We were grateful to have the opportunity to join today’s part-time jobs and volunteering fair at Newcastle University and to spread the word about GoodGym. Lucy, Richard, Aimee and I spoke to lots of students who seemed interested in what GoodGym is and how we help other charities in our community. Some people from other organisations were also interested! Hopefully we have attracted some new members to help us continue to spread the GoodGym love far and wide!

Firstly, a big welcome to Lauryna on her first Goodgym session.

After a couple of weeks away in our second home, we were back at Stepney Bank Stables base and were tasked with freshing up the bedding for our hoofed friends.

We didn't have any time to horse around as we had to fill up a few wheelbarrows full of hay from the top stables all the way down to the bottom one.

A few of the horses were over the bale with excitement when they heard us approaching, which made it interesting when we had to get in with them to deliver their fresh ware.

After a quick reload of fresh stuff, and making sure the top stables were all spruced up, we dropped off the last of the new ground cover (which Bob the horse took great pleasure in doing his custom wee on!). And hopefully we will have straw-ted out a good night's sleep for our equine pals!

On a lovely Autumnal Sunday morning, we had our first We Do Tennis task at Paddy Freeman's park. We have a few more tasks with them in the coming weeks, and the main objective is to make the courts accessible and give them some Goodgym loving care.

The courts at Paddy Freeman's are surrounded by some beautiful trees, but unfortunately there are a few intrusive fauna hanging around too. So it was time to break their serve.

Aimee was already slicing away with Urban Green (who have partnered up with We Do Tennis in the maintenance of the courts in and around Newcastle) by the time the rest of the gang arrived. Anji and Paul made quick work of some overgrowth with back hand swings. With Damu making a real grass court battle.

After we made our way all around the perimeter fence, it was time to quickly clear away the colourful autumn leaves, ready for an eager new generation of tennis players who were waiting to to show off their skills. It was really good to see an immediate impact of the benefits of our morning's graft.

We finished the day off by having a quick cuppa, biscuits and cake. Game, set and match!

So proud of our transformation work tonight was I, that I hadn't even made it home before I needed to share the before and after pics from the task with the GG WhatsApp group. A simple task for us with a big difference.

Despite a wet, wet, wet start to the week, four of us showed up with a mix of Monday musings: Scott had spent the day marking, Damu had some new fancy running bottoms to show off, I had a long discussion about Kylie wine to share and poor Aimee had a sprained ankle. It felt like the first grim weather for GoodGym in a good number of weeks so we were thin on the ground but ready to get cracking. Helping the brilliant Ouseburn Trust, we were promised a proper workout as we helped to keep paths clear and safe for the many walkers, runners and cyclists passing through.

Armed with three different types of scraping tools we headed off with task owner Dave to clear the cobbles at the bottom of the bank under The Ship Inn. This was instantly satisfying, scraping up loads of weeds and mud from the cobbles, thankfully loosened off by the rain. The time seemed to fly over tonight as we transformed the area in just 45 minutes. Make sure you scroll along to the before and after photos!

We will be back at Stepney Bank Stables next Monday where Damu is leading a community mission to help at the stables with a number of jobs (and probably patting horses) so come along for that if you can.

Four GoodGymers made a difference at Mowbray Park junior parkrun when volunteers were otherwise in slightly short supply. They made a difference by barcode scanning, time keeping, marshalling and run directing.

Back at our One Strawberry Lane base for the second time and it still felt like a bit of a novelty! If you haven’t seen it yet, we are back in a few weeks time- remember our group sessions are now two on and two off at OSL, the others back at Stepney Bank Stables.

I don’t consider myself a feeder but I arrived loaded up (down?) with some slabs of carrot cake I’d made an enormous batch of at the weekend, and they were truly a carrot to dangle for tonight’s session. It’s been years since we have helped at any of the brilliant Changing Lives sites and it felt really special to be back tonight to begin a series of gardening jobs at Cumberland House at the bottom of Westgate Road. Cumberland House is home to vulnerable women in our city, where Changing Lives does an incredible job of getting them back on their feet safely. I was shocked to see we hadn't visited since the end of 2018!

We’d been left a lovely note tonight with some jobs to complete but were without a couple of tools and directions we needed so instead we got on with clearing, weeding and cutting back the back garden that was certainly in need of some GLC (GoodGym Loving Care, obv) and with eight of us on the job tonight we truly gave it the transformation treatment. Weeds were pulled, rubbish was tidied and the grass was cut. One of the big novelties of the night was the chance to use a lawn mower - this is honestly such a highlight - and Lucy did a splendid job as you can see from the photos. I can’t wait to hear what the task owner thinks when she arrives back at work tomorrow.

No task on Westgate Road is complete without a visit to Summerhill Park for a fitness session and after a body part number game to warm up (kudos to Catriona for a handstand!) a fun game of Water, Wind, Fire hit the spot and unleashed loads of laughter and connection to end the night.

We are back next Monday doing good stuff with Ouseburn Trust. Remember to meet back at Stepney Bank Stables for that one! Hope to see you then.

PS Thanks to Louise for the PunSpiration, I mashed up our ideas in the end!