

Community Impact

Christine from Cressingham Gardens was absolutely delighted with the transformation. Her joy and gratitude made all the hard work worthwhile and perfectly captured why we do what we do.

Special Recognition

Huge thanks to Katie who stepped up brilliantly to co-lead the session meeting Jordan at Papa’s when Joao got held up with work commitments. This kind of flexibility and teamwork spirit is what makes GoodGym Lambeth special.

Another successful mission combining fitness, community service, and unexpected wildlife encounters - exactly what GoodGym is all about!.

What a great session we had at Holy Trinity Church! Our fantastic group came together to tackle some much-needed gardening and green waste management with Nicole, and we really rose to the occasion.

The team worked tirelessly to clear overgrown areas, manage green waste, and help transform the church grounds. It’s safe to say we were all rooting for a successful outcome, and we certainly didn’t leaf any job unfinished!

Special Mentions

🌟 Jordan from Wandsworth Thanks for branching out and joining us from across the borough! Your enthusiasm really helped us turnip the energy levels.

🌟 Hanna - Congratulations on your very first GoodGym session! You threw yourself into the work with such dedication - we can tell you’re going to grow into a fantastic regular member of our community.

Birthday wishes go to our wonderful Tilly who also provided sweet treats for everyone - happy birthday!

A huge thank you to Nicole for coordinating the session and showing us exactly what needed doing, as well as Run Leader Joao for taking the run. With teamwork like this, we’re proving that many hands make light work - even when dealing with heavy garden waste!

Until next time, keep running and keep doing good!

The GoodGym Lambeth Team 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🌱

A Night of Heroes, Horticulture & Happy Endings at Doddington!

Last night was a special one as we celebrated a big achievement: Paul completed his 400th Good Deed! To mark this milestone for a real-life hero, we had a well-deserved stash of chocolate heroes to fuel our efforts and congratulate Paul on his unwavering dedication.

Our session took us down to the Doddington Community Garden, a vibrant green hub that always benefits the community. We tackled a variety of tasks, including:

Battling the bindweed - an ongoing effort to remove this persistent weed to give the raspberries a chance to flourish. Clearing areas for trees- Annabel and Paul got busy ensuring the ash and apple have the space and light they need Transporting hay and tiles - a true team effort, moving (heavy) items around the garden. Removing dead leaves and sweeping up - Pritesh, Sophie and Jason got rid of all those yellow leaves cluttering up the place

It wasalso great to admire the onions we planted some time ago, now flourishing – a testament to the long-term impact of our GoodGym efforts!

After a productive gardening session, we headed downstairs for a competitive fitness session which saw Sophie and Dave crowned tricep dip royalty!

The run back to base took an unexpected turn as we became embroiled in a missing dog drama. Thankfully, Catherine and Jordan stepped in swiftly and contacted the council, providing crucial assistance. We were all delighted to find out later that evening that the dog was successfully reunited with its owner! A truly happy ending to what was already a very productive night.

A huge well done to everyone, especially to Paul on his amazing 400th good deed!

Join us for our next mission this Saturday: moving mulch! Your help would be greatly appreciated. You can sign up here