Sallyann enticed us all to come to parkrun by announcing that if you attend all 12 Goodgym parkrun sessions in the year, as a runner or volunteer or even a breakfaster, there will be a mystery prize. This drew lots of us in, including Liam even though he was setting off for Costa Rica later in the day! Sallyann, Lucien and Pauline came to cheer on and photograph Liam, Bekah, Ellie, Julie, and Sian who joined a huge crowd of enthusiastic runners, numbers probably swelled by New Year Resolutions to a total of 669. It was Goodgymmer Eileen's 100th session as a parkrun volunteer, an amazing achievement. A special shout-out also goes to Heetu who wasn't able to join us as she was doing a trail run on the Llyn Peninsula. After the run we went to escape the cold in a cafe for brunch, arriving at Espresso on Park Road moments before the shutters went up for the day so that it felt like it was opening just for us. We're experimenting with a new nearby cafe for brunch each month, and February might see us heading to Lodge Lane. We had a lovely chat and catch-up and are looking forward to the next task!

This week we were hoping to squeeze in one last task before the light begins to fade. We (just about) managed it too , despite finding several reminders of the impending change of season. Who knew it was already conker season?

4 runners met on Hope Street and made our way to Linnet lane to meet 4 more goodgymmers armed with litter pickers and hoops.

We were tasked with litter picking along Ullet Road and managed to get 6 bags full to the brim! We had a lovely evening chatting and picking and made a huge difference to the cleanliness of the community.

With our mission accomplished, we heading home into the quickly darkening night. Excellent work everyone!

This get together was an opportunity to celebrate our Amazing Area Activator Ema. Only the night before Ema had been succesful in winning the Merseyside Women Making a Difference award in recognition of her amazing work Ema is choir manager of Choir With No Name Liverpool as well as our Area Activator. Well done Ema I know everyone who knows Ema knows what a difference she does make but its fantastic she has had the recognition for this. Ema dutifully bought her award along for us to see. Its lovely unfortunately the photo i took of Ema holding it doesnt show it as its a beautiful glass award.... note to self leave photography to anyone else but me.

Well done to David Bekah Julie and Vikky on running the parkrun before breakfast in what started out as a bit of a drizzly grey day. Each and everyone finished with a smile and still looking fresh. I know this as I was handing out finishing tokens under the mentorship of Eileen who is a member of the core team at princes parkrun -team token... this week had an international flair as we tried to say well done in as many different languages as we knew (or were taught as the morning went on) Team scanners today included the family duo Roz and Jo both part of the furniture at parkrun as both have run so many all over the place as well as volunteering at both parkrun and junior parkrun.

The wonderful thing about our parkrun get togethers is that people can pop in and out of the morning it really is a smorgasbord of a social it was so good that both Liam and Ellie were able to take time out of their busy schedules to celebrate Ema's achievement and catch up with everyone and lastly but in no means least it was so wonderful to see Laura who we figured would be the last time we saw her for a little while as she will have her hands full and her time occupied very soon.... (her gorgeous baby was born the very next day 💕).

This truly was a winning breakfast.

Task Summary:

On Monday, 24 June, a dedicated group of GoodGym Liverpool runners gathered for a litter pick task around the streets surrounding Lark Lane. The litter pick was planned as part of our ongoing efforts to keep the local area clean and welcoming, especially following the recent Africa Oye festival that brought many visitors to the neighborhood.

Task Details:

Meeting Point: - The task kicked off with Sallyann leading the run from Hope Street, setting a brisk and energetic pace for the group. Other members met directly at the task location near Lark Lane.

Initial Observations: - Upon arrival, it was noted that Lark Lane itself had been freshly cleared, likely due to clean-up efforts following the Africa Oye festival. This allowed the team to focus their efforts on the surrounding streets, which still needed attention.

Activities: - The team split into smaller groups, each taking a different street or area to maximize coverage. - Armed with litter pickers, gloves, and bags, they meticulously collected rubbish ranging from plastic bottles and food wrappers to discarded cans and cigarette butts. - The new members, Hannah, Renata, and Lana, were enthusiastic and quickly got into the groove, learning from the seasoned GoodGym members. - Jo, visiting from Exeter, brought a fresh perspective and shared stories of similar initiatives back in her hometown, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. - Heetu walked very slowly due to blisters developed during yesterday’s 34-mile walk but showed great determination and contributed significantly to the task. - Sallyann, who had been off for many weeks due to injury, made a strong return, inspiring the group with her leadership. - Ema was missed due to attending the Woman of the Year event.

Achievements: - By the end of the session, the group had collected 17 bags of litter, significantly improving the appearance of the streets around Lark Lane. - The task not only made a visible impact on the local environment but also strengthened community bonds among the participants.

Challenges: - The only minor challenge was coordinating the large group across different streets, but with effective communication and teamwork, this was swiftly managed.

Reflections:

The litter pick was a success, demonstrating the power of community action in maintaining public spaces. The involvement of new members and a visitor from afar added to the sense of community and shared responsibility. Heetu's perseverance was particularly inspiring, showing that even physical discomfort couldn't deter the GoodGym spirit.

Thank You:

A big thank you to all participants for their hard work and positive energy. Special thanks to Sallyann for her excellent leadership and to Jo for joining us from Exeter. We also missed Ema and look forward to seeing her at future tasks.

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Gratitude: The community expressed their gratitude throughout the evening. Residents and local business owners were particularly appreciative, stopping by to thank the team for their efforts. Their kind words and encouragement were a testament to the positive impact GoodGym has on the local area.

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We look forward to seeing everyone at the next GoodGym task!

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Photographs: Pauline, as usual, captured the event with her excellent photography skills.

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Next Task: Stay tuned for details of our next task, and as always, keep up the great work!