Due to the Easter holidays our sessions have been a bit all over the place for a few weeks so it didn’t feel too weird doing a Tuesday session to help our friends at Ouseburn Trust. This fab charity maintains loads of green spaces around our Stepney Bank Stables space and it’s always a great workout. We’ve done so many sessions with these guys and they are always varied, everything from path clearing to litter picking and tree planting. It was lovely to join them for an evening task in daylight, and an added bonus of missing the rain by minutes!

This session had been billed as a Beginners session but alas no beginners were anywhere to be found. Instead, three regulars rocked up for this one, Damu starting early ahead of the pack to allow him to leave early without feeling guilty. What a superstar.

Tonight we were path edging on the steps to the Cumberland Arms, a popular thoroughfare through the network of paths connecting Ouseburn and the wider city. Path edging makes paths safer, clearer and has the added bonus of needing a lot of physical action to make a difference. We also learned the difference between Dutch hoes and British ones (one has a curved edge and one is flat) tonight which might come in handy one day. We unearthed and rendered temporarily homeless a number of worms tonight, but I’m sure the later rain helped them to find somewhere new pretty quickly! Hopefully you can see the difference we made in the before and after pictures.

We received an urgent referral today for some help at the Tiny Forest site in Bensham that needs some muscle and a few pairs of hands on it. Keep an eye out for that, it will be listed tomorrow for this weekend.

Despite the billing today being “big beginners session” we had no beginners and instead a group of five very experienced GoodGymers! Between us we have amassed 718 good deeds as of today so it was definitely not our first rodeo. It was a GoodGym Newcastle favourite on the cards today too- a brilliant link up with the lovely Ouseburn Trust. And today, something new, weeding and tree planting by Blenkinsop Coulson’s monument opposite Hotel Du Vin.

We arrived to a group of Ouseburn Trust volunteers already on it and clearing weeds with gusto. Brilliant task owner Dave started the session by telling us about Coulson’s monument and the work he had done for animal rights- what a good man! - you always take away interesting facts at these sessions, and I’m sure every time I pass the monument now I’ll remember that fact.

It was a beautiful blue sky day, perfect for the workout that was waiting- Debbie walked over a mile in wheelbarrow trips while I swept and litter picked til my arms ached and Tanya, Paul and Lucy got their back into weeding and planting some trees. We couldn’t believe how quickly the time passed and feeling our cups were full up with vitamin D we headed back to base, discussing our milestone GoodGym task moments over the years.

I’ll let Tanya reveal if she wishes how she made the end of this session dramatic one. For now, what happens at GoodGym stays at GoodGym.

What a joy to get a horse pun for a task at the stables on the same day as the big Tyne and Wear derby!

It was so great to get a big turnout for our first Saturday session of the year, and a big welcome to Sophie who has been wanting to give us a try for ages. Welcome Sophie, you did a brilliant job of getting stuck in today!

It was a session of two teams today, both of which united in one wish- helping our good friends at Stepney Bank Stables. This community stables is not only our group run base but does loads of amazing things in and around Newcastle. Two tasks were requested today- take down the Christmas tree and decorations, and sweep out the ramp from the stables to the yard. While most people made a choice, I nominated Elliott (sorry!) to be in charge of the tree as he was an expert when we put the tree up back in December. Knowing what an overcomplicated jigsaw it had been on the way up would definitely help for the way down.

The sweeping team outdoors got cracking on a very physical job clearing hay, mud and water from the path for a full body workout in chilly sunshine. The before and after photos today show how much muscle went into this bit.

Anna had the genius idea back indoors to wrap and bind the sets of branches for the tree to make the assembly of the tree a little easier next Christmas, and it definitely went back in the box much easier than it came out.

With both tasks finished within 40 minutes I was feeling generous and offered a choice of fitness sessions, with a little interval workout coming out on top. Lots of squats, running and a few nose-to-walk press ups helped to warm up the group after a very chilly task.

We are back at Stepney Bank Stables on Monday where we are meeting to head off on a quayside litter pick. We’d love to see you, hope you can make it.

Phew- we made it! Our last GoodGym session of the year done and what a perfect blue sky morning for the task.

Anna ran to meet us today, Beth cycled, and Paul, Louise and I arrived fresh from Town Moor parkrun - Louise quickly changing into full Mrs Claus gear on the way for the occasion!!

It was one of my personal favourite tasks today with the brilliant Ouseburn Trust- clearing and edging the paths to make them safer and wider for pedestrians. It is a brilliant workout and you can definitely look back and see the impact you're making as you go along. Check the before and after photos! Much scraping, brushing and chatting made the time fly by and soon it was fitness session time- 'the five exercises of Christmas' was on the cards today which involved squatting, spinning and some very impressive tuck-jumping!

That's it for GoodGym Newcastle in 2023. We are back on January 3rd and hope to see you soon.

This morning Rae and I helped out with the Ouseburn Trust, doing some very satisfying weeding.

Until a couple of years ago the cobbles were completely covered by mud. Thank you to Ouseburn Trust volunteers, who are helping to restore the area to its former glory.

We will absolutely be back helping out with the Ouseburn Trust.

Next Goodgym task is:

Sunday 29th October 2023: (tomorrow): 10:00am - 12:00pm at Hodgkin Park with Urban Green.

All are welcome to Goodgym.

It was a little rainy for our task tonight but since most of us had been caught in never-before-seen-in-this-country levels of torrential rain yesterday, whether as runners or supporters at the Great North Run, it was like water off a duck's back!

It was great to welcome back Matt and Alfie to their second tasks - I think that makes them regulars now!

We had a short stroll into the Ouseburn Valley to meet task owner Dave from the Ouseburn Trust and his colleague Chris. The Ouseburn Valley is a buzzing green space on the edge of the city and it's a favourite task of ours to help keep the space safe, accessible and looking good for people passing through. As always, Dave was ready for us with two tasks and the tools to complete them. The valley didn't escape the effects of the storms yesterday and mud had been swept onto some paths and steps, making them slippery. Michael, Matt and Alfie got to work with Dave, using shovels and brooms to clear the mud, making the paths and steps much safer. Meanwhile, Aimee, Elliot, Dan, Chris and I got to work with loppers, cutting back some overgrown hedges, including some rather vicious brambles, which have the ability to penetrate gloves, sleeves and leggings! Check out the photos of beautifully clear paths!

At this point we should address the elephant in the room! We were joined tonight by a BBC film crew making a piece for the Morning Live program on the theme of Running for Good. It was great to be able to talk about what a fantastic organisation GoodGym is and the different ways we can use fitness sessions to benefit the community, and vice versa, to use volunteering to help motivate us to keep fit. Hopefully it'll lead to a few new members joining us. Coming to a TV screen near you very soon!

We have a busy weekend coming up with Urban Green tasks on Saturday and Sunday, quickly followed by a litter pick in the Ouseburn Valley in Monday - at least we know the paths will be clear for that one - unless the storms come back! Check out the website to sign up!

(Kudos to Dan for pun and pics!)