We were a blaze of red helping the Friends of Danson Park this morning.

Some of us got a good workout shovelling wood chippings into barrows, wheeling them to the Woodland Path and raking them out to spruce up the trail.

Others flexed their muscles to move logs into a defined edging along the path. 🪵

And we also got busy with secateurs cutting back saplings and brambles to help the trees thrive. 🌳 🌿

There was plenty of chatting between ourselves and with the regular volunteers.

After some final fun trying to set up a group photo using the camera timer, we rounded off the task with tea, coffee and shortbread. What a nice treat!

Well done Team GoodGym!

We witnessed a beautiful late summer sunset yesterday, and I had the joy of enjoying it alongside 15 wonderful folk :)

Ingestre Road Estate was where our group in red descended. Nestled a few minutes from Tufnell Park, this community housing is set amidst mature trees, lively flower beds, and a great-huge-magnificient (and hidden) woodland. We've helped out here a few times this year, and it was special to come back as we look towards Autumn.

Several of us (Alex T, Chalomi, Ivo, Jack, Jackie, Jenny, John, Marta, Sarah H, Steve, and I) started our evening with meandering run up and through the evening hubbub of Kentish Town - whilst several others (Darren, Emily, Jacob, and Sarah A) had made their own ways on foot and pedals.

Met by the wonderful Pete (who used to head up GoodGym Camden), we swiftly split into teams, each tackling a much-needed task.

We had Team Cut-the-Crap-Out-Of-The-Over-Grown-Area (consisting of Ivo, Jenny, Sarah A, and Sarah H), who absolutely transformed a patch of overgrown weeds and brambles across 30 strenuous minutes!

We had Team Tap>Water>Walk>Trees>Water>Repeat (consisting of Alex T, Darren, Emily, and Steve), who gave a newly planted woodland orchard of apple trees the water they deserve :)

We had Team Turn-Bog-Into-Pond (consisting of Jacob, John, and Marta), who shifted bucket after bucket of fresh sand to a natural water-draining pond, gifting it robustness ahead of the wetter months to come!

We had Team Bramble-2-Wheelbarrow-Ramble (consisting of Chalomi and Jack), who cut back oodles of overhanging bramble and who then traversed ramps, gates, and keen photographers as they carefully transported their towering barrow of cut thorns!

And we had our very own litter-picking maestro, Jackie, who bagged a huge pile of litter from both the estate and woodland :)

To top off our evening, a few of us headed to The Vine for a social natter, where we were also met by the wonderful GoodGym Greenwich AA, Rachel :)

Thank you to Pete for organising such a brilliant suit of tasks - and thank you, all, for your energy, work, and time - I appreciate it!

See you soon!

There was some confusion to start with, was it Monday, was it Sunday and just where does the 386 bus go and how long does it take? Once we had resolved those queries, it was time to tackle the hilly run over to Senior's!

The garden team always have a list of jobs for us to tackle in the garden and this week was no different. First up, Julian was charged with creating a lasagne out of some compost and woodchip - it was the best compost lasagne I've ever seen! And packed full of veggies as well.

Next up, we needed to shift the last of the woodchip and add to the huge pile in the garden. We were so close but there's still the tiniest bit remaining!!

We're back at Senior's on 30th September which will likely be our last outdoor group run at Senior's until March.