On a sunny bank holiday Monday we began to gather at Glass Mill and work out who was doing which route.

We had one group head up Belmont Hill and tick off the trees lining those streets and then another group heading over to the streets surrounding Hilly Fields. And then myself and Julian were ticking off the ones around our start point.

We were met at Glass Mill by Eva from Street Trees for London who gave us some tips and advance for checking the trees health. We then set off to cover various parts of the borough.

Once Julian and I got to the last tree we felt refreshed from a slower paced group run task and also like we now knew what we thought happy soil looked like!

We regrouped at Glass Mill before heading our separate ways after an evening of goodness to round off the bank holiday.

Next week we're heading to Luxmore Gardens!

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.

This session was a lovely excuse to engage in some nice peaceful gardening.

As a typical city dweller, it can be easy to overlook simple yet impactful acts of garden preservation such as weeding or socialising with people from diverse aspects of life. This mission offered the perfect excuse to do both by gifting us a loving and vibrant atmosphere where people could momentarily escape their hectic routines and dwell upon the peacefulness of reconnection with nature and other humans.

In the end, all we are, are creations of nature meant to connect while helping each other grow like a tall and magnificent sunflower.

On Wednesday evening we gathered at Charlton House, in an unusually negative spin for us at GoodGym - sharing our pet peeves. This evening we were joined by Sunaima and Lisa for their first group runs with us! WE ran to Prince Philip Maritime Collection Centre where Khursheed had a load of tasks for us, including weeding, watering, propping up a giant sunflower, giving the bug hotel a makeover and throwing some rubbish out. Jobs complete some of us ran and some of us walked back to base for a stretch.

Great work everyone!

On Saturday we have gardening at St Richard's and next Wednesday we're back for a Charlton House start to help with the garden at Hervey Road.

Until next time!

Volunteering at Bexley parkrun – A Great Start to the Weekend

This weekend, I had the chance to give back to the parkrun community in a way that was both fun and fulfilling. I signed up for a volunteering task and decided to combine it with my usual run – and I’m so glad I did.

I kicked things off by running the parkrun first, getting my 5K in with a great atmosphere and energy all around. After crossing the finish line, I switched gears and jumped into my volunteering role for the post-run close down. Helping pack away and making sure everything was in order gave me a deeper appreciation for the effort that goes into making each parkrun happen.

Task completed – and I couldn’t be happier. Running followed by volunteering turned out to be the perfect combo. It felt great to contribute while still getting my usual run in.

Overall, what a fantastic way to start the weekend! I’d highly recommend volunteering when you can – it’s a simple way to support your local parkrun, meet fellow runners, and have a bit of fun while you’re at it.

Till next time! - Cecilia D. 🍀