On Wednesday we were asked to help the Oxford Preservation Trust with work at Iffley Glebe. We had a few tasks to take care of: * Maintaining the ancient wall by weeding all the little plants that start growing in the crevices and end up damaging the wall structure.
* Lopping back the low over hanging branches of the large sycamore tree near the entrance so the tractor can get under it to complete the meadow mow.
* Cutting back and pulling up nettles closely along the wall where the tractor can't reach.
* Clearing the area around the gate to the storage garage, which was overgrown with brambles.

Many hands make light work of such tasks, particularly hands which are enthusiastic loppers and weeders! Sadly we didn't catch sight of the fox family who are raising their cubs on the Glebe, but we did get to listen to bell-ringing practice from Iffley Church.

Welcome to GoodGym Philip!

Our friends at Flo's The Place in the Park asked for our help to get the word out to locals about their great refill shop. Stocking everything from toiletries and cleaning products to pasta and pulses, it's a great resource for the local area, plus using it saves lots of plastic waste from going to landfill.

We were advised that the best tool for getting leaflets through doors without getting fingers pinched by aggressive post flaps are wooden spatulas. Sadly, we were spatula-less this time, but managed to avoid and leaflet-posting injuries, got all our flyers delivered, admired some ambitious front gardens, and made friends with several local cats.

Makespace is a gorgeous community building on the banks of the river, a stones throw from Port Meadow. It houses artists, a very thriving book and plant swap cupboard, and the famed Library of Things.

We pop there annually to give their outside space a spruce and tidy and tonight was no different.

Fourteen Goodgymers made light work of weeding the paving slabs, cutting back brambles to reveal roses, honeysuckle and budlia, and de-mossing the entrance. Ben even got to use a strimmer to attack the ling grass but declared it "a young mans game"..........

A little trio of us then had a delightful jog across Port Meadow - spotting The Medley and reminiscing about the evening we spent there eating pizza in torrential rain!!

Thank you everyone and special well done to Megan on her 50th good deed!!

With Boundary Brook Nature Park Open Afternoon this coming Saturday GoodGym were called in this week to make sure all the paths were clear and wide enough for wheelchairs and buggies. We took a 'divide and conquer' approach, with teams heading to different zones of the nature park to ensure that the paths were fully accessible. The site is now ready for visitors this weekend. In two weeks time we will return to replenish the gravel along the paths to help them stay dry and usable year round.