Two Goodgymmers, Keith and Lea, helped at the “carnage” AKA free-for-all AKA the Dorset Children’s Foundation jumble sale today. Actually this was in no way carnage, it was totally manageable and really a lot of fun. Lots of money raised for clothes that would have gone to tonnage (recycling into rags or landfill). With items costing only 50p per item, the piles of clothes went steadily down. Lea was happy with her book about sloths and the cardigan she bought to put on over her Goodgym tshirt, as it was a tad cold in the shop with the doors wide open. But about an hour before closing time, the price was reduced to “fill your plastic bag for a pound”, then the piles really started disappearing. Keith’s loud voice announcing the price reduction could virtually be heard all over the Sovereign centre! I think he was in need of a stiff drink though when his town-cry slipped into “fill your pound for a bag”…. Anyway, Patsy of the Dorset Children’s Foundation was mighty pleased with our help! No after picture unfortunately, but the piles had DEFINITELY gone down!

Three Goodgymmers, Caprice, Keith and Lea, got together amongst a huge pile of bags. And then ended up with huge piles of clothes… but a lot happened in between! Opening the bags, gauging each item for size, neatly depositing it on the right piles: ladies sizes 4-16; ladies plus size; mens! And don’t forget the babbies, the kiddies and the young laddies and lassies. Lots of mustering. Lots of “ooh”s and “aah”s, lots of “yeah, need to try that on”. After a while the neatly depositing, however, turned into chucking it on the right piles, as we were assured several times that “clothes jumble sales are a free-for-all AKA carnage”… right, and I have to be back here tomorrow during this carnage? Anyway, lots of giggles, lots of posing (as photo shows: Keith and Caprice were particularly enamoured by these little black numbers), in sum: lots of CLOTHES!!! Patsy was very grateful again as these piles will hopefully raise a nice amount of money for the Dorset Children’s Foundation. BTW Caprice: size labels are easier to read WITH glasses!

Six Goodgymmers, Emma, Sophie, James, Daryl, Keith and Lea, turned up at the Dorset Children’s Foundation hub to help Patsy with some chores that would take a lot longer for her on her own! Recycled ceiling panels, dustier than dusty, had to be swept with a brush, a task taken on lefthanded by Lea, then taken to the painting team, consisting of Sophie, Emma and James. What about Keith and Daryl though?! Well, a kitchen that was covered in dust, because of work done in the building, was waiting to be cleaned from ceiling to floor. When Lea returned from the DCF charity shop with some jigsaws that had to be counted (yikes, 1000 pieces?!, and some smaller ones) Lea set to counting to 1000, later on joined by Keith and Daryl who took the smaller jigsaws. When the floor was covered with the ceiling panels, having turned from a dusty grey into beautiful black, the kitchen sparkling clean, and the jigsaws counted, we called it a day! With Patsy, as ever, very grateful again for all our hard work. And Chloe very happy indeed with a few more jigsaws counted! Hopefully there will be a next episode soon.

Another mission accomplished helping our new friends at Dorset Children's Foundation! Superstars Manu, Lea, Keith and Nicola AKA 'The Cycle Gang' started their Misson by helping Simon load his van with donations at the DCF Charity shop in Pokesdown. Sue, Daryl and Caprice started at the Charity's warehouse moving a mountain of bagged clothes ready for the van to arrive for the switcharoo. Once finished loading the van The Cycle Gang then raced Manu and Simon in his van to the warehouse to help unload and reload with the clothing donations. They were super speedy and what a gorgeous day for a bike ride! With the team reunited they all got stuck in unloading and the reloading the van at the warehouse. Lea then excitedly crushed some cardboard boxes with the help of Manu and Keith. Simon asked for some volunteers head back to the Charity shop to help him with some more donations. The Cycle Gang to the rescue!! They then raced Simon back to the shop to help unload and reload the van. They even cycled back to the warehouse to meet the rest of the gang to unload the van, what troopers!! Dorset Children's Charity have been inundated with donations and have been working flat out trying to sort through everything and were extremely grateful for our help. They said that it would've taken 8 hours to do what we accomplished!! Needless to say will be back very soon to help Simon and Patsy. Many hands make light work!

Another successful mission helping Dorset Children's Foundation!! We love helping these guys and feel so appreciated by the owners Patsy and Scott. And what a treat, we were welcome by their new family member Xena the boxer puppy. What a good little helper! The team were put to work re-arranging the store room ready to receive lots of new storage racking and many hands make light work!! Thanks to Nicola, Daryl and Hannah for the action shots and everyone else for all their hard work!

It's been so long since we were able to get together, and whilst there's nothing quite a group run and a task, community missions allow us to continue doing good AND see some of our fellow GoodGym Bournemouth family at the same time. WIN WIN.

Dorset Children's Foundation needed an extra pair of hands...well we gave them 8 pairs!

Caprice, Sean, Daryl, Sarah, Janet, Keith, Lea and Hannah met Patsy and we were waved into a mysterious door which led to the biggest Aladdin's cave you've ever seen! We went upstairs and through room after room of donations... it looked like a hoarder's paradise! There were some interesting finds in there that's for sure (abd Patsy told us about some VERY questionable donations too........) but great to see so much for the charity to sort through and sell.

We set to work unloading a small van which didn't take much time at all, so then we helped sorting through the stock and Sarah, Janet, Lea and Hannah got to work squashing some boxes which was actually quite satisfying!

Patsy was so pleased to have us helping, and we must have done well as she asked to have us back again next week! There is loads to be done there so would be great if we can give them regular support.

We've been doing SOOOOO MUCH GOOD during lockdown with all of our one off missions! Everything from prescription collections and shopping, to changing ligbtbulbs, moving furniture or having a chat with someone who needed it, but to be back together as a group again is the BEST THING EVER.

No matter whats going on in life, there is always the chance to do good! Spreading GoodGym Bournemouth smiles and positivity is what we do best, and man it feels sooooo good to be back!