Saffron Acres Community Heathland

Various Gardening activities
Several acres of orchards, Heath land , trees and meadows, lots to do a various points of the year e.g. Mulching in winter, fruit picking in Autumn etc

42 GoodGymers have supported Saffron Acres Community Heathland with 18 tasks.


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LeicesterGroup run
SarahStu CoeNick PrykeLynn RandallDawn Lee

Hazel got a trim

Friday 19th April

Written by Sarah

7 Goodgymmers went to lend a hand at Saffron Acres Allotments. Today's task was to a move a tarpaulin cover so that the lawn mower could squeeze down the isle. Second task was to weed around the hazel trees freeing them from being choked by brambles and hawthorn.

Both tasks were deffinatly a case of more hands make for a lighter load, with a fantastic turnout of 7 we were well on our way, with the first task taking only 10 mins. We were trimming away brambles in no time we had 3 full wheel barrows of spikey brambles, Dave did the honours of walking the plank into the compost bin.

Dave also did a spot of bird sound spotting with his special app that tells you the birds it can hear in the area, among the birds were European Greenfinch, Carrion crow and Chiffchaff.

After the task we walked around Aylestone recreation park to check out their newish gym equipment

Mel and Dave off to London to support their son running the marathon for Bliss baby loss charity, Nick is joining the GoodGym support crew along with Ashley.

Fantastic work team, love the variety at Saffron Acres we never know what we will be up to next and nice to see blossom and bluebells this time, we'll be back again soon.

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LeicesterGroup run
SarahStu Coe
Nick PrykeDavid SnutchLynn Randall

 Let’s stalk about rhubarb

Friday 1st March

Written by Sarah

7 GoodGymmers headed to Saffron Acres Allotments in the pouring rain to find out what today's task would be.

Luckily the rain slowed down and we managed to crack on with the task at hand uncovering the rhubarb, March is the perfect time before the stalks quickly grow in spring.

Very quickly grass weeds were pulled and the soil turned over and we could see the rhubarb shooting in no time, with no harm to the sprouting rhubarb. With rain starting heavier again it was tea, coffee and cake time inside their shed.

One of our newest members Dawn had been home baking a treat for all they were delicious. We all enjoyed hearing about Stu's 2nd place in a Welsh 5 mile race with his competitive spirit, Mel and Lynn's next tourism parkrun, Dave working on his 5k times and Nick enjoying a 12 mile run.

Weldone everyone fantastic turnout in the downpour of rain, you never let it dampen your enthusiasm always amazing how more hands make for lighter load.

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LeicesterGroup run
SarahJimmy MitchinsonStu CoeDavid Snutch

Unscramble the bramble

Friday 12th January

Written by Sarah

4 legendary Goodgymmers headed to Saffron Acres Allotments in Leicester where Jack had some tasks lined up for us.

First of all a chap from the neighbourhood mental health cafe arrived to collect his veggies, we all chipped in to help him dig up the leeks and pick the kale, the leeks were huge you can tell the onsite compost is amazing.

Great to see the barley growing well for the beer, we helped lay the foundations last year always nice to see a task we’ve helped on progress and grow through the seasons, just a small contribution to an allotment that has so much good going on.

The main task today was the heaps of dead brambles needed to be moved from the heath closer to the compost area. Excellent technique of piling on tarpaulin and dragging across the fields and tipping into a huge pile. Dave found a vole nest and no time later a cat was on the scene.

We all worked hard and agreed that was enough for our Red January activity today (completing a physical activity every day in January), although Jimmy still had to cycle home afterwards and Dave plus Stu were going to clean the paths for Watermead Parkrun to go ahead. Jack was very grateful for the efforts of everyone as always, Weldone team.

Whilst we were on one side of Leicester, Super Ian was on the other side helping Leicester city in the community plant trees, he wore his Goodgym tshirt with pride, hopefully we will have a task with them sometime too.

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LeicesterGroup run
SarahNick PrykeJimmy Mitchinson

Cheers from the Beer Garden

Thursday 7th September 2023

Written by Sarah

3 Goodgymmers went to lend a hand at Saffron Acres where todays job was to create an actual beer garden to grow hops and barley. We joined another 2 volunteers to work as a team and it was all hands on deck. The tasks involved compost sieving with a shopping basket, laying a cardboard foundation and depositing the compost. Jimmy and Nick were in their element, loving the outdoors even though it was a little warm, Jimmy was well prepared with his straw hat.

In just over an hour we had created the first row, brilliant start to the beer garden, we can't wait to see it progress like we have seen the Heath allotments thrive, today Jack found me a squash that needed eating along with tomatoes and plums, to celebrate my 100th Good Deed.

Fantastic work team, love the variety at Saffron Acres we never know what we will be up to next, be back again soon.

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LeicesterGroup run
SarahNick PrykeSarah Thorp

Veg Runners beetroot and lettuce

Thursday 29th June 2023

Written by Sarah

6 Goodgymers made their way to Saffron Acres, our first task under the supervision of Jack was to water their tomato plants, filling watering cans from the water butt.

The main task today was to start extending the allotment patch on the heath by cutting down all the weeds as tall as me. It was a prickly task but everyone got stuck in and made a huge dent in the over growth. Also moved a mound of compost that was moved undercover ready for the allotment growth.

A very productive morning and we still had time to chat about races. Mel and Dave had just taken part in 5km and 10km wolf runs, weldone both amazing achievement compelting a course like that, they both love a challenge!

Luckily after all the hard work Dave was on hand to make teas, delivered in a shopping basket!

Fantastic to see the allotment we helped dig and weed last time was bursting with growing veg, Saffron Acres are selling veg box's to the community to put the money back into the charity, we were all given a sample to try before we buy.

Weldone everyone a very worthy task where we will be re-visiting to finish the job, me and Sarah got some very strange looks running down the street carrying our beetroot and lettuce! Nice chatty 5km round trip.

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LeicesterGroup run
SarahLynn RandallStu CoeM.A.ThompsonNick Pryke

Barrow of laughs

Thursday 11th May 2023

Written by Sarah

5 Goodgymmers made their way to Saffron Acres, me and Tommo both cycled each way. Today's task was to support creating a vegetable patch on the heath area to be able to sell produce raising funds for the charity. Again Jack showed us the ropes and off we were filling barrows of wood chip, weeding the area and laying cardboard for the wood chip path. Nick was the photographer today getting some really great action shots.

Amazing to hear what Stu had been upto at the weekend in Wales, winning a hilly trail race in his age category! Weldone Stu you're a true inspiration, he wonders why he was a bit tired for his mid-week run.

We chatted about how Beat the Street is coming back to Leicester, which Tommo is very excited about, last year he did 3000 miles on his bike in the first month and won! Honestly we have some endurance in this team, no wonder we all got the path complete in no time.

We got a bit of a soaking but nothing as bad as Lynn had endured last night on her couch to 5km but she was happy and it was great to see everyone today, smashing work you all really got stuck in.

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