I walked to the mission, it was a lovely brisk 45min walk. Mrs E lives on a beautiful tree lined street, she said back in the day when bobbies were on the beat, they would make this street part of their route on hot sunny days as it is always cool. With beautiful trees come autumn leaves and for Mrs E they had started to fall into her front garden. She showed me the back garden which was very beautiful as Mr E had just mowed the lawn yesterday in between rain showers. She said that the front needed a bit of attention to tidy it up. I was last here with Clara about a month ago and we had cleared a lot of the grass and weeds. This time just a tidy was needed. Mrs E had the correct tools and a green bin only partially filled ready for me to add the leaves. Once I’d done I helped Mrs E put some of the grass cuttings from yesterday in what space was left in the bin. I said goodbye to Mrs E and walked back home for a nice cup of tea.

It was a beautiful late summer evening and it seemed everyone with a car to show off had headed to the Everton Park viewpoint. Amongst the sound of exhausts and tyres on tarmac came four panting Goodgymmers who had run from Hope Street. Run leader Liam with Sophie, Laura and Fred met myself at the lookout point and we waited for John for instructions.

It was a sapling attacking mission, the saplings were spawning of the trees and off tree trunks. We were each handed loppers and we got to work, cutting back the saplings to their base.

We got some curious onlookers. The boy racers gathered at the viewpoint pulled up beside us and asked what we were doing and what we’d be doing with the waste. They looked incredulous when we told them we were doing the task for fun and to stay fit.

We worked fast and furiously. In one hour, the five of us had made a good dent on the sapling invasion, they had been defeated, until another day…

John said the council would come to collect the sapling cuttings, ‘maybe not tomorrow, maybe not the next day, but someday’.

As we walked down the hill in the setting sun… roll credits…

It was such a beautiful morning with Goldilocks weather; not too warm, not too cold. The leaves were turning golden and the grass was getting its green back after some much needed rain. Bekah, Fred and I met at the ping pong table in Princess park. We made our way to the start line. Steph was waiting on the route to take pictures and cheer us on. Aatefa joined the throng as announcements were finished and the run was underway. I jogged one lap and bowed out. I sat on a bench to wait for the others. I saw Fred cross the finish line at 26 mins past! He looked cool as a cucumber and I was amazed at his composure after running such an impressive time… then he told me that he’d only done two laps; well, you’ve got to ease yourself into these things and as I had also shortened the run, I was in no place to judge! Aatefa ran just over 29 mins, about 30secs over. She was disappointed with the extra 30 seconds as 29 had been her PB to beat but we all agreed that anything under 30 is a win. Bekah came in at 33 mins which is also a sterling effort. Steph came and joined us from her spot where she had managed to get some action shots and we headed for breakfast at one of our favourite spots; the coffee lodge on lodge lane. Steph opened a birthday card and present from Sallyann at the cafe, some lovely socks and a beautiful card designed by a Liverpool artist. After a delicious breakfast Bekah went to pick up some Baklava on Lodge Lane, Steph and Aatefa headed home and Fred and I walked back to Old Swan where we realised we were virtually neighbours! A lovely morning, perfect weather, lovely food, great company. Sticker Saturdays are the best :)

I spotted Miriam en route to the task and we walked up together catching up. We then met Tsitsi. It was so lovely to all be able to do a mission together as we have often done missions as pairs but never altogether and as it would turn out, this task really needed the three of us. We then headed for the task. Miss M welcomed us and showed us what needed to be done which was to dismantle a very tall metal bed frame. Miss M asked us to first take down the mattress and we were so eager to get going - we all forgot to take a before photo! We took the mattress down and put it into another room so we could start to work on taking the bed apart. We then assessed the best plan and best tools to use which in the end proved to be the simple, humble Allen key. After guidance from Miss M, Miriam first unscrewed the wall fixture and then quickly worked out to take down the bedframe we had to loosen the screws and then press in to release each bed segment. Tsitsi and I helped to hold the bed frame steady while Miriam started to loosen the screws. I felt all my gym training and all those shoulder presses had finally come in handy as I held the bed frame up on one side while Miriam and Tsitsi released the other side. After a bit of sheer force pulling out the side, we managed to get the top bit of the bedframe down safely on the ground. This meant we could then work quickly to take down the sides. We then moved at pace and showed Miss M the dismantled frame. Miss M wanted the slats also removing to ease with removal. Here Tsitsi and Miriam managed to quickly take off the grey covers so we could then start to pull out the metal slats. These proved trickier than we first thought as both sides had to be pushed down together and the absolute right angle was needed to then pull them out. After a bit, we managed to release all of these and put them to one side. It is always on missions that you find out some hidden talents and I learned that Miriam and Tsitsi clearly had excellently knot-tying skills - I have no idea what knots they did but it was impressive and held the slats securely together. We then put each bit of the bed securely against the wall and brought back the mattress into the room. Miss M seemed delighted and really grateful for all of our efforts. We said goodbye to Tsitsi after a selfie. I was walking the same way as Miriam and luckily so as Miriam gave me the all important update I crave which is whether pea fritters had been on the menu (something we share if we've gone to a fish and chip shop or been back down South) and started to sing "Right" said Fred, "Both of us together, one each end and steady as we go." which was the perfect pun for today's task. However this task definitely needed the three of us! As always catching up with Tsitsi and Miriam and completing a mission together certainly brought my week much joy!

