When we set out this morning for Hannah More primary school I was wondering whether we'd have enough gooding for our 23 Goodgym'ers. We were due to be helping out with their Willow arch and it seemed like with so many enthusiastic helpers we might be finished in 10 minutes.

But I had reckoned without Ruth, our fantastic host who was completely prepared for us with a shopping trolley full of litter pickers and four or five raised beds containing spades and forks borrowed from Windmill Hill community farm down the road.

Willow Taming

The Willow tamers were instructed by our second host for the day Veronica, and were soon trimming low level off shoots with secateurs and winding and tying together the higher lengths to reinstate the arch, stopping only for a short chocolate biscuit break (thanks for the biscuits, Ruth!)

Double Digging

The diggers were to double dig the raised beds used for instructing the children in all things horticultural. Double Digging involves aeratingtwo spade depths of soil by removing one layer with a spade and then loosening the layer below with a fork. Sadly I hadn't done my research this time and had forgotten how to do it, for those who are interested there is a nice animation here - note that it's not actually necessary to rotate the layers but it kept Liam busy and I'm pretty sure the beds were well aerated by the end!

A different class of litter

Our litter picker team worked hard throughout and were reinforced by the diggers towards the end so they could blitz the remaining area at the front of the school. Our resident teacher Darren nodded knowingly as he removed a couple of pairs of scissors that appeared to have been cast out of a nearby window and recalled various other random items which had appeared in his class from time to time as children 'redistributed' the contents of the Scrapstore playpod.

Meanwhile, Dave and Chris had noticed some stray items up in one of the trees in the school field. Borrowing a ladder from the Willow tamers they succeeded in removing the objects including a hula hoop which was sadly not demonstrable having been cut to remove it.

Four Hundred Good Deeds for Dave

This was the week that Dave, our amazing Godfather of Goodness and all round Mission Master passed 400 good deeds. Congratulations Dave - thanks for all you do for us here in Bristol in co-ordinating all our missions and in the run leading and amazing support you provide on Saturdays.