We spent a very jolly morning cheering the Oxford half runners and handing out energy gels.

Take aways from the event:

• Red packet energy gels SHOULD be strawberry and NOT apple.
• Glitter makes any running outfit 110% more excellent.
• All runners are epic and inspiring.
• Adding crisps to a sandwich is mandatory behaviour.

Favorite sights: Father Christmas and his reindeer, Mario&Luigi, a 2 person slinky dog and Alice and Ian!

Huge thanks to the whole team but mostly to Muireann for keeping us caffeinated!

This evening we were back at the Meadow Lane playground. It has been so fun and rewarding to be involved in this project! From removing acres of ivy and brambles and unpicking dangerous metal fencing to digging new flower beds and building dens, no task has been left untried by our gaggle of Goodgymers.

Today we made some more progress on the flower bed designs - removing a few pesky roots and then shoveling and spreading loads and LOADS of ballast. A true shoulder and core workout!

We will be back next week for more digging and spreading so that some hardy plants can take root before the winter.

This evening we headed back to Aston's Eyot for what will be our last session of 2026 until the spring. Completely understandable as it was getying very gloomy by the time we finished, the evenings are drawing in!

This session was a follow up to our thistle removal a couple of weeks ago and involved tackling more of the pesky prickly things.

The name of the game today was improving access so armed with a variety of tools including hoes (insert school-boy snigger), we lopped branches, scythed nettles, hoiked out thistle roots and created a HUGE pile for compost/minibeasts/creepy crawlies. The pile had to be compacted a bit and it was VERY satisfying to WACK it with a big stick!

Well done team! I think it's time to dig out the head torches and charge up my mini flood lights.

Autumn is coming.

We love a well planned task at Oxford GoodGym, and super organised host Meg had made us a to do list. Denny Gardens is still a work in progress, though one colourful plot shows what can be achieved.

First, tip 3 huge bags of (mainly) brambles from a previous working group over a very spiky fence. Then refill the bags and repeat. Next, pull back the membrane we'd de-weeded and dig out the weed roots underneath. Refill the bags and tip them over the spiky fence. Finally, re-cover the cleared section with the membrane, Bethan improvising with a wooden cudgel to bang the pegs in. Resourceful!

Good work everyone!