Every year we team up with Falcon Canoe Club for a spring litter pick during OxClean weeks. This year we couldn't get out on the water because the river is still very high and fast after the soggy winter we've just endured, so we set off to clear the areas along the river bank instead. Starting strong by filling a whole sack of litter in the Falcon Canoe Club car park, we then set off along Meadow Lane and through Aston's Eyot.

Unusual objects;
* a whole pile of bent tent pegs
* some sort of pagan circle, complete with scattered herbs and clay faces stuck to the trees
* full and opened bottle of rose wine
* socks

Same again next year?

On Saturday we were out on the river with the Falcon canoers and kayakers for the Paddle UK Big Paddle Clean Up.

The weather forecast looked dodgy, so we stayed relatively close to the club house this time, tackling the Longbridges Nature Reserve, Folly Bridge area, and Aston's Eyot. We persevered through rain showers for a huge haul of the usual cans, bottles and (normal for Oxford) drowned bikes. Special mention to the picnic chair halfway up a tree which we managed to hook down!

It was great to refresh the skills we learnt from the canoers last month, while doing a good deed. Good work paddlers!

What a lovely day to be out on the river!

Today we teamed up with the Falcon Boat Club to clean up the river and river banks between Donnington Bridge and Heyford Hill ring road bridge. We've worked together to clear litter from the river many times now, so we know we always recover a big haul, but it still surprises us every time JUST how much stuff we pull out of the river and off the banks!

Today was no different, with the canoe teams getting creative to float a drowned moped back to base, 2 trollies wheeled up to the road from under the bridge, and many many bottles and cans picked up. In sartorial news, the garment of the day was shoes - we found sliders, a pair of trainers, and several socks to go with them - but honorable mentions go to the buried coat and the pair of shorts.

Great work once again team - that was a brilliant amount of litter cleared up.

Welcome to GoodGym to all our new GoodGymers today: Adam, Dima, Muireann, Nazanin, Daniel, Deb, and Carmen!

We have been teaming up with the Falcon boat club for river cleans for a few years now: a lovely partnership where we have fun, do good for the environment and learn new skills.

Unfortunately, after the wettest February on record, the river conditions weren't safe for less-experienced canoeists this time, so we adjusted our plans. GoodGymers split into 3 teams to tackle the litter on different parts of the Thames Path, with a trio of pro-canoeists on the water collecting the full litter sacks and taking them back to the boat club. We collected a literal tonne of trash, with bikes, shoes, cans, bottles, hub caps, and (fan-favourite) pants all forming part of our stash.

The sun came out in time to enjoy tea and snacks on the boat club terrace at the end.

Great work as always team!

Welcome to GoodGym Jo and Daphne!

Altogether now, to the tune of The Teddy Bears' Picnic

If you go down to the woods today
You’re sure of a big surprise
If you go down to the woods today
you’d better take plogging supplies!

For all the trash that ever there was
Is gathered there for certain because
The woods are where the litter bugs go to hang out

Litter pick time for GoodGymers
The GoodGym crew are having a smelly time tonight
Watch them pick up clothes and cans
On a litter pick in the Magdalen Wood

See them hunt for all the trash
They love to clean it up
They never leave any thing behind
Then plastic and bottles are bagged up and dragged out
And left for the truck to remove
Cos it’s home time for the GoodGymers.

Tonight's oddest litter finds:
A toy helicopter, 4 shopping baskets, sunglasses, a coat.

The vast number of photos of our river litter pick in collaboration with Falcon boat club and Isis Canoe Club tell the story of our Saturday task better than any written words. Fabulous sunshine, friendly faces; the perfect day to spend a couple of hours on the water and along the river bank. We cleared a huge haul of detritus from in and around the river and had fun in the sun.

Great to see you at your 1st GG task Ian, and nice to meet you Louise!