How do you follow up a not-quite-Christmas Christmas party at the weekend?! A festive task, of course! This week, 19 of us gathered to be “festive fairies” at Ferndale Primary School and Nursery...and festive fairies we were, with many of us donning wings, tutus and waving wands to enchant the school ready for Christmas.

You could call it a real Fairytale of New Swindon!

Newcomer Christine joined us for the first time in full pink fairy accessories… we already think she has a big future with us. Also joining us was returner Chris, who often can’t make our Group Runs due to other commitments – thanks for joining us both of you!

Before we had even left the Oasis, Run Leader Sandy Sam had a properly festive icebreaker… what’s your favourite part of the Christmas dinner? Swindon GoodGym’ers love a range of the Christmas dinner offerings: red cabbage; yorkshire puddings; pigs-in-blankets; nut roast and the inevitable, often hated… brussels sprouts!

With everyone feeling peckish, we split into our walking group and running group, and soon we were off and chatting all the way there. We soon arrived at Ferndale school. We’ve helped at the school two times already – both times to spruce up the outdoor spaces.

With the nights long, this time we were fortunately indoors. We split into three groups each with a different task, amidst the Christmas choons and occasional break for a mince pie:

• The chain gang were making paper chains, and demonstrating remarkable abilities to share staplers without slapping each other’s hands too much.

• Christmas tree production corner were constructing and decorating Christmas trees – with key quotes including ‘we need a base!’, ‘there’s going to be swearing in a minute’, and ‘where’s a hacksaw?!'

• And finally, the wrap party were wrapping books and candy canes ready to give to the children.

At the end of the task, we tidied up, wished our first Merry Christmas to the Ferndale Team and set back off to the Oasis. Think we’re getting a bit carried away with festive activities too early? Don’t worry – it’s only a few more sleeps until December!

Haven’t had enough GoodGym Swindon Christmas activities?!

• It’s the Santa Vs Rudolph Run on Sunday 1st December. If you haven’t got a place in the race, there’s space for a Good Deed with our marshalling team. Sign up here!

• Tuesday 3rd December we’re doing it all over again with Christmas decs at Playsteps Nursery. For more information, click here!

• We’re gathering momentum with our activities to help older people in Swindon, with recent missions to do one-off tasks and coach pairings to regularly run to an older person