The beautiful sunset over Trafalgar Square was the backdrop for our GoodGym session last night. We just had time to soak it up before the Rhythms of Life crew turned up and we were put to straight to work!

It was great to see GoodGymer Clare bring along the Six Senses team for their first session - brilliant to have you join us! Also lovely to have Kisanet from Westminster and Susan from Richmond with us, especially as with 50 guests waiting to be served dinner it was all hands on deck!

We all took our station, serving hot soup, fruit, sandwiches and savoury goods, bread, hot drinks and crisps. Soon the queue was moving and the guests were enjoying the selection. Rhythms of Life is an amazing charity which provides vital food and other resources to rough sleepers in central London. We will be helping them out regularly with this task, which makes a real impact in the community.

Next week we really need help with a session sorting donations at a centre for refugees - at the moment there is only one person signed up so if you can make it then you'd be really making a difference! You can find out the details and sign up here. Hope to see you there!

Thanks for all your help last night everybody, with so many people served hot food, it was an evening well spent.

What better way to start off your Saturday than with a session at Hillside?

There were 10 of us there today, with plenty of jobs to dig into. The winter sun was out, Lindy, Sarah and Joao had come prepared with their shades - cool as cucumbers, and it was a very pleasant morning. Special shout out to Alex and Sophie both for coming to their first Goodgym session (hope we didn't work you too hard!).

Tom started to dish out tasks for groups as one by one our runners trickled in. We had Sophie and Clare take a wheelbarrow to clear leaves on the courts.

Sarah, Michael, Lindsay and Alex together cleared a whole section of bramble and weeds behind the leaf (mulch) pile, which is where the plan is to create fixed compost bins. Next to it, the loose logs were collected by the rest of us - Lindy, Joao, Emily and myself. They were put in wheelbarrows and wheeled over to another site in order to keep a bug home(?) hotel(?) going. With the rent prices in London - they're getting a sweet deal with what we set them up with.

We breezed through the tasks, and as we finished we began to fill the rest of our time digging up the wild garlic bulbs that keep taking over. Good work from all! 👍

After a month away, GROAD was back and in business!

Chalomi, Lindsay and Joao started out at the St. Faith's Community Centre helping out the GROAD volunteers as Sam stumbled in 25 minutes late after coming from the Farm. Still, there was plenty to do: from setting up the Open House for the refugee and low income families to taking in donations (from 7+ drop offs) and moving furnishings around. There was something for everyone and it was great to see the number of volunteers at its height.