On Saturday, our GoodGym team rolled up their sleeves and joined Jason – the wonderful gardener at Community Hospice – for a mission that was all about soil, sweat, and smiles.

The job? Clear out the flower beds in the Sensory Garden, sieve all the soil, and then put it back in. Sounds straightforward? Well, it was a proper workout! Buckets were filled, sieves were shaken, and the odd stone or stubborn root put up a fight.

By the end, the beds were ready for a fresh start. Jason and his gardening team can now plant a whole array of new, beautiful plants to brighten up the garden. It’s more than just flowers – it’s colour, life, and cheer for the hospice patients and their families who enjoy that space every day.

We left a little muddier, a lot sweatier, but very proud. Sometimes the best way to spread joy is to get your hands dirty.

It was an early start in Avery Hill Park to give a hand to the amazing Community Hospice team for their Fun Day setup. The air was crisp but our GoodGym spirits was high.

First task was unloading the van. With good team work and some heavy lifting, the gear and boxes were soon laid out ready for action.

Then came the nine marquees 🎪. With four of us pulling together on each they popped up like giant umbrellas. We fastened weights round the legs and hammered in pegs to anchor everything down 🔨. No chance of these structures taking flight on our watch!

We then fitted the back panels and laid out tables, making the space ready for the event.

With perfect timing we headed across the park for parkrun 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃‍♂️.

A perfect blend of doing good and getting fit on a Saturday morning 💥

A perfect morning at my first ever GoodGym session!

After a nice half an hour stroll up Bostall Hill, I took in the breathtaking gardens as I arrived a little early. Walking up to reception, nervous and full of excitement, Sarah and Johnny welcomed me into the GG community. I met the lovely head gardener, Jason - aka Van Gogh - credit to him for the pun in this title!

We made a start as the rest of the team showed up, with the mission to clear the pathway at the entrance and battle the thorns. A team of eight was the perfect number. Teamwork makes the dream work! Within an hour, we transformed the entrance.

Zita was a powerhouse, attacking the ivy in minutes, snipping and raking. She never stopped. Ceci was a pro with the shears and came up with great references for everyone: Sweet Caroline and Simon Says. She couldn't resist sharing a few dance moves at the end of the mission.

It was so lovely to start the weekend off with a rewarding workout, feeling that we are contributing to our local community. I discovered that Caroline went to the same secondary school as myself and met her husband at a pub in Bexley.

After a few photos, a few of us shared lunch, which was the perfect ending to the day! The hunter chicken was a great recommendation, although the lasagne looked just as tasty! Thanks to Robert for sharing his chocolate cake with us.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again next month.

Last night we ran and pedalled our way to Days Lane to do some leafleting for the Community Hospice - mixing our cardio with good deeding from the get-go!

Then we power-walked along one side of the road, posting leaflets through letterboxes to spread the word about the Hospice's fundraising Fun Day (coming next month!) and an epic Great Wall of China Trek (making 2026 the year of scenic strides).

We returned down the opposite side of the street, completing a neat flyer circuit and a great step count!

We met, we moved and - fingers crossed - we've reached some curious families and adventurous trekkers!

Next week we make a return visit to Wonder Zone Nursery to help them tackle a list of tasks. See you there!

What a fantastic time we had helping out at The Community Hospice!

This was our most popular community mission so far, with GoodGym members coming from Greenwich, Tower Hamlets, Camden, and of course, Bexley. It was great to see so many friendly faces ready to get stuck in!

Jason, the Head Gardener, had lots of jobs for us to do to get the garden looking at its best before the Open Gardens Festival next weekend. And wow—we got loads done!

✅ We pulled out weeds

✅ Cleared ivy and brambles from the wall

✅ Cut back some bushes

✅ Tidied up the whole area

Everyone worked hard and made a big difference. The garden is now looking fresher and ready to welcome visitors!

We also had some brilliant milestones to celebrate:

🎉 A huge congratulations to John gaining his GoodGym crown with his 500th good deed—amazing 👑!

👏 Well done to Zita, Robert, and Caroline for reaching 10 good deeds each.

Go team!

Thanks to everyone who came along—it was such fun, and we’re already looking forward to the next one. 🌼🌳

Today’s mission: bring life, colour, and order to the garden at the Community Hospice—with a dash of GoodGym sparkle.

When we arrived, Jason—the Hospice’s amazing gardener—welcomed us with a modest goal: “If we can get five privet plants in, I’ll be chuffed.” Well Jason, prepare to be thoroughly chuffed… because we planted TWELVE!

But that’s not all. While some of us were digging, planting, and lovingly patting down privet plants, the rest of the crew grabbed their brushes and got stuck into painting.

Talk about multitasking heroes!

Paint flew, shrubs settled in, and the space was transformed.

The difference between the ‘before’ and ‘after’ was genuinely heartwarming. A massive well done, Team GG —you absolutely nailed it.