Seven of us made our way to an industrial estate in Mitcham on a dark and drizzly night. As ever, it was well worth it to help out the brilliant charity Critical Support. This time some of the team were sorting crates of bread, fruit and other food, while others carried out an amazing transformation to the upstairs room, categorising clothes donations, tidying and even hoovering. James was as appreciative as always and amazed by what we'd achieved in such a short time. We look forward to returning.

A group of Goodgymers set out to pick up litter in their local area. I managed to forget to take a photo, so excuse the picture inside the bin!

Several have signed up to donate to a foodbank as the task that can be done at any time and anywhere over the weekend, so this report may get added to.

Rachael was the first to knock this off the to do list with a donation at Waitrose in Raynes Park. Then Emily dropped off some tins at Aldi, whilst Jade stopped by at Merton Park Baptist church collection point for Wimbledon Foodbank. Others added donations at various other locations.

Helping the Little ARK team wrap up their launch event by clearing away the remains of the celebration and tidying the space. From packing up food to clearing the final bits and bobs, we made sure everything was carried downstairs and loaded into the car - a little lifting to end the day.

The team welcomed 19 guests and making excellent use of a generous donation of surplus food. Guests were served Quorn chicken cheeseburgers in homemade buns, accompanied by onions, salad, mustard, and a garlic dressing. This was followed by a hearty ratatouille for the main course. Dessert was a highlight, featuring banana pie with toffee sauce and acai sorbet.

The evening ran smoothly from start to finish thanks to the hard work, teamwork, and enthusiasm of all the volunteers involved. A huge well done to everyone who contributed.

A year on from our first session in this garden, it was lovely to see how well it's coming along, with the first daffodils shyly emerging and the impressive new bay tree resplendent in its pot. For this session we were planting fruit trees, moving blackcurrant and raspberry bushes, cutting back lemon balm and doing some weeding, all under the knowledgeable supervision of Inger. The sun came out and it didn't really feel like January. We'll be back next month!