It was our first session of the season with Friends Of Everton Park. John had given us a slightly different venue and task for the first session. The Community Gardens is a hidden haven which is just full of plants. Its an amazing place that feels quite special when you walk in - not least as you know the hard work put in from all the regular people that tend this space week in week out.

The garden uses large raised beds which have been built using large thick substantial wooden planks however as happens the wood is starting to show its age and had started to rot in places.

Our task was to dismantle the raised bed - barrow the soil to the main soil heap and take apart the wooden frame being careful of the large nails that held them together- leaving the space flattened ready to be rebuilt.

As we were so many we had an over flow team working on a second raised bed and of course some friendly competition ensued. Lets just say the first team had more people more wheelbarrows and Jake who was running back and forth with the barrows and the second team had less people less wheelbarrows and a certain report writer who is renowned for chatting a lot.....

Our hour up and we had almost completed two raised beds - or should that be depleted? It was a really satisfying task great fun and company as always and lovely to be back in Everton again. Welcome to Tasha on her first task - look forward to seeing you again.

On a wet, slightly windy Sunday afternoon, 5 Hardy GoodGymers made their way to Everton Park, ready to take up their marshalling positions, for the 2023 Blue Run Challenge event. Ema, Heetu, Aditya, Sallyann and Pauline were warmly welcomed by the Friends of Everton Park. This annual 3K run is held in Everton Park in memory of 16 year old Joseph Lappin who was fatally stabbed in Everton on 20th October 2010. It's a popular event with local residents and community groups, organised by North Liverpool Academy and Friends of Everton Park. It is always a fun day for us to help out with each year. The race started just after 1pm, with all participants and volunteers braving the autumnal rain, wet pathways and muddy puddles. With GG and Everton Park volunteers stationed around the course, runner, walkers, dogs and pram pushers were cheerfully directed along the route. My position, at the carpark, was about 1/3 of the way around, and just as the last walkers passed me, I saw a couple of runners on their way back...not finished, but looking for a dropped mobile 'phone! After a frantic retracing of the route, back to the start, the 'lost' 'phone was found...much to the relief of all concerned. Trophies and medals were awarded, and all participants applauded, before heading home for a well deserved rest. After receiving a finisher's medal and event t-shirt each, our merry band of GoodGymers posed for a final group photo, then also went our separate ways...Ema, home to her beloved dog, Tilly; me to complete the course and some of the Heritage Trail; Sallyann, Heetu and Aditya to our regular meeting room, at The Philharmonic Rooms...where they spent a very productive hour or so, planning some group running events. This lovely email from John, at Friends of Everton Park, was a lovely way to end a very special day.

Every time we go to Everton Park we have good weather - this Monday was no exception. Wall to wall sunshine fantastic views and as the task is on one of the highest points of the city and the city itself is on the west coast we had a fantastic sunset which just echoed the glow and warmth of a great Goodgym session.

But lets just rewind a bit and some congratulations first - Ema walked to and from the task - and I think she may have the longest distance to cover, Ellie a constant member finally made it official and tamed the GG website and became an official member (T shirt on its way) Liam showed his commitment by getting to the task on time almost straight from work, Sallyann managed to get everyone lost briefly (more of that later), Steph managed to get a cycle and a run in to get to the task (if we could have incorporated a swim....) Aditya ran to the task and showed determination by opting for the cathedral steps in the searing heat.

First week of the month we offer an opportunity for people to set monthly goals - never obligatory and always supportive: this month goals included running goals, swimming goals and cycling goals. As a group Goodgym are so encouraging of each other there are always ideas and support shared throughout the year.

John who works tirelessly in Everton Park gave us a lovely task of clearing up the edges of a path - thank you John for choosing an area that had the beautiful sunset view. We have tidied a few path edges now and Id like to think we are getting the hang of it - but the time just goes too fast so we will be back. At the end of the task John invited us to visit Everton Community Garden - it was just down the hill and Sallyann who has visited in the past set off with the team to meet Ema and John at the garden - we managed to go round another park get misdirected by a local and have to resort to whatsapp live location - still we got some more mileage in....

