On Tuesday Goodgym Colchester continued their campaign of litter picking, this time along the River Colne between North Station Road and Colne Bank Avenue.

As always we found plenty of brands demoting their products from the undergrowth half-eaten Greggs (a sausage roll), Costa Coffee cup with their plastic lids that will outlive all of us, McDonalds, Twix and Guiness cans. As well as that mess there was a trail of blank yellow post-it notes that may have been better served reminding people not to drop litter!

We managed a big haul and received thanks from a local resident and a moment to chuckle as a one half of a young couple remarked that it was not romantic sat on a smelly bench watching people pick litter around them! There was a strong vinegar vibe down that stretch of River. I hope their next date is more successful...

After the task we said farewell to Phil and headed to Balkerne Hill for a quick lung buster. Frazer was particularly pleased as he had already smashed a fair few hills in a pre-goodgym run!

See you all next week and enjoy your weekends.

The run was a throwback to school cross-country but the overriding positivity that follows the Mayor and the drive for diversity and inclusion was really inspiring.

Since 2016 Goodgym have regularly picked litter. It doesn't seem to go away.

We also run in and breath fumes.

Personally, I'd like to see these issues improve significantly.

So this report is also an ask...I'd like you to share your ideas, stories, experiences and hopes for Colchester , whether it is a low emissions zone, more free bikes or incentives for recycling (like in Scandinavia)...I want Goodgym to have an influence and make an impact on our town's/city's decision makers!

(and by the way readers, we filled up two large bin bags on the High Street, East Hill and the Riverside path in about 45 minutes)

Thanks you awesome people.

Another allotment job well done!

Six pairs of Goodgym hands made light work of watering the Colchester in Bloom allotment (in the rain) as well as creating some new crazy paving at the back of the allotment and shifting two trees on to the green waste heap!

Spirits and energy were high and we posed in the rain with the fetching pink watering cans. We welcomed in the much need precipitation as we donned our anoraks.

The evening started bright and ended in darkness as we ran back to base and home with our bags and pockets stuffed full of aromatic herbs.

A big well done and thank you here from our task partner:

"Thank you all for this evening Tav. So nice to spend time with you all beside all the work you managed to get done. Brill Pam"

This night will go down in Goodgym history as the night the fruit flies found a new home in the depths of Henry!

But first things first - we all ran to the foodbank with a few wanted and unwanted additions! Frazer managed the run and task despite feeling a bit icky! (Get well soon buddy) Natalie bought half of the Mersea Island mud-flats with her - I think it is something we all need as a running accessory and I am sure someone would pay a lot of money for the healing properties of Mersea mud!??!

Meanwhile the ever generous Bob ran down with another variety of brush to donate to the Foodbank and get rid of some cobwebs - it is definitely one way to get the traffic to notice us other than our sexy lunge walks down Tollgate Road...

Once at the Foodbank we quickly went about our work - anyone who doubts the physical nature of our tasks needs to see the sweat on Bob's brow and the hard work went by with plenty of cheerful chatter.

The over-ripe bananas were due to become chicken food but even after Andy vacuumed the fruit flies away, Vanessa forget them!!!

Have a great week everybody and thank you for your hard work...

Check the group run report out!

Last night we ran to the Foodbank for a great team effort and a top to bottom clean up. The hi-vis was out as the evenings get darker and the sunset was beautiful as we ran to and from the Stanway warehouse.