GoodGym Swindon clean up in Dust a minute!

Isn't it good to be back doing Group Runs? It's great to be back together and blowing away the cobwebs - in more ways than one!

This week we ran about 4km from Tesco Extra to Bristol Street Tunnel and back, to help spruce it up in preparation for Heritage Open Days on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September.

Some exciting things are happening in Swindon's much loved Railway Village. A five-year plan to revitalise the area has been created with Historic England who have declared it a Heritage Action Zone. They have provided funding and support to:

• Enhance key Historic buildings and spaces (Health Hydro, Carriage Works, the Cricketers, GWR Park and the Mechanics Institution)
• Improve public spaces and footpaths which form the setting for the historic buildings
• Raise awareness of Swindon's Railway Heritage and promote the area as a place of interest

The Heritage Action Zone outcomes are being boosted by Town Deal Funding from Central Government which will:

• Refurbish the Health Hydro to create a major leisure and cultural attraction to draw in visitors to Swindon Town Centre
• Deliver the next phase of the Carriage Works for use by business and educational organisations
• Enhance Station Road and the Bristol Street and Sheppard Street tunnels to improve connectivity and encourage more pedestrian and cycle movements within the town centre

In readiness for Heritage Open Days, we were called in to help give the Bristol St tunnel a spring clean to ensure it is looking its best for potential visitors, and anyone making the key journey from the outlet area towards the town centre.

Meeting at Tesco, we then kept things inclusive, all walking to meet Karen at Bristol St Tunnel. Karen is extremely passionate advocate for the project there, and also cooks the best brownies! Cake based bribery is the best way to get us to a task!

After a fascinating chat about what's upcoming in the Railway Village, we got a-cleaning:

• Gina made the SWINDON WORKS letters sparkle!
• Adam and Richard swept up!
• Sam was on cobweb commission!
• While Charles, who met us at the tunnel, got busy with the dust pan and brush.
• Meanwhile, Mike took photos, and did a little dusting with the most colourful duster possible!

The tunnel's caretaker also helped us out!

We even made some friends with some creepy crawlies - check out the photos for an epic worm while Adam was doing some additional de-weeding.

We were soon done and dusted, and everything was looking shipshape and Bristol (st) fashion!

We helped Karen with the cleaning kit back to her car, and off we went - either running home, or walking back to Tesco!

Want more GoodGym gorgeousness? Next week, we're Weeding and Planting in the Remembrance Garden at the Prospect Hospice

Regular Community Missions are going on to support the Steam Vaccine Centre!

Or get involved with some of our life-changing work with older people, either via Missions or by pairing with a coach