The community gardens are an inspirational place - a thing of beauty, an abundant growing pace full of vegetables fruit and flowers and a great resource. We tasted the sweet grapes they have growing in a polytunnel, smelt the beautiful scent of Nicotiana flowers., and discovered a 'sock tree ' (socks as corn on the cob covers to protect from rats eating the produce ) This garden shows what can be done when you have people with commitment, vision and some gardening knowledge. They are having an open evening soon and we look forward to spending more time there.

The evening drew to a close and we made our way home - taking a bit of warmth from the sun and Everton Park with us. Thank you John for a lovely evening

This Monday saw us back up to the hills of Everton Park to complete the task we started last month.

Everton Park is a beautiful park overlooking the city with views across the river to the Wirral with rhe back drop of the Welsh mountains in the background. As Jake remarked we always seem to have good weather when we go to Everton Park and this Monday continued that same pattern.

We all arrived at the task by various routes, walking running and getting the train across the Mersey and walking up to the task. Kudos to Liam and Ellie for ending up with a round trip of just over 10k by choosing to run to the meeting point

John arrived and gave us our brief - we were to finish the push back of the encroaching edges so that the path was once again wide enough for all uses. We noticed how the grass had started to grow back slightly on our previous work We set too working hard to ensure that we had all the path completed in this session. Cutting the line of turf shovelling it and barrowing it to the heap at the end of the path and sweeping up as we went. We were joined by two regulars of the park and Everton Community garden Dee and Roo. Dee is a skilled gardener and was great to work alongside and Roo (the dog) stole many of our hearts

John always has lots of tools to hand however any of our regular readers will know that fierce brushing had snapped one brush in half. So it was with lots of jollity that Ema and Bekah shared the end sweeping of the path whilst others continued to finish tidying up - or checking out the level of grass at close range by lying down and having a rest. (OK Aditya Ellie Liam and Jake continued tidying only Sallyann had the commitment to be the grass level checker).

The task finished and the evening drew to a close. A Monday night with Goodgym.... we get stuff done - and that feels great but the sense of doing that with a group of people who make up the amazing tapestry of Goodgym well thats just boss!

it was another warm night when the group met to run over to the task. The run involved the steps going up to the cathedral followed by a welcome if short lived shaded path. We couldn't resist snapping a photo paparazzi style of some chatting on the street under the area sign which happens to be the name of one of the football teams in the city. the joke of course was that the chatters supported other teams 🤣

We met Ema who had walked two miles to get to the task and John task owner at the top of several steep flights of steps.

The task tonight was to clear back the ever encroaching grass from the path as the path was getting narrower and narrower. We set to with wheelbarrow spades edge cutter and brushes (hold that thought of brushes plural....).

John gave us excellent instruction it always really helps to know exactly what is needed and the best way to do it. We quickly realised how well used this path is and got plenty of welcome feedback and thanks.

How quickly our time went ... we had cleared half the length (we will be back) and created a mound of earth and grass and once more the path was a clear path that was far more accessible.

oh and remember those brushes.... well only one brush made it to the end of the task.... 'someone's ' enthusiastic brushing led to a snap crack and the brush was busted but it couldn't be swept under the carpet.... photos had to be taken ... but John you were supposed to look cross!

And so the end of the evening. what a great task lovely company and great atmosphere.

Congratulations to Lucien for his 10th task.... Great work Lucien.

Welcome to Liam his second deed but first community mission.

Lovely to see Jake and Steph who due to other commitments bank holidays and thunderstorms have not been about for a few weeks... Great to see you both.

See you all next week

On a beautifully sunny Monday evening, three of us met on Hope Street and made our way up to the delightful Everton Park once more.

Once there, we were greeted by three more Goodgymmers and John from Friends of Everton Park. Thanks to somebody's previous comment of 'I reckon we could get rid of that giant bramble' (Bekah I am holding you entirely responsible) we were faced with a mammoth task!

Armed only with long handled secateurs (albeit new ones!) and double gloves, we started chopping. It quickly became apparent that we were going to be defeated by the bramble but we ploughed on, so engrossed in the task that we lost track of time! After a quick clean up it was clear to see the impact we'd had and we will definitely be back to get the rest!