Emma
Oxford
Doing good since February 2019
29Good deeds
29runs
145cheers
Oxford
Five tonnes of fun
It's the return of light evenings: No more Wednesday GoodGyming in the dark!
Our first post-clock-change task was at one of our regular locations - Boundary Brook Nature Park. Over the course of the last year we've been gradually extending the gravel paths around the site. We have an efficient system for the task nailed now, so we set to work with a dozen wheelbarrows moving in convoy, and an ace shovelling team. We were able to keep a constant flow of gravel moving through the Nature Park and getting deposited at Henry and Helen's feet for raking and spreading into a smooth(ish) pathway. We even spotted a deer rushing through the woodland as we worked.
It was great to see the bird hide coming together over in the wildflower meadow section of the Nature Park, as we shifted a lot of the wood to make the structure on a previous GoodGym task, and also weeded bramble roots out of the area to creare a smooth space for it. :-) People will now be able to get to it on a smooth new gravel path.
In total we shifted approximately 5 tonnes of gravel to extend the wheelchair-friendly paths around the nature park which we started back in April 2021. That works out at 1/3 of a tonne per GoodGymer - A more than decent workout! I'm sure we're all feeling it in our arms and shoulders this morning.
Welcome to GoodGym Nadeem!
You can find out more about Oxford Urban Wildlife Group, who manage the Nature Park, here.
Oxford
Boundary Brook Nature Park
Back on the spring/summer tasks now the clocks have changed!
Boundary Brook Nature Park was created in 1990 when a group of community wildlife enthusiasts rescued a plot of disused allotments to carve out a wild space in the heart of East Oxford. 30 years on the space is thriving, with mixed woodland, meadow, a nature pond and butterfly glade.
Oxford Urban Wildlife Group have asked for our help to finish building the paths we started last May. We’ll do a Saturday afternoon session in April too.
Please bring your own gardening gloves. All other tools will be provided.
Meeting options:
* Anyone wishing to run or walk to the task as a group please meet in the car park of the Richard Benson Hall, 276b Cowley Rd at 6pm. There will be running and walking routes planned. It's less than a mile to Boundary Brook Nature Park. There won’t be a bag drop available.
* If you would prefer to meet at the task please meet us outside Larkrise Primary on Boundary Brook Road at 6:15pm.
Oxford
Canoe and kayak taster session with Falcon Boat Club
Please note that this party has been cancelled.
Falcon Boat Club have kindly offered GoodGym Oxford a free taster session as thanks for our past support.
12:30 Arrive for safety briefing 1-3pm On the water
People are welcome to bring their own paddle boards if they have them. Also, everyone should bring a change of clothes past in case.
The cafe will be open for ice creams and sandwiches.
331 Meadow Ln, Oxford OX4 4BJ
Oxford
Sunday Run(and Ride)day
A group of GoodGymmers braved the dubious January weather to take on a DIY duathlon - cycling from Oxford to Woodstock and then running around the beautiful grounds of Blenheim. There was enthusiastic consensus for more of the same in future - but perhaps in a warmer month!
Oxford
Woodstock cycle and Blenheim run.
A cycle from Oxford to Woodstock (9.5miles) followed by a run around Blenheim Palace (3-6miles) along the public footpath. We'll then have lunch back in the village before returning to Oxford.
For those just doing the run, meet at Woodstock Town Hall at 11:30am.
This is very much a social session so cyclists and runners of all abilities are welcome and we will pace accordingly.
Meet at the Ashmolean Museum (OX1 2PH) at 10:30am.
Oxford
GoodGin
We've been asked to tackle a few tasks at the top of South Park to make it safer and more pleasant for everyone.
Jobs will include:
* Raking up fallen leaves.
* Clearing the park railings of ivy (revisiting our first ever GoodGym task!).
The ivy covering the railings is a safety issue at this end of the park - since the park is open 24 hours it would be much safer for people using the path if they could see into the park before entering, particularly in the dark.
* Litter picking along Morrell Avenue/Cheney Lane.
Bring your gardening gloves and head torches. We'll bring the GoodGym litter pickers and lights, and the Distillery will provide some other tools.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery has offered a complimentary G&T or soft drink to all GoodGymers taking part in this task. Please wear your GoodGym Tshirt if you have one so it's easy to identify who is a GoodGym volunteer.
Meeting options:
* Anyone wishing to run or walk to the task as a group please meet in the car park of the Richard Benson Hall, 276b Cowley Rd at 6pm. There won’t be a bag drop available but we can use the toilets there. It's under a mile to the top of South Park from there. NB: due to the social after the task there won't be a run back to Cowley Road this week.
* If you would prefer to meet at the task please meet us at 6:15pm outside the gate of The Oxford Artisan Distillery.
Oxford
The one where Lord Mayor bent my trowel
Round 2 of bulb planting in Marston, and this time we were put to work along Marston Road. Clearly, we're pros now, so we barely needed the explanation of how best to get the daffodil bulbs in the ground before we got digging!
Splitting off into three spots we liberally speckled the verges with bulbs, with extra attention given to the grass bank and corner areas. There may have been some staging of funny photos (Matty, Bethan), the Lord Mayor bent my trowel with over-enthusiastic planting (I demand a solid gold replacement please Mark), and Jessy got to practice her newly re-acquired hopping skills for stomping the turf back over the top of the bulbs.
Our final Marston bulb planting session will be on Sunday 31st October. The timing has been set to allow for volunteering at Florence Park Junior Parkrun first, so if anyone is keen to do that too email florencepark-juniors@parkrun.com
Looking forward to seeing the roads of Marston awash with yellow in March!
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