We met Vanessa and Kev at the entrance to the site, and they showed us the giant pile of road planings which needed barrowing down to create a permanent surface for the path from the car park to the main area of their site. The summer's heat had caused the road planings to melt together slightly, creating rock hard piles that needed to be attacked with a pick axe before we could make with our shovels. Undaunted we got down to business, Vanessa and Kev worked alongside us, and we got what we could get done done. But there's a lot left to do. It felt good to be lending a hand at a place that clearly helps so many families, creating a community for people who have fallen between the cracks of the education system. I have a feeling we'll be back again soon.

Five of us arrived bright and early to volunteer for the Big Bear Run in aid of Project Moon Bear. We were given the task of running the first water station two kilometres into the race. As the station was so close to the start we were able to grab a coffee and have a leisurely walk before setting up.

We prepared probably two hundred cups and big highlight was getting to use the drill powered hose to fill the water jugs. Unfortunately, as we were so early into the race we didn't get to trying using it under pressure (pun intended) because the cooler weather meant demand for water was not what it might have been if the race had been earlier in the week.

With the last runners coming through after about forty minutes we were able to head back down the course to where it looped back and cheer on the runners as the turned the corner to go back to Askham Bryan. Lots of clapping and positivity helped spur everyone to the finish including our own Stef who did his fastest 10k for eight years 🎉🎉🎉

Between the five of us we managed to do lots in an hour at Holgate Community garden. Jane cut all the brambles down and cut down the dried plants in the top bed, Becca and Libby watered and weeded ad David and Laura sorted all the compost bins again so they closed.

We loved the sound of this innovative art project as part of Make Space for Girls at Rowntree Park. An installation depicting an outdoor bedroom will be going up in in early September, and we were tasked with digging some holes for the furniture. The ground was fairly solid due to the ongoing heatwave, but we made a good start and the artist appreciated our help. Hopefully we will be back soon to support the next stage of this fantastic project!

Barbara and I met on the Dot of 08:45 and let ourselves (as we have the door code). The tables were all there but in the wrong order! After a bit of huffing and puffing order was restored and we headed off to Ruby's for our regular coffee and bacon butty ( just John) .

🏅 A gaggle of excellent GoodGymmers gathered for our weekly group run. First of all, we heard about some incredible running over the weekend. David Barrett won a race and not just any race, a (very) extended bleep test! Much kudos to David! Meanwhile, Matt won a parkrun (not a race, apparently...) And Ed did a Hardmoors half (but sadly got injured partway round, and still completed it, somehow!)

🦸 Next, it was time to celebrate 3 more heroes, of the 50 good deed variety. Huge well done to Jen, Matt and Jamie, who got to split the 50 cape between them!

🪏 After a quick warm-up, it was time to start running/cycling to Greenfields Garden for some (slightly) guerrilla gardening. We were helping the no-dig crew tonight, digging up grass to put on layers of cardboard to mulch down onto the bed below. There were a few tool options available to assist, including spades and loppers, or some of us used our hands...

🦗 A few grasshoppers/crickets were spotted (hence the pun), leading to a discussion about how to tell one from the other. It turned out no one was quite sure how to tell them apart but the internet tells me that crickets have longer antennae and are nocturnal. So we probably saw grasshoppers...

🍎 Anyway, it was hard work digging up grass so when we given the option to search the orchard for windfalls, many of us took it with open arms.

💪 Soon, it was time to down tools and start fitness with Nick. He claimed to find a way to make squats and planks fun and was almost right, though our moving tunnels of planks ended up in some particularly itchy grass!

🍪 Time to head back to base for a cool-down stretch and birthday biscuit-beer combo at the pub (thanks Nick!) We heard about lots of fun things coming up this week so plenty to get involved with. Thanks everyone!