Bench Press

What a delight to arrive at one of your local parks in the early evening to see families and children still playing in the large paddling pool. There was children splashing in the water, playing on swings in the play park, people chatting nearby, dog walkers, people enjoying their beach huts, even swimmimg in the water. Goodgym is all about health and wellbeing and this space allows all that to happen. Fresh air, evening sun, movement and nature's beauty.

Ellie, (who had travelled from another county to join us! - Kudos!) Robert and Esther met first, with time for a lap of the park and a couple of intervals on the bridge. The bridge is deceptive as it looks like a gentle incline - but you find yourself all hot and bothered, puffing like a train as you head up, across and down the bridge! Just in time for local Patricia to turn up with her camera- smile everyone! Pat also passed on hugs from our friend Ali, who attended many Goodgym Poole sessions before moving away.

We headed for the cafe to meet our task owners, Stan and Pat. Spotted as Stan pulled up in his iconic vintage car. We had paint brushes, pots, gloves and were ready to go! We had two per bench and gladly were joined by our lovely Nicola. The best bit of the task was as you painted, they looked great. The worst bit is, as they dry it doesn't look so grand! But we dapped, stroked and dipped paint over 6 benches in the area. Many of the benches still were in use by park owners so ours were hastily covered with tape to prevent any wet bottoms!

Pat requested a picture for a Friends of Hamworthy Park Calendar, after a little deliberation about if we could manage a calendar girls look with strategically placed paint pots and brushes, we went for a more corporate look with Goodgym T-shirts and brushes in hand! Let's see what month we are given!

All pots away, plenty of paint on legs to take with us, we headed back for a run! First to drop Patricia, followed by a run onto the Quay, swarming with biker night- swerving and dodging the folk around. We headed to Baitor, leaving Nicola to head back her final way home whilst we turned for a special tour of Old Town Poole. We passed a haunted pub, traditional church, old buildings and the old town street with so many enjoying a meal outside. Even wine glasses glistened in the evening sun, inviting us to stay a while as we smelt pizzas, fish and chips, Turkish and more. We headed back to Hamworthy, leaving Ellie, who never misses an opportunity, to take a dip in the sea before heading home.

We left as the sun formed shapes in the clouds as it got lower in the sky.

Great work everyone!