🌡️On a deceptively chilly Monday evening, a group of excellent GoodGymmers met to do good (and get fit) for not one but two organisations in York.

🍂 After a warm up that involved us discussing our favourite things about autumn (who knew that leaf-catching was such a big thing in York?!), we split into two groups.

Laura led a group to Holgate Community Garden where they cleared the overgrown circle around the climbing frame of weeds and brambles. They also weeded around the small fruit trees and the very important play train, along with raking and brushing leaves and litter picking around the garden. Phew, what a productive half hour💪

🌱 Meanwhile, the rest of us headed to Acomb Primary School, via the "scenic route" (definitely deliberate, right Mitch?!) We were met there by Amanda who gave us the infamous instruction to...

*Clear everything * (except the trees and raspberries)

🍪 We didn't need telling twice, especially when we could see the biscuit-based reward that Amanda had in store for us.

🦆 We congregated at the excitingly apparently unheard of Holgate Dock for a fitness session of some classic primary school games of British Bulldog and Squat, Squat, Goose.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ We then ran back to base for stretching and the pub.

🙌🏼 Thank you everyone, looking forward to seeing you all next week, and huge good luck to the marathoners and 10 milers this weekend.

Louise arrived to lead her first Goodgym Community mission, keen and rarring to go. We had a passer by wanting to relay her concerns about missing people to a captive audience. We managed to encourage her to move on so we could concentrate on the task at hand after giver her some time first. Louise and Nicky ran while Michal, Richard and myself took a map each and cycled. We managed to cover both Heworth and Derwanthorpe so great progress. Richard found lots of benches while there were also a number in Derwanthirpe not yet mapped so well worth doing. Osbaldwick next.

26 excellent GoodGymmers met on a pleasant Monday evening for this evening's group run.

👋🏼 We gave a huge welcome to Martin on his first GoodGym task.

🦸🏼‍♀️🦸‍♂️We also had two caped GoodGym heroes - tonight was Louise's 100th good deed and John's 300th! Huge congratulations to both of you.

🙌🏼 And if that wasn't enough, we had mega kudos to give to lots of runners who ran excellent races in both Kielder and Dalby Forest. *What a week! *

🚶‍♂️🏃🏼‍♀️The walking group, led by Leanne, was a popular option this week, while Pete and Nicky (mostly Pete) led the running group, after a quick warm up.

To the task

We were met at Willow House Garden by Rachel and her colleague who helpfully provided tools and bags.

"Get rid of everything"

🌿That was the instruction and we didn't need telling twice. There was some enthusiastic pruning (hacking?!), sawing, sweeping and even a bit of topiary! In half an hour, the area looked well-shorn and Rachel was very happy with the result.

📸 After a quick group photo, we did some game-based fitness, using the classic Rock, Paper, Scissors and Stuck in the Mud. Before we knew it, the walking and running groups were ready to head back for a cool down and stretch.

👏🏼 Back at base, a huge thank you was given to Michal for everything he's done as Area Activator, including through a beautiful card created by David. Further thank yous and catching up happened at the pub before we said our farewells and went our separate ways.

Thank you everyone for making my first group run as AA such a good one 👌🏼