I was finishing up a family phone call outside the Liverpool Irish Centre when I saw someone trying to catch my eye. When I approached, it turns out it was new member Fred, who attended his very first session yesterday at Princes Park, and enjoyed it so much he came back to another session today! Although I hadn't met Fred yesterday, he'd recognised the distinctive red GG t-shirt - the t-shirts work! - and so we were able to head in together and introduce ourselves to the team.

Goodgym Liverpool have worked with the Liverpool Irish Centre before, a few years ago, before my GG time. Due to lockdown and personel moving on, it's been a while, so when we saw they were holding a Volunteer Open Day, we thought it the perfect time to head down and re-introduce ourselves.

Fred and I were swiftly given our first task: masking-taping and painting Gold the bordered edges on the walls. Fred carefully and effectively added the masking tape, and I started to paint. That first border was, frankly, underwhelming. The 'gold' was a somewhat murky brown, and so opaque it looked like it would need at least 8 coats to cover the green and white paint underneath. Fortunately for me, Fred quickly ascertained that the paint needed to be mixed, all the colour was at the bottom. We looked around and asked for a suitable stick, and after a false start involving a couple of straws, were handed a fork to use. Fred got stuck into the paint can with the fork, and in front of our eyes it turned into a beautiful rich gold colour. Lucky indeed ☘️

We continued on our with our masking-taping and (now much more effective) painting, and before we knew it had finished an entire wall. On to our next job! Touching up the jade green paint wherever it was needed around the room. I got the torch out and eagle-eyed any minor imperfections, and Fred expertly touched up everywhere needed. Around 2 hours after we'd arrived, we were offered drinks and the promised 'refreshments', which turned out to be a sizeable buffet of pizza, wedges, mozzarella sticks and mac & cheese bites. Whilst I grabbed a plate and settled down with the team, slipping into 'Goodgym Sales/Business Development' mode, Fred put me (and us all) to shame by continuing on, casually refusing the suggested break.

It was of course during this brief break when I was sat eating pizza (in sales mode!) that Sallyann and Liam arrived, straight from work. They got straight to it and joined Fred on paint duties. Shortly after I managed to tear myself away, and Fred and I continued our quality-check whilst Sallyann & Liam got to painting the stage area.

The official Volunteer Open Day finish time of 8pm soon arrived, and Fred and I decided to call it a night. However Sallyann & Liam were full of enthusiasm and offered to stay later, much to the delight of the task owner who still had a lot to do (they could still be there now for all I know...)

It was great to reacquaint ourselves with the Liverpool Irish Centre and we're already discussing when we can go back. The team have done a huge amount over the past few months to renovate the centre, and there's still more to do. We look forward to returning to the Emerald... centre.

On a Saturday evening, while much of Liverpool was heading to Sefton Park to see Lewis Capaldi, a group of GoodGymmers followed the north star in the sky instead, towards the bright illuminations of Blackpool to Run The Lights. Liverpool may have been listening to “Before You Go”, we were getting ready for “Before You Glow”.

This was Clara's bright idea. She had completed the event before and recommended it to us, then met us on the night, combining it with a garden-centre weekend away with her mum.

