One GoodGymer joined one VERY enthusiastic volunteer from Friends of Hatherop Park to help them plant native trees in their wildlife area. With bags of oaks and thorn trees and spades in hand we headed off into the park and started digging. I was taken to the slope near the railway line where we had recently coppiced over 20 ash trees to make room to diversify the wildlife area on Sunday. The ground was obviously an old tip full of bricks, concrete and rubble so the digging was hard work and it took longer than we expected but after a couple of hours we had planted all fairly big 36 trees that the Friends of Hatherop Park brought along and we went on our way home.

Roll up, Roll up.

Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages, welcome to the greatest show on earth.

Tonight under a magnificent full moon, Richmond witnessed Good Deeds that pushed the limits of human ability. As you read this run report and look at the photos, be amazed by our gravity-defying gardening, hold your breath at our fearless weeding and laugh with our hilarious clowning acrobats.

Our regular performers have given their Monday evenings to perfecting their craft. They’ve trained countless hours, pushing themselves past limits, all to create moments of pure astonishment for you. Each task completed on this cold January night told a story: a story of determination, skill, and the pursuit of excellence. From our remarkable leaf rakers and sweepers, our wonderful weeders, our compost turners, our barricade builders, to our skilled human numerals, every performer brought their special magic to Buccleuch Gardens.

Please put your hands together for our newest recruits Jade and Mike and our fabulous run leader Sam. And for regulars Monika, Suze, Anita, Rosie, Harry, Chris, Cathy and Ken. Everyone adding something special to this 'second Monday' task and each one essential to the spectacular ‘2025' finale.

One GoodGymer turned up to work alongside 7 volunteers from Friends of Hatherop Park in Hampton felling trees. With bowsaw in hand, it on a cold morning it was right into the woods to start cutting the 12m tall trees. It took a bit of time to get the 3 felling cuts all done before the trees came crashing to the ground. It was fun but hard work and by the end over 20 trees had been felled to the ground in part of a biodiversity improvement scheme to diversify the woodlands. The woodland is a monoculture of ash trees and by felling the trees it will create new coppice and glades where new oaks, hawthorns, blackthorn and field maple trees will be planted in a future session.

GoodGym Richmond doesn’t normally do missions on Wednesdays, but this was an exception.

In collaboration with the Richmond Social Running Club, 7 GGers gathered to share their love of GoodGym with a group of about 40 runners and spread the word about the good we do every week.

It was a chilly evening with a light rain but our spirits were high as we put up the banner and JP made a short speech about GoodGym, the things we get up to in Richmond and how to get involved.

Then it was off on the runs, splitting up between the different pace groups and chatting to people along the way. The route goes along the river past the Sea Scouts and we hit some very muddy patches, but everyone made it back in one piece.

We took advantage of the Running Club discount in the White Cross pub and chatted with runners before making our way home, hopeful that we have recruited a few newbies to join the gang!

Whilst we may have missed the 12th day of Christmas (yesterday) , Monday 6th January was Epithany and the end of all Christmas festivities so it was a good day to take down the Christmas decorations in Buccleuch Gardens.

Rather than Adoration of the Magi, this lunchtime Epithany task was about Unadorning the Arcadi.

Chris and Anita were:

stuck in a stone cold Arcade,

unravelling knots, bows, ties

and packing away the decorations ready to crown the gardens again in December 2025.

Deck the Arcade with wreaths of ivy, Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Tis the season to be jolly: Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Fill the compost, clear the leaf-fall Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Sing the ancient Christmas carol Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.