Matthew

What a day it turned out to be. 12 tandem bikes set out, well eleven and a half, as Sallyann’s partner sadly couldn’t make it but she still did the ride on her solo bike (well done Sallyann).

Pauline, Rowan, and Mat were the other GoodGym riders. We were aiming to take our back riders round either the 25 or 50 mile course, which ended up being 30 and 57 due to last minute changes to the course.

There were hundreds of riders of all descriptions from the ultra-serious, to the never really got on a bike before. It didn’t matter because the atmosphere was amazing and hardly a moment went by when you weren’t near another cyclist.

The favourite part of the journey has to have been turning right and seeing the Anglican Cathedral, knowing you’re only a couple of miles from the end, but the toughest part lay ahead, which was the incline out of the tunnel.

Everyone got round safely and so hopefully we have given some of the good folk of Bradbury Field’s, who are blind/partially sighted, the chance to do something they’d never normally be able to do. We must never take our senses for granted.

There was talk at the end of people wanting to do the full 100 miles next year, even though some of the saddles were a little hard to sit on shall we say. So, who knows what next year may bring? Amazing effort. Well done all.

We were delighted to welcome two new runners this week. Benny and Jake we hope to see you again soon! As well as Laura for her first run in Liverpool after starting with good gym in Kingston.

After a quick 2.5km up to Everton Park we were met by John from Friends of Everton park and we quickly set to work, ridding the wildflower beds of some cherry trees and poplars that had self seeded there. We made quick work of it, admiring the wildflowers along the way, and soon had cleared the bed we working in, making the Everton park mural visible once again. Well done everyone!

There are plenty more beds to work on, so I'm sure we'll be back soon to tackle them.

It was touch and go whether we were going to be able to get out yesterday as the rain started while we were setting up. Despite this 5 tandems set off and it wasn’t of course long before the heavens properly opened, but in true GoodGym style we persevered and after a 12 mile cycle we were rewarded with coffee and cake.

The ride home seemed to be mostly downhill and was thankfully rain free. Congrats. go to SallyAnn, Rowan and Mat from GoodGym, and Kirsty and Jess as the front cyclists and our brilliant powerhouse cyclists on the back from Bradbury Fields. One more long cycle in 2 weeks, then the main event, the Chester to Liverpool ride on the 3rd July.

Jo and Matthew attended R’s house on a cold and rainy morning and met with R’s neighbour G, who has been helping R. They had a fall and so furniture needed moving so R can get about the house safely.

Without amazing neighbours where would we be? In less than half an hour the furniture was moved so R can come out of hospital and back home again.

On a blustery Friday Matthew went along to help spruce up the outside area, which is in need of some TLC. After much scraping, sweeping and weed pulling Mat had collected 2 bags of rubbish. There is still more to do but to be able to help TBC again is great.