Wham bang pram-a-lang

Instead of our normal group run on a Tuesday, we met at the task to complete a community mission. 8 enthusiastic GoodGymers came together to cut back weeds at an overgrown play area in the woods nearby Charter Academy school, determined to try and make a difference for the children living in the local area.

On arrival of the area we discovered a trolley, a disregarded pram, a pair of curtains and a dead rat, delightful! Laura promptly reported the fly tipping to the council whilst the rest of us attacked the weeds covering the wooden posts.

Using our secateurs and shears, bought from home and borrowed from the Food Unions tool bank, we chopped back the branches and weeds to reveal a balancing post and a wooden spiral. It was like a little secret garden and behind it the was a path which led over to the new park area, plus some apple trees that you wouldn't be able to reach with all the weeds there. Louise had bought her litter picker so she managed to pick up some of the litter around the area too. We made great progress but decided not to tackle the bramble bushes in the centre of the spiral without a strimmer.

Graeme got in touch with Councillor Marcus Lapsa afterwards who said what great work we had done. He said the area was originally set up when he was play champion for Coventry City and he was trying to promote more natural outdoor play. Thank you to Greame who bought the task to GoodGym's attention and thanks to everyone who came, you did a grand job!