This evening was our final visit to the Meadow Lane playground for 2026. With planting due to take place on Sunday we were in a tight deadline to get compost and ballast moved to prepare the beds.

This was one of those tasks that really put the Gym into Goodgym. We dug out one bed and topped it up with rich (and rather smelly) mushroom compost. The rest of the time was spent filling a fleet of wheelbartows with ballast and ferrying them to other planting areas. Core muscles were engaged, raking was done and we even had to deploy the mini flood lights. The result did make us look a little like were creating or investigating crime scenes.....!!

Our rewards was some gorgeous feedback from Usha and delicious brownies from Celestia which contained black beans, making them a health food.

Congratulations to Angus for your 100th Good Deed!!

This evening we were back at the Meadow Lane playground. It has been so fun and rewarding to be involved in this project! From removing acres of ivy and brambles and unpicking dangerous metal fencing to digging new flower beds and building dens, no task has been left untried by our gaggle of Goodgymers.

Today we made some more progress on the flower bed designs - removing a few pesky roots and then shoveling and spreading loads and LOADS of ballast. A true shoulder and core workout!

We will be back next week for more digging and spreading so that some hardy plants can take root before the winter.

This morning we helped with the next stage of the NaturEscape project at Meadow Lane playground.

Armed with shovels and wheelbarrows and ably assisted by some kids who were using the playground we peeled away lots of turf to create some flowerbeds. The turf was then used to make more planting areas. Waste not want not!

We all came away feeling like we'd had a very effective upper-body work out!

We'll be back in October to spread topsoil, mulch and sand and get some plants in the ground!

This evening, we returned to Meadow Lane playground to continue our support for the NaturEscape transformation project. We split into two teams to tackle the next tasks. The first team worked on clearing the mesh fencing with bolt cutters, enjoying the satisfaction of completing a job we started last time! By cutting back the fencing and clearing overgrown foliage, the play space has been opened up, allowing children to run freely between the trees. The second team transferred woodchip from below a defunct zip line to a log circle, instantly making the area look more magical and inviting. We learnt that the technique for clearing the woodchip was to ‘scrape not dig’’! We scraped up the woodchip and transported it back and forth in a wheelbarrow. Joe provided some great tips, including to always point your empty wheelbarrow in the direction you’ll travel once it’s full, saving you from maneuvering a heavy load! We were pleased to have Chris back with us, and to warmly welcome Rab for their first session!

This evening we returned to the Meadow Lane playground project. Headed up by the amazing Usha, the project aims to transform the current playground into a more vibrate open and green play space for the community, encouraging children to make dens, explore nature and run free!

We have visited the playground a couple of times before and it is quickly becoming a favorite because we get to revisit our childhoods and BUILD DENS!!!!!

Today's structure was nothing short of amazing - surely classes as a one bed in a central location with good transport links to the city centre.......

A group of us also tackled the pesky metal fencing which is getting trickier to remove as we get to the parts where the trees have claimed the fence as their own. With bolt cutters,saws and determination we managed to clear another huge section.

Last but not least, grass was cleared and soil turned over for an incoming wild flower patch. Everything is beginning to take shape wonderfully!!

Welcome Goodgym Miguel, Nathanail and Genevieve. Thank you for coming and I'm really sorry about the map confusion!!

GoodGym made a return to Meadow Lane this week, supporting a brilliant volunteer‑run project that’s transforming a local playground into a nature‑inspired space for children and the wider community. The aim is to encourage active outdoor play, whilst protecting the local wildlife and promoting biodiversity. We split into two teams to help move the project forward. One group got stuck into cutting back ivy and removing old wire fencing, using hammers to flatten any sharp ends. Clearing this area will open up a new area for children to explore safely. The second team focused on moving logs & branches to build an exciting new den and hideout space for children. We also had a very special guest GoodGymer - Isabella the dog. Isabella took on branch-moving responsibilities and kept morale high!
We’re looking forward to returning next month to continue the transformation, and build more dens!