Chris Birrell

Harrogate

I am a 31 year old engineer, with strengths in designing and improving systems and problem solving. I can speak well in meetings and public if required and get on well with others, being socially minded and approachable in a team environment. I tend to not take a lead on discussions and the agenda, but provide valuable inputs to avoid pit falls and increase efficiencies. I love the concept of Good Gym and have extra bandwidth at the moment to help out with fundraising and already plan to approach possible funding sources for this project, so I though I would apply to become a founder. I have lived in the Harrogate area for 4.5 years and am a keen runner. Other interests include, reading, cycling, surfing, tennis, yoga and astronomy.


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Good Deeds

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Doing good since January 2019


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Chris Birrell
Chris Birrell has done their first good deed with GoodGym. 🎉

Tuesday 9th April 2019

GoodGym Runner

GoodGym Runner

Chris Birrell has done their first good deed with GoodGym.

Chris is a now a fully fledged GoodGym runner. They've just run to do good for the first time. They are out there making amazing things happen and getting fit at the same time.

Vicky HearsonAidan Kettle

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York runner

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 9:02am

Great to meet you Chris!

Chris Birrell
Chris Birrell completed their first run in a new area. 🥳

Tuesday 9th April 2019

Scout

Scout

Chris Birrell completed their first run in a new area.

Curious? Chris has just run their first session in another area. For that explorative spirit Chris is awarded the scout badge. A Scout is trustworthy

Vicky HearsonAidan Kettle
Chris Birrell
Chris Birrell went on a group run

Mon 8th Apr 2019 at 6:00pm

Allot more fun than expected with a drag race and speed staking

York Report written by York runner

45 GG Yorkies completed two huge multi-part tasks!

It was another night for celebration as Vicky ran her 50th good deed and got to run in the Cape of Good Deeds - go Vicky (make sure you give her a big cheer)!

We also welcomed along Chris for his first ever GoodGym run, extra exciting because Chris is one of the founding members of GoodGym in Harrogate and is working hard to bring another GG to North Yorkshire.

Our warm-up (and subsequent fitness session) was a test of coordination and concentration as we introduced new game, Slappy Slappy Point Point. Leanne and I demonstrated rather badly but some people picked up the concept straight away. See the video below!

I led a team out to St Paul's C of E School's allotment in Holgate, where we were met by Charlotte and three of the teachers from the school too, they were already busy digging up weeds. Our jobs list was hefty:

  • Clear the whole bed on the right of the entrance
  • Clear the weeds from the wood pile
  • Sand and paint the yellow bench
  • Sand the three picnic benches
  • Completely weed and clear four large and four small raised beds
  • Empty out the two plastic compost bins and put compost in (newly cleared) raised beds

Not only that but in the process we added two new tasks to the list:

  • Relocate the waste from the compost piles into the emptied compost bins
  • Get the bug hotel open for business

Esther, Maddy and Laura seemed to unearth a nest of frogs and so carefully went about popping them back into the beck, which Carl and Paul had now cleared the way for by weeding an area along the fence line.

Caped-Vicky and Nick were busy getting all the lovely compost out of the bins to top up the newly-weeded raised beds whilst Debs was on a mission to restore the bug hotel to it's former glory.

The three picnic benches were sanded down in no time at all and looked much better for it, whilst the yellow bench to a little more elbow grease. Zoe has a sure-fire way to check it was sanded effectively prior to painting.

If I rub it and it doesn't hurt me, it's fine.

We had one last dash to take many filled bags to the van just outside the allotment before we attempted some Slappy Slappy Point Point fitness variations with squats instead of slaps and lunges instead of points. Success was limited. Mel and Katie absolutely nailed the original version and were going so fast nobody could stop them, whilst Zoe and Helen created their own interpretive dance version.

After the run back, Vicky announced she'd made Creme Egg cookies and they were the best ever.

Tim's team ran to the lovely Hull Road Park. They trotted in on our lovely hand-crafted path which we'd constructed over winter and were quickly set to task in 4 separate areas by Rachael and Kristina. The areas were spread out all over the park so Tim covered a lot of extra mileage in his run leading duties.

In the first team was by newbie Chris from the wannabe-future-Harrogate-GoodGym folk and parkrun-tourist-extraordinaire Tom, they got stuck in. Their job was clearing the remaining waste from a composting area and dragging it all the way over to where it could be picked up by a skip later this week.

"Love a good Drag" - Tim's louder than intended response to the task

The second team met their match with some surprisingly deep rooted plants that needed clearing so they can install a new bench. The plants lured Tom D into a false sense of security sending him tumbling as it snapped earlier than he expected.

The third team were there to pop the last remaining bits of self-binding path gravel down on our path. They might have laid it on a bit thick as it ran out just short of completion but some frantic scraping of sand just about got the job done!

The fourth and final team were tasked with speed-staking wooden stakes into the ground to protect some newly planted flowers from the lawnmowers. Their mission was to speed through it so they could run to the aid of the other teams. Craig and Max both for a boost of enthusiasm when Tim told them how much destruction was happening elsewhere.

After collecting up all the tools, there was just enough time for a quick fitness themed slappy slappy pointy pointy game/coordinated falling over if you watch Pete and Max's video (standby for link).

With so many tasks happening they overran slightly so were all super out of breath on arrival back at the Priory Street Centre after a fast run; husband and wife dream team John and Lauren Forecast even raced for a sprint finish. Unfortunately Lauren went the wrong way handing John the lead. But don't worry Lauren next time you'll have him!

Only a few of Vicky's amazing cookies were left so we incorporated a stretch and walk-out-plank challenge for those who wanted one (read: everyone).

We shortlisted these entries for the Slappy Slappy Point Point competition, vite for your favourite by commenting below!

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Vicky HearsonAidan Kettle

Hide comments (7)
Melissa Jordan

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 10:10am

I think Craig and Ed were going for a little slap and tickle!! Hilarious 😂

Christine Cockett

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 10:26am

So many great versions of slap slap point point:-)

Vicky Hearson
Vicky Hearson (she/her)

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 11:18am

Got to be Katie and Mel! Very coordinated!

Jenna Drury

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 11:20am

Definitely teaching this one to my youth theatre groups. Thanks Egg! May need to rename it: Pat Pat Point Point doesn't sound quite so much fun!

York runner

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 1:09pm

Pete and Max get my vote.

Leanne
Leanne (she/her)

Tue 9th Apr 2019 at 3:47pm

Pete and Max for the win!

York runner

Wed 10th Apr 2019 at 7:37pm

Pete and Max were definitely the best.