Today I did a big solo paint job for Mottingham Foodbank. Their storage room is looking a little worse for wear so I had the task of painting one of the walls. Why is it always the prepping and cleaning that takes ages when you're painting?!

We had a duo of tasks last night to pick from.

Team Gazebo (Fiona, James, George, Nathan and Charlie) popped along to the scene of last week's gazebo erection to deliver said gazebos to a shed the other side of the estate ahead of a community event there this weekend. They also put up a couple of posters up to advertise the event to residents. Top stuff.

Easy PEASy

Down the bottom of the hill, team planter (Paul, Cat, Clare and I) headed to some weedy community planters to give them a little tidy. It was a big job so we just tried to do one section, removing some sticky weed, grass and dead sweet pea plants (but emptying the pods and spreading the seeds amongst the other beds).

Nice job and jog everyone 👍

Paul, Rosie, Mark and Hannah met at Penge East Community Centre to help some windows sparkle like their true selves, both inside and outside. (In fact, one member of the party was so keen that they managed to get there an hour early, but we won’t mention any names…) A system of washing, scrubbing and dry-wiping was quickly established, and we worked our way round the building, indoors first and then outdoors. We finished up with some admiration of the noticeboard of local activities and all the great initiatives going on at the Centre - take a look!

The group Couch to 5k went well. We started week 6 ( already ) and are starting to see small signs of stamina building up.Two went together, sadly I arrived too late, so run doggedly by myself, arriving at Horn Park a little later than advertised 😀

HOWEVER.....what a session ! 4 Goodgymers, 2 members of the public ,plus the regular Friends of Horn Park made a mega WoodChip Shovelling/Laying Team. The original woodchip pile, the teamwork, and the extra support was truly a thing of beauty. The "before "and " afters " don't show the pace that was worked. GoodGymers having done the Couch to 5k run just before, didn't shirk from buckling down with fully laden barrows , shuttling back and forth laying woodchip along a path which was seriously muddy and a potential slip hazard.

How great is it that 2 members of the public, one a regular dog walker ( the dog, a golden retreiver, was a sweetheart), in the park, another returning from a local Park Run, who, upon learning of the task at hand literally piled in and helped . The pace of work was super quick, thus the task was finished in record time.

Superb bonhomie throughout. Human beings really can be a force for good, - especially when they see others having a go.It's nice to see Friends of Horn Park look especially gratified after our departure. A job well done, as always. We love Good Gym 🏋️‍♂️