What a fab GoodGym morning at Sandown Allotments today!

Four out of five of us had started the day with a parkrun, while Rae had run 5k to the task which definitely counts! Anna did a combo of both- running Jesmond Dene parkrun before running to the task. Kudos!

This cute community allotment first asked for our help a few months back with soil clearing as they work towards creating some planters for local people to look after and support their mental health. This was a perfect example of a super GoodGym task as we got stuck into a proper physical workout alongside a group of the allotments' regular volunteers. Forks and spades aplenty, countless wheelbarrow trips and a huge amount of satisfaction went into really giving this task some welly. Anna got so into this one that she managed to land bottom-first into some nettles- that girl doesn't know her own strength! With no dock leaves nearby she danced her way through the session like a trooper and handed us this perfect pun on a platter (Paul's work, not mine!).

Ninety minutes of digging were rewarded by the amazing task owners with a selection of homemade cakes, bakes, biscuits and hot drinks. Truly a morning well spent and one we would love to revisit again and again.

Four goodgymers helped Sandown Allotment Trust on a frosty February morning. Lucy and Adam came straight from Gateshead parkrun in nearby Saltwell Park, I did Denton Dene parkrun and Anna has cycled all the way from Wallsend!

The task was to dig up the soil on one side of the car park, level it to the same level as the surrounding ground, cover the newly level ground in a weed membrane and then rake woodchips from a huge pile on to it. The before and after are deceiving similar but it was surprisingly hard work to dig out the soil, shift it through a metal grate on top of the wheel borrow to separate the weeds and rocks from the good soil and then put the good soil in bags to be used in the good planters which will be a erected in this area.

We had interesting chats with the regular volunteers about how this carpark used to be a roller rink, the TV show Time Team and roman forts in the local area. We were joking every piece of rubbish we found was a roman artifact, Lucy did find a horseshoe - which may or may not be roman.

Adam had to dash off but me, Lucy and Anna stayed for a cup of tea and a tour of the community allotment by one of the regular volunteers. People are referred by their doctors under green social prescribing to help at the community allotment to get them involved in a nature benefit their health. Similar benefits to GoodGym!