Helping out our local award winning race, the Ealing Half Marathon, has become one of our annual group sessions. The race is incredibly well organised and planned - we provide willing hands to put up advance warning signs on the route. There was some debate as to how far '200 metres apart' actually was - the next lamp post? The one after that? All very high tech.

We split into two teams, taking a side of the road each. There began a quiet sense of competition as we faced each other on opposite sides of the traffic. This was left unsaid, of course - it's better that way. An eyebrow movement can convey all it needs to, even through a couple of lanes of traffic bustle.

There's a fantastic atmosphere on race day at the Ealing half and we got asked lots of questions by curious residents as we made our way through the borough carrying step ladders and large yellow signs!.I think our high vis vests reassured people that we were legit (maybe!).

I saw the sign...and it opened up my eyes (apologies to those too young to get the reference!).

After Saturday morning’s mission was left unfinished due to a lack of tools, the good folk of GG Richmond (and a couple of guests from other boroughs) rallied to organise a bonus mission to get the jobs done.

There were several tasks to complete for The Purple Elephant Project, a children’s mental health charity working across the London Boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow, supporting over 100 children and their families every week with therapeutic interventions such as Play therapy and Art Therapy.

Harvey, Chris and JP set to work on building the shed, which could not be started on Saturday. They laid the foundation trays and weighted them with gravel, and got the base of the shed into place against the wall.

Meanwhile, Rachael, Adam, Monika, T and Rob swept up leaves on the driveway, gathering them into sacks for disposal. The flowerbeds were also raked clear of leaves so that they looked pristine, and a general tidy up was going on all over the site at the same time.

Over at the shed, walls had been added along with some front panels, and the team were hammering panels onto the support beams to form the roof. Genius Chris realised the felt should only be tacked on one side so the roof could be fixed into place without puncturing the felt before it was tacked down.

Another task was going on in the garden by this time, which according to our reporter on the scene, T, was the best bit of the task! She, Kate and Monika were gluing loose beads into a water run, providing a delightful water feature for the kids making use of the garden. Using No More Nails, the team formed a system with T putting dots of the glue on the missing spots and the others adding the pebbles.

Back over at the shed, hinges were added to doors and doors were added to shed.

Organiser Jane had supplied cupcakes for energy and plenty of squash to wash them down. It was soon time for the group photo, which was taken in front of the Purple Elephant sign.

Back at the shed, the fiddly task of adding closure bolts and a clasp. Then a search for nails as the team raced against the incoming darkness to get the remaining jobs done - tacking the roof felt in place and adding panels on each corner as a finishing touch.

Well done to everyone for taking time out to do some good on a bank holiday Monday!

We braved the downpours for a task at The Purple Elephant Project, a children’s mental health charity near Twickenham Stadium. We met Jenny and Jane from the charity there and Harvey who was over from GG Ealing.

Unfortunately, assembling their new shed proved harder than it sounds and we hatched a plan to buy materials including gravel and will be returning on bank holiday Monday to finish the job.

Such a lovely day to be be around the Ealing Xmas Dinner for care leavers. The crackers and roast spuds truly flowed! Special thanks to Alanna, chatting and helping everyone to feel at home. A huge well done to all the volunteers, brilliant!

The amazing people of Ealing Xmas Dinner and our gang of GoodGym elves worked all afternoon with tinsel, decorations, a tree and holly to turn a regular hall into a venue fit for a festive party - well done, you lot! I know the young people will love the hall when they see it tomorrow, as well as what Santa has brought them (shhhh!). And well done to Olivia who didn't let the train strike hold her back and helped out at the South London Xmas Dinner instead!

It's always a pleasure to help the Ealing half marathon, London best half! Our job was to stick flyers under car windscreen wipers to let them know about road closures. We were up bright (kinda!) and early on Sunday morning to get out and get the job done!