Welcome to Lucy for your first GoodGym session!

This evening, we were back at Eden Gardens Orchard in Philips Park to finish where we left off with a greenhouse needing to be built in place. Some of the frame from two weeks ago needed a bit of re-jigging and lots of the screws needed tightening, but bit by bit, we made some progress in the right direction.

While some screws snapped with some over-keen tightening (🙋‍♂️ guilty) we managed to get the back and 2 sides in place to screw together, with Jodie nimbly able to attach the clips connecting the frame to the base. Just in time, the front frame was ready to attach after some swapping of pieces, with a team effort needed to hold parts together while others screwed the bolts in.

As we tightened the screws, added more of the roof, and cross pieces were added for some extra strength, the structure became much more sturdy, shapely, and almost looked like a greenhouse (just without the glass).

Dennis from the gardens seemed very pleased, bringing out a northern staple of vimto, plums freshly plucked from the trees, and Julia supplementing with biscuits to keep us sustained. We had a potter around the orchard, seeing how sweetcorn is fertilised in lines, with a bit of weeding of the rocky path. Thank you to Peter for the Oregano!

Cracking effort from all involved. Next week we'll be helping weed and maintain the fruit trees 🌳 growing in Philips Park, including those grown with magic walnuts.

Really fantastic event hosted by GRIT Studios and The Coping CIC for Move a Mile 2026!!

This creative community trail was completely free for those attending, with skate parks, spray painting workshops, street dancing, and much more, with a mile walk at 1pm and 3pm. Ben was on hand as one of the walk leaders to make sure everyone made it in one piece with some busy roads nearby.

Lots of gritters, creatives, and a good community day finishing at Graystones where free skate lessons were available for those who got their stamps in! Looking forward to similar events at other GRIT locations later in the year.

Fun evening at the Plastic Shed soft launch!

Lots of items made from recycled plastic lids on show using moulds made from aluminium, including:

• buttons
• (lab) coat pegs
• rulers
• clips
• bowls
• coasters
• spin tops
• combs
• lid connectors for building models from lids

We had the opportunity to drill some lids into the new mural inside too. Plus we got to see the new machines, new painted walls and spaces, and the new shop front!

Great to see how much progress Caitlin and Jamie have made!

Jodie, Sanjeev, and Ben made their way up to Heaton Park to help out with a spot of balsam bashing near the tram museum.

A park rich in history coming into public ownership in 1902, Himalayan balsam was brought over during the Victorian era but it's ability to very quickly spread has made it difficult when other plants try to grow. Over the 600+ acres in Heaton park, there is plenty near the boating lake and pond, and we were helping out in an area nearer the eastern side of the park.

Between the three of us plus Ella from the park and her mum, we cleared a large area, initially aiming for the tree, but managing to go above and beyond to clear a decent chunk in 90-100 minutes of bashing. The odd bramble did get in the way, with a few pangs of pain and exclamations of "OUCH!" but all in all, a productive session.

Lots of information about the park, parkrun comparisons, National Football Museum, local bootcamps, corporate volunteering, plus much more.

We are back in the park on Sunday 2nd August to do some path edging. Juno will likely be coming along.