Mr J has been bed bound for almost a year. GoodGym were asked to move some furniture to make space for a recliner chair and hoist so that Mr J can get out of bed again.

An antique chaise, an antique table and a modern upright cupboard were all to be moved from the main living room to a spare room at the other end of the hall. Two medium sized chest of drawers were also to be taken from the bedroom upstairs and placed outside for collection.

Bianca had got held up at work and would join asap. However, with a limited window before Mr J's carers arrived, it was important to get started immediately. Amazingly, I wasn't alone. Mr J's wife, Mrs M, helped steer and lift. For the record, Mrs M is a trooper and has earned her own GoodGym t-shirt!

We were doing admirably but I must admit, I was delighted to discover that the tall cupboard was on wheels!

Bianca was on hand to help move the chest of drawers outside ready for collection and the whole task was complete, with 6 minutes to spare, in time for the carers arriving.

Another afternoon, another bed (and mattress) for Anne and I to relocate for disposal - amongst the many that we've confronted this year, today's proved right up there in the physical challenge stakes, simply because mattress manufacturers don't put handles at the ends (a fundamental design flaw)...and this one proved particularly difficult to grip and move, so we shuffled it along the corridor into the lift as best we could, with occasional stops for laughter or to catch our breath.

Once in the lift we somehow found ourselves trapped on the wrong side of it, with neither of us initially able to reach the button to send it to the ground floor...

Fortunately the divan base and headboard proved a little easier to manage, and after a few more journeys along Ms B's corridor with our hands full of bed, we soon had all the parts downstairs, and after another quick breather, got them to the outside refuse area and squeezed it all into the space where the council would come to collect.

Three determined Goodgymers turned up in the darkness of this church community garden in Stokey to cut down the invasive Sycamore trees, which were growing up along the edge of the garden.

Using a Scythe we got the job done in no time at all! A very on brand halloween task without meaning to be 🎃, well done all! We then went to for some well earned drinks at the Axe.

Anne and I were met by Ms R's helpful cousin at the property where he and his wife had already started to clear space in the living room for a hospital bed so that Ms R can return home. We quickly moved a large armchair and foot rest into the next door bedroom, and relocated the sofa against one wall to then leave sufficient space for the bed.

As requested by the occupational therapist we also took some measurements of the space and noted these down along with where the electrical sockets were positioned - we then discovered that Mr H (Ms R's cousin) had also prepared a very detailed drawing showing the dimensions of the rooms, so rather than recreate the wheel, we took a picture of that too! Measure twice, cut once as the wise old saying goes...