A huge thank you to Heetu, who unfortunately couldn't make it on the night but had the no walk in the dark task of getting six GoodGymmers successfully registered. That involved collecting all our various bits of information, organising it all and, no doubt, chasing a few of us along the way.

On the evening we arrived in two cars. Bekah (thank you for driving), Ellie and I arrived very early and took the opportunity to walk part of the course, taking in the North Pier, Central Pier and, of course, the famous Blackpool Tower and further than the 5k turn around point. On the way back to the start, we passed the 10p bingo shop, which Bekah remembered from her childhood and was delighted to discover was still there... we think with the same bingo caller! We were so taken up with the sights and sounds of the seaside we had less time than we had planned when we got to the start line... what bright sparks we were!

Meanwhile, the second car was somewhat delayed. Liam (thank you for driving) had picked up Laura and Vikki only to realise he'd forgotten his running trainers. So, they drove back to his house. Liam successfully remembered his... GoodGym T-shirt and then forgot his trainers again! So Liam arrived in Blackpool ready to run 10K in a pair of his regular trainers rather than his running shoes and went on to get a PB! Clearly, the secret to a PB is forgetting your trainers twice. A shining example of thinking on your feet.

There was also a little reminder that, wherever GoodGym goes, the litter pickers aren't far behind. Vikky had brought two litter pickers up with her, which had been left at a previous task and were being transported on to the next one. They therefore became unofficial members of the Blackpool contingent, accompanying us throughout the evening.

Their final outing of the night was perhaps their most glamorous: a Goodgymmer heading into a bar carrying two litter pickers to use the toilet. You can take the GoodGymmer out of the litter-picking task, but apparently you can't take the litter pickers away from the GoodGymmer.

So we had all arrived in Blackpool... the run started at 9pm and the crowds were growing. Then came the difficult bit: getting six GoodGymmers together in the middle of 3,000 people.

Clara did a brilliant job of rounding everyone up — which was harder than herding kittens in a crowd of 3,000 — making sure we were all together for the all-important start photo, holding our valuables including litterpickers and then positioning herself perfectly as official photographer and chief cheerer-on.

Bekah and Liam were taking on the 10K, while Laura, Vikky and Sallyann were completing the 5K. Vikky one of our speedy runners, had sensibly opted for the 5K — although there was always a danger she'd disappear into the distance at the speed of light. Laura, meanwhile, was, as always, beaming from ear to ear, bringing her own illuminations to the evening. Ellie was also intending to do the 5K — but, in a plot twist that nobody saw coming, she missed the turn for the shorter route and accidentally ran an extra mile. So Ellie didn't just see the light at the end of the 5K. She apparently decided to run towards it and then keep going. She deserves a medal of her own.

The run itself was fantastic. We headed along the promenade with Blackpool's famous illuminations lighting the way. The lights were on for this special evening before returning later in the year. Was this a test run for the lights... well the GoodGym Illumination Inspection Team were up for the challenge if it was. The atmosphere was electric. There were illuminated capes, glowing shorts, flashing hair accessories, wings, hats and even a Spider-Man who was practically radiating superhero energy. We were comprehensively out-shone. Clearly, next year we're going to have to raise our game and not keep ourselves in the dark. There is no way we are going to let ourselves be eclipsed again.

Blackpool really is something else. As Ellie pointed out, Las Vegas is the Blackpool of the USA — big, bright and brassy, with slot arcades, bars, stag and hen dos, kiss-me-quick hats, a wedding chapel thrown in for good measure and, on this particular evening, 3,000 runners having an absolute ball. It was quite simply lit.

After the run, we all congregated again, thanks once more to Clara's exceptional crowd-management skills, and headed off for the most appropriate post-race meal imaginable: chips. Because,...well, it is Blackpool. We sat together, ate our chips, shared stories of the evening and enjoyed spending some time together before heading back to Liverpool. And what an illuminating night it had been.

By the time we arrived home at almost 2am, Liverpool felt very quiet and very dark in comparison. After an evening of lights, laughter, running, chips and a little bit of accidental extra mileage, we had certainly left Liverpool in the dark.

It had been a glowing success from start to finish.

And next year? We're coming back... hopefully with more Goodgymmers. Definitely brighter and sparklier, maybe on route and probably a litter picker or two. Goodgym Liverpool shines wherever we are but Blackpool certainly gives us an opportunity to turn up the wattage!