After some demanding sessions clearing the planters outside Surbiton Library in all weathers, we returned for the most rewarding stage of all on a beautiful evening as we finished them with flowers for the summer.

It wasn’t all easy; they first needed to be filled up with enough earth. Luke, Emma and Helen excelled themselves, carrying wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of soil through from behind the library and emptying them out.

Claire, Jo, Julie and Tom started off putting the first plants in before attempting to recreate a mirror image of salvias, bushes, marigolds and petunias in the opposing beds, while Rachel tidied the existing beds.

It served to really brighten up the view outside the library, and hopefully they’ll continue to bloom over the next few months.

Weeding ponds, paths and hedgerows was the name of the game for our Tuesday evening session, when eight GoodGymers headed to Edith Gardens, in Berrylands.

One of 12 designated nature reserves in the borough, this special site is used by people to access nature who might not otherwise be able to - such as disabled people and people suffering from mental health problems. So it’s important that it’s kept in good condition for their use.

Luke bravely volunteered to lean and ‘rake’ the pond to remove the algae on its surface, Tom and Sabir worked hard clearing brambles from the hedgerow GoodGymers planted a few years ago, Jana enjoyed slashing the nettles on either side of the wheelchair accessible path, while Dave, Julie, Rachel and Emma weeded the path to make it ready for flattening next week.

It was a slightly longer run from the Quaker Centre to this task - 3.5km - but great to get back to this site and hopefully we’ll return again this summer to lend a hand to the volunteers that manage this space so brilliantly day-to-day.