👋 20 GoodGymmers met on a sunny evening for our group run. We were thrilled to welcome a few new faces. Beattie was visiting from London while Paddy has recently moved up after doing a few sessions with GG Bristol. Ivana and Rachel both came along for their first GG sessions tonight. It was brilliant to meet you all and we hope we’ll see you again soon.

🍝 We named, numbered and warmed up while discussing our favourite nostalgic food from childhood. Macaroni cheese was a surprise hit, along with various snacks and the like. We were soon ready to run off for our task.

🍎 We were headed to Leeman’s Park Community Orchard where we were helping Abundance York with various jobs. Mitch and Rich immediately nabbed the litter pickers to form “Team Apple”, also nominating themselves as bad and good apple respectively. Their job was to pick up any windfall apples and assign them into the good or bad apple boxes. Sadly, there were significantly more bad apples than good apples, but that was apparently to be expected and even the bad apples were making their way to the wildlife area so will hopefully help some wildlife.

🍓 Meanwhile, “Team dead raspberry” were cutting back dead raspberry canes to help them regrow and produce more raspberries next summer. Others were tackling the big bramble and thistle patches, with scythes, loppers and forks. Louise was delighted with the progress there, and Paddy seemed equally delighted to get to use a scythe for the first time 💪

🏃‍♀️🏃Lots of progress was made and it was soon time for a group photo before the party pacers started their slightly more leisurely jog back to base. The rest of us did a quick relay-based fitness session (accompanied by a very enthusiastic small dog) before heading to the river towards base.

🦺 Unfortunately, our arrival back to base was delayed after a few eagle-eyed GoodGymmers spotted someone in the river. Some incredibly quick thinking and acting meant we were able to reach her with a life ring and pull her out while Abigail called for an ambulance. Our resident paramedic Lyndsay arrived on scene first and was able to liaise with the ambulance crew when they arrived. Thank you everyone for your heroic efforts that may well have saved someone’s life.

🍻 Once back at base, some of us decided that a pub trip was definitely needed, to end a very unusual evening.

Friday night saw our second charity ceilidh for Move Mates.

Lots of goodgymers pitched in to help including setting up, serving on the bar, and the fastest tidy up I've ever seen!

There was still times for lots of dancing and the band challenged us with lots of energetic numbers including the usual strip the willow, and finishing with Lady Godiva which involved piggy backing your partner down the line!

The very popular raffle saw Paul Kelly nab the top prize of a deck chair.

Thank you to Leanne for the photos- they really capture what a fun night it was!

On a cool Monday night, 14 GoodGymers braved the autumnal conditions, keen to do some good. Before we headed out, we celebrated Carl's 200th good deed! Go give him a cheer!! We warmed up by playing a game of duck duck goose, and after successfully locking the building up (with some difficulty), we headed out.

We arrived at Vicky's school, known as Park Grove Academy to some, and got started on two tasks.

1) One task involved moving a large pile of soil to fill in 3 raised beds. We were supplied with wheelbarrows (one with a very deflated wheel), spades and of course a large pile of soil. You know what this means. It's a GoodGym classic barrowing task. Under the leadership of Leanne, GG quickly got to work digging and moving the large pile of soil, until it was a slightly less large pile of soil. But more importantly, the raised beds were filled. There was even a fox in the woods who was very content watching and admiring GG's hard work.

2) The other task involved whitewashing a painted wall so it can be used again for painting. Max and Abi gave the wall an initial scrape to remove the loose pieces of old paint (and covered themselves with plenty of flakes) and then we got to work. With rollers and brushes in hand, we made quick progress on the wall. Some of the children nearby were asking why we painted over such a nice picture, but after explaining to them they seemed happy*. We made quick work of the wall and have put on the first of probably many coats. I think I speak for everyone when I say it was a very tidy job :D

After completing both tasks, we did a quick circuit for fitness which went down very well. Even Max was thankful he was out of breath. We finished up with a refreshing drink at the Akorne. It's what Monday's are made for!

*they laughed at us