Gaynor and Ben went along to help Ardwick Climate Action for their regular Saturday volunteering slot.

This time, we were in St Saviour's graveyard, soon to be the Lydia Becker space as part of the existing green routes overseen by Ardwick Climate Action 🌳

Initially we picked up any litter in the area, culminating in 4 bags plus some larger items 🚮

Most of the task involved clearing a corner of the graveyard 🪦 of young trees 🌳 that had taken root between the grave stones. Armed with loppers, secateurs, and saws, plus a bouncy Juno, we made good progress and filled 3 big rubble sacks of branches and trunks to be reused at a garden or green refuse centre (no waste here!)

Once cleared, the tools were collected, litter reported to keep Manchester tidy, and we said our goodbyes 👋

Welcome to Uzondu for his first GoodGym Manchester outing this evening! 👏

Today we were tasked with brushing and scraping down the metal fence and gate at Ladybarn Community Hub. Charly, Uzondu, and Ben walked or ran to help them out.

With metal brushes, cloth, and wearing eye protection (safety first), we made steady work with Dr Coull, one of the trustees, to remove the top layer and flaking paint from the fence. Charly made the first step in getting paint onto the fence, a fetching black colour, closely followed by the others 🎨🖌

With people each side, and others filling in as we went, the fence was quickly covered in a fresh black shine, managing to completely cover the fence and gate, leaving out the musical note 🎵 on the gate.

Once a hastily written Wet Paint sign had been attached, we cleared up a bit, washed hands, and made our way home.

Really active local community group with lots of sessions and initiatives for local people, and a well kept garden and pond. We hope to be back again, perhaps to paint more of the fence or with other tasks.

Ben, Gosia, and Juno went to help out at Fletcher Moss parkrun event number 261. 408 runners and walkers completed the 5 km course on a PRIDE themed morning, with Manchester Pride taking place over bank holiday weekend.

Ben and Juno did the course check, set up, and marshalled at the Mersey point #2, while Gosia marshalled at both point #1 and #7. Lots of happy faces and colourful rainbow 🌈 outfits on a nice August morning.

Thank you to the 21 volunteers in total making parkrun accessible for ALL!

This week, five GoodGymers returned to Grit Studios’ newly acquired building to add the finishing touches of paint, completing the transformation of the space.

Having already made a strong start last week, the team came back with plenty of energy to finish off the job.

Together they added the final coats, brightening every corner and leaving the rooms looking fresh, welcoming, and ready for creativity to take root.

The building is now almost ready to open its doors as a community hub for art projects, workshops, and exhibitions — a space where Stockport residents and artists alike can come together to collaborate and create.

Five GoodGymers rolled up their sleeves at Edgeley Community Church to tackle the weeds and tidy up the outdoor space.

Check out the egg which Hazel found in the undergrowth!

Armed with gloves, trowels, and plenty of energy, they worked together to clear paths, borders, and green areas, making the outside look much more welcoming.

The effort not only brightened up the church grounds but also created a more inviting space for everyone in the community to enjoy.

A big thank you to the team for their hard work and community spirit! 🌱✨