Six Good Gymmers attended the All Saints Foodbank today. After making up lots a crates in preparation we were asked to test a new change to the process to help reduce the number of swaps and returns that happen each week. Instead of standard crates, the foodbank customers were asked to state their preferences against a set list, this resulted in some logistical issues out back in the store cupboard but we gradually got into the flow!

Out front, Lucy covered the weigh-in desk and sorted out some tech issues with the weighing machine, and Fiona was on the front desk. Pat was on the teas and coffees.

The first hour today was all about weeding! Not our favourite task, but we had a great incentive to get on with it! Following this we were excited to finally be able to plant and wildflower seed the 'Friends of Victoria Park' bay which sits alongside the Greenhouse hub amongst several others. Each are being looked after by different groups with a mix of veggies, herbs, plants and flowers. Our bay will change season to season and the plan is to graft some of the plants elsewhere in the park, as well as have people bring from their own gardens to be sustainable. We'll each take responsibility to water, weed and generally maintain our bay to keep it looking fresh and attractive to insects and visitors to the Park. We celebrated it's 'opening' with a good water and for us volunteers some refreshments and biscuits!

How do you lose just one shoe or boot? It happens so often in our parks and green spaces 🧐

We found two on this sunny litterpick as well as food waste and paper from the nearby big billboard.

Four Good Gymers assisted at the All Saints foodbank session. Today the usual crates of dry and tinned foodstuffs were topped up with the addition of some fresh carrots 🥕 🥕 🥕. After a few latecomers the final packs were made up and the hall cleared and cleaned ready for next week.

The grass and flowers have grown quite high here now presumably thanks to No Mow May. Beautiful but makes it a bit trickier to find the litter. Half an hour was all it took to make a difference.

It was all about the beds today and preparing them for a good water (flooding was the term used)! We dug trenches around the beds, raked off all the detritus of old plants, larger stones, rubbish and trimmed the edge grass. Over the next few weeks some major spring planting will be taking place and today we helped prepare the way. It's going to look marvellous!