We Rose to the Challenge

A crowd of GG Yorkies ran to Applefields School to do all sorts of good!

First of all though, we had some massive cheers to give out:

• New runner Gabby joining us on a big run despite 'not being a runner'
• Barbara gaining her wings having done 100 good deeds
• Veteran Leanne casually slipping in her 200th good deed on a coach run last week
• Another cheer for Carl who got to wear the (delayed) Cape of Good Deeds for 50 good deeds!

At the school we were met by May, who had a clipboard and a plan. In the plan was a photograph, which was our guide of which plants were plants (and needed keeping). May handed the plan to me but I knew this was a terrible plan so I quickly palmed it off to Caped-Carl who did an excellent job of being in charge and making sure the weeds got pulled and the plants stayed safe.

People were saying they didn't think you'd get all this done! - May (little did she know....)

Another group had been tasked with painting a bench. Easy? Well.. no. This group had 12 minutes to paint said bench, which was in the computer room, before the school went into lockdown at 7pm. Not only were there concerns about being trapped in the school overnight, but the bench was on a tiny sheet in a very clean room with very clean carpet. Paint-team member, Mel, does not have the best track record with paint but the challenge was on.

Meanwhile Paul had found himself solo in the sensory garden, emptying all the old pot plants and tubs and thoroughly enjoying himself in amongst the smell of all the rosemary and sage.

BEST TOOL EVER! It's a turbo gripping tool! - Leanne

Leanne had found her happy place with a tool which scraped the ground like no other before it. She gleefully grappled the weeds whilst everyone else was digging some holes for the roses which needed to be planted. We'd made quick work of that job and so it was onto another; digging over a grassy/weedy area to lay compost and plant more plants (and roses) along the edge of a big wire fence.

I feel like I'm looking into a prison of manual labour - Emily

Again, the team made quick progress, even with Tim just constantly trying to throw compost in all the wrong places. Loz and Nick ran off to plant the last rose whilst Norb finished up sprinkling the rest of the compost over both the newly scarified beds.

The painting team had escaped and it was all fine, so we ran back via a celebratory workout.

The 100 workout!

Small teams had a series of exercises to complete and could choose how many of each they did so long as the total added up to 100. Simple. The team log roll was extremely popular and some people did a forward roll for the first time in many, many years.

Becky, Ellie B, Norb and Gabby had gone to our originally planned destination and so stickler Tim ran to them and made sure they did their workout too. Ellie B apparently kicked Becky in the face (but everyone was fine) and Becky had extremely tired legs so opted to pretty much do 100 sit-ups, phew!

Gabby was new so I had to try really hard not to kick her in the face - well done Becky

We came back and ate lots of lovely cake from Huw and brownies from Babs, yay!