Tonight was a perfect GG York task with absolutely zero skill required, just hard graft and the ability to break stuff! But before we got stuck in to the session we celebrated the previous week's happenings with J, PK and Leanne having completed a via ferrarta course and a couple of p.1's at parkrun for Matt and Ed (not that it's a race, of course!)

So off to the task, with Vicky and Babs being our biker gang, Laura leading a steady group and Ed leading the main group with Amy backmarking.

A very enthusiastic welcome greeted us at Glen Allotments and some excellent instructions which basically boiled down to "move stuff from here and chuck it in the skip. Oh, and here's a hammer if you want to bash it up a bit"! There was also the promise of some baked goods at the end, (but only if they'd earned it - Ed)

We soon got into the swing of things with a one group staying in the allotment and handing stuff to our runners and then brining it over to Mitch and Michael who were on skip organising and smashing duties. There were all sorts of methods for breaking the items down including chucking it on the floor, kicking it, bashing it with other stuff and eventually making use of the aforementioned hammer 🔨

Before long the skip was full and the allotment plot was looking a whole lot clearer, even if there was still a bit left over that we couldn't fit into the skip. Still definitely worthy of some cake, but only after fitness....

This week, the group were organised into 4 teams with members of each team coming up to collect a card from Ed which corresponded to a particular exercise. The team that completed the most exercises and therefore had collected the most cards would be first in line for cake. This clearly spurred on Max's team who completed a whopping 15 exercises and had first pick of the rather excellent flapjacks and rock cake 🎂

It was back to Holgate Allotments for tonight's task but before we set off we had a fair bit of cheering to do. First off we welcomed newcomer Jody who was joining us for her first ever goodgym session. Welcome Jody! 👋

We also gave a big round of applause to everyone who had taken part in the Snake Lane 10miler over the weekend. There were PBs for Jane, James, Amy and Ed as well as an excellent showing from Neil, Leanne, Nick and Steve. Well done guys 💪

Over the weekend Stef had also completed his 400th parkrun at the York Community Woodland event (or YoCoWo for short). Awesome work Stef!

Finally it was time to set off to the task with Ed leading the run out and Laura backmarking, whilst Nikki led a small walking group and Vicky led a steadier running crew. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Helen who swiftly got one group underway on cutting back some bramble along the side of Holgate beck, whilst the rest of the group were given the very simple instruction of getting everything clear from the shed!

Before too long, there were all sorts of old tools making their way from the shed and down the line of able GoodGymers before being taken back towards the top of the allotments. Sam was our man in the shed, with Vicky coordinating the movements on the outside whilst the rest of the group did an excellent job of running back and forth with various items including an awful lot of spade handles, screws, saws, and what appeared to be a giant corkscrew.

As efficient as ever, the GG crew got the shed completely cleared with time to spare and so as a bonus shifted a few other items from the allotment including a very heavy oil drum which Jamie and Nick duly rolled all the way back to the top of the allotments, much to the delight of Paul Kelly who thought it resembled a barrel from Donkey Kong!

With the shed and brambles all clear and the rain starting to pour down, we stopped for our team photo and a quick but complex fitness sesh that involved holding a squat position and attempting to get out of it without moving at the same time as anyone else. Turns out it's easier to manage with 13 people but significantly harder in a group of 26!

It was then back to the Ackhorne for a quick stretch and a pint for a small group of thirsty volunteers

January may be over but that doesn't stop goodgym York from coming out in force to keep doing good!

We started by celebrating the folk who ran Dewsbury 10k and especially Amy's sub 50min PB! We also adorned John with the cape of good deeds for reaching a phenomenal 600 tasks, and congratulated Becca for getting to 50.

We were then off to Holgate Allotments where Helen already had the bonfire going. Tasks included emptying the shed, cutting back brambles, digging over the soil and keeping the fire going. it was a chilly night and we were grateful for the warmth, even if a few people got a bit singed!

i didn't need my leg hair anyway - michael

We enjoyed the fire so much it was too difficult to tear people away for fitness so we did some exercises whilst enjoying the heat. There was a bit of a stand off between Ed and Alex on the arm circles, and despite Alex's pleading we had to call a draw!

We have been asked if we'd like yo return to take the shed down. Now that sounds like the perfect follow up and right up our street!

After a lovely(i) evening, Sunday dawned grey and mizzly. Having whipped the hostel back into shape in the nick of time, we were treated to the shortest(ii) ever task commute known to a GG weekend(iii). The lovely folks at the RSPB are now responsible for looking after the historic Sherwood Forest, and were prepared with a whole host of jobs for us to undertake. They seemed unduly concerned about the poor weather, where it was now definitely raining, but we(iv) insisted we were sufficiently hardly and would carry on regardless.

Volunteers were requested for various weeding, de-leafing and edge clearing tasks around the visitors centre itself, the polishing of remembrance plaques on the Tree of Life installation, and litter picking in the great forest itself. In a break from tradition we assembled for a group photo at the start of the task(v), before going our merry (wo/men) ways, and setting about our work. It is fair to say that some folks were more tired(vi) than others after a busy weekend, but Bec as ever was keen and raring to go. "I've got a fork and I want to weed, but I don't know where!" The answer being between the Robin Hood statue and the bin store, naturally.

A good-sized group made a cracking job of neatening up all the edging of the lovely smooth path surfaces(vii) and clearing leaves from the surrounding grassy areas, armed with very shiny yellow rakes and turf edgers. Many(viii) wheelbarrows of leaves were relocated and encouraged that they would much prefer their new homes, and the overall effect was a definite improvement(ix) . Lured by the combination of "brasso" and "overhang" Debs and Jen found their way to the Tree of Life, and Debs explained her affiliation for polishing shiny things. Alas two plaques were out of reach, but all the rest are now gleaming(x) in their remembrance of lovely humans for whom this was a special place. From up above the voices of Mitch and Paul drifted down, as they found more edges to attend to. Our final team of hardy hoods-up do-gooders set off into the forest, litter pickers in hand. It has to be one of our more scenic places for a little pick, but fortunately it seemed that they had to try quite hard to find litter, digging deep into the soggy undergrowth. Steve did a doubly good job of not only finding two footballs, but somehow managing to give them away to good homes too!

As the jobs came to an end(xi), various folks took the opportunity to explore the forest, making the lengthy(xii) pilgrimage to the legendary Major Oak, whilst bagging yet more kilometers for the January Challenge. Meanwhile some of our younger(xiii) members enjoyed the many delights of the fabulous visitors centre and cafe. Birthday girl Katie showed off her skills with a bow and arrow to great effect.

As lunchtime approached, and the parents(xiv) summoned their young outlaws reluctantly back out the forest, it was time to head home after a cracking weekend. Hot baths and 2 hour naps were on the cards, but the warmth of doing good with excellent humans will last much longer.

(i) Unless you were Amy (ii) 50m (iii) or any task full stop? (iv) Ed (v) presumably in case anyone didn't come back (vi) "tired" (vii) resin-bound gravel apparently, (as your author descends down a rabbit hole of surfacing specialities...) (viii) I'm guessing here (ix) fingers crossed! (x) relatively speaking (xi) ish (xii) 10 minute (xiii) at heart (xiv) The Griffs