There was some confusion to start with, was it Monday, was it Sunday and just where does the 386 bus go and how long does it take? Once we had resolved those queries, it was time to tackle the hilly run over to Senior's!

The garden team always have a list of jobs for us to tackle in the garden and this week was no different. First up, Julian was charged with creating a lasagne out of some compost and woodchip - it was the best compost lasagne I've ever seen! And packed full of veggies as well.

Next up, we needed to shift the last of the woodchip and add to the huge pile in the garden. We were so close but there's still the tiniest bit remaining!!

We're back at Senior's on 30th September which will likely be our last outdoor group run at Senior's until March.

Unlucky for some but not us, 13 GoodGymers gathered outside Glass Mill ready to tackle the hills to help the garden team at Seniors.

We skipped the warm up this week in favour for a steady run as a group to Seniors as it's a bit of a longer run and I'd spent too long chatting as usual!

At Senior's, Alice had a big list for us to get through which included: - watering the plants - admiring the plants in the poly tunnel after we did some hot bedding - clearing the weeds that were growing through the cracks in the building - planting tomato plants - covering the stems of the tomato plants with vaseline to protect from slugs - moving the fly tipped woodchip from the front of the building to near the poly tunnel

Anyone who wasn't there and happens to think "who would fly tip woodchip". It's the same question we thought and the same question the gardening team at Senior's though. Next time, a little request that they fly tip in a more convenient location for the gardening team. Luckily for us, it was a good workout moving it in wheelbarrows.

Most of us frequented the local drinking establishment whilst the rest of the group tackled the hills back to Glass Mill.

Big cheers for Khai who completed his longest run yet!! Amazing effort especially on those hills. We'll make sure next weeks group run is a short and flat route...it actually is!

We have a brand new group run next week to The Ladywell Unit to help in their garden. It's around 1km there so 2km in total.

Finally the sun was shining and on a group run, we'd be very happy if the sun stays for all group runs over summer now!

Onto the task for the evening, it was our monthly visit to Senior's and Alice and the gardening team had a long list of tasks that they needed our help with.

First we had to run up and over the hills to get to Seniors and when we arrived Paul had already got stuck into clearing the weeds from one of the beds.

The other tasks for the evening: - moving tables - filling the water butts - turning over a bed and planting tomato plants (and adding some worms)

It's always a lovely run back as the hills are quickly done and you get rewarded for the hills with the view at the top of Blythe Hill Fields.

Next week we have a shorter run to Luxmore Gardens to continue keeping on top of the weeding.

What is a hot bed I hear you cry!! Google kindly answered that question for me:

*A hotbed is basically a raised bed filled with layers of decomposing straw and manure or other organic matter. You then add a thinner layer of growing medium (soil/compost) on top to grow plants or seeds.

Like any other compost heap, a hotbed is built up using organic materials. Ideally, there should be a good mix of nitrogen-rich ‘green’ and carbon-rich ‘brown’ materials.*

Mo and Oli did a fantastic job of digging up all the soil before adding manure (that wasn't too stinky) and then readding the compost on top. A fun fact, our first ever group run to Senior's approximately 7 years ago (maybe longer) was hot bedding.

The rest of the team tackled a variety of other tasks including digging a trench for potatoes, digging over vegetable beds, cutting off diseased leaves from the roses and transplanting seedlings.

A great effort from every member of the team and it was soon time for a cold drink in the nearby beer garden. Not before saying farewell to Oli who was making the return journey to Glass Mill.

Next week, the bank holiday doesn't stop us and we are heading to Marsha Phoenix Trust.

Another week, another double task group run! This week we were heading up and over the hills to Seniors (I'll be having words with whoever planned that around my tired marathon legs...) and we had a team dropped off at the Tiny to complete the mulching.

The team at Seniors had the wholesome task of weeding and raised bed and then planting broad beans, making sure the roots were fully encased in compost and giving them a good water.

Next up we had to dig the potato bed, removing the weeds so that a new crop of potatoes can be planted. We had a good go at clearing the bed in the time we had left but didn't quite get round to digging the trenches.

It was then time for the journey back to Glass Mill and I had to admit there was no chance I would make it back. The team tackled those hills and regrouped with the mulching group in Ladywell Fields.

With all the mulching done, it was an evening of two tasks well done!

We're halfway through our leg of long runs which cover the further points of the borough that we can potentially reach on a group run. And on Monday evening everyone was looking strong on those hills.

It was a surprise what we'd be doing at Seniors, we were hoping for some sorting in the basement to see what gems we could find but there has been a delay with the storage boxes so that'll be a job for next time we visit Senior's.

There was one trip down to the basement and Steve made easy work of the wood offcuts that needed to go into the recycling.

The rest of the team split into 2 groups. One group was tackling the radiators in the sun room whilst also removing some tricky raffle tickets from down the back of the radiator. Fire risk averted - thanks Vic!

The second team tackled the cleaning in the cafe, the tables and chairs and even walls needed a good scrub.

It wasn't long before it was time to depart back to Glass Mill for some of us and to the pub for the rest of us.

It was great to see a new face at the group run - hopefully we'll see you at a group run again soon, Peter!

Next week we are heading to Young Lewisham Project to tackle the painting.