The last week has been hot. Really hot. Heatwave, national heat alert hot. It has sapped the energy of even the most sun-loving people. As the weekend arrived, the temperature finally dropped to something that felt like a proper summer's day, and six of us joined the team from the Friends of Festival Gardens.

Our mission was to uncover the established shrubs that had become smothered and choked by bindweed, with a scattering of nettles and brambles adding to the challenge.

When we arrived, we were faced with a towering mass of greenery, dotted with delicate white bindweed flowers. As we started to pull it away, we discovered why it's so aptly named. The bindweed had wrapped itself tightly, and repeatedly, around the existing shrubs, making it a slow but satisfying job to release them. Gradually, a variety of shrubs and even sections of the pathways began to reappear.

This area, beside the impressive pagoda, forms part of the Chinese Garden within the park. Today we worked together to uncover the garden once again and allow it to breathe.

There's always something special about working alongside the Friends of Festival Gardens. They're a hardworking group who are always welcoming to new members and make Goodgym feel right at home. Together we spent two hours freeing the plants from the choking effects of the bindweed, helping to reveal the beauty of the garden beneath.

Congratulations to Leo, who completed his 30th Goodgym task today!

What better way to spend a Sunday morning than volunteering together with the Friends of Festival Gardens? The temperature may still have been hot, and we’d all worked up a sweat but it was a pretty cool way to spend a summer Sunday morning.

Seven intrepid goodgymmers braved the heatwave to lend a hand at the German Church to help the prepare for their Sommerfest.

Whilst gathering before the task we were treated to a little history lesson, learning that the post box on the street was one of only two in existence to have Edward VIII engraved on it.

We were then guided through the church to a surprisingly large and tranquil garden, a real oasis in the city. This is were Sommerfest takes place and were we given the task of clearing as much foliage as possible to make way for the guests. We soldiered on in the heat and were quickly able to see the difference!

Well done to everyone, the church volunteers were so pleased with the progress! Here's hoping the Sommerfest went well.

Six GoodGymers brightened Princes Park on Saturday morning, joining the parkrun community for a dose of fresh air, friendly faces, and plenty of positive energy.

While some were running, others were cheering, chatting, and helping create the welcoming atmosphere that makes parkrun such a special event. Our red shirts were once again highly visible around the park, demonstrating that GoodGym is not just about getting active but also about building connections and spreading positivity wherever we go. The visibility certainly seemed to pay off. Two women approached us during the morning to find out more about GoodGym. It was wonderful to share what we do and how running can be a force for good. Hopefully, we've helped a few new friendships get off to a running start.

With parkrun complete and appetites gathering pace, we split into two groups and made our way towards Squash. After all, while we may enjoy chasing personal bests, there comes a point when breakfast becomes the real finish line. At Squash, we quickly got down to the important business of collecting stickers and, perhaps even more importantly, squashing our hunger. Hot drinks appeared, breakfasts arrived, and conversations flowed as freely as the coffee.

As always, the real magic of these mornings wasn't measured in kilometres or finish times. It was found in the laughter around the table, the stories shared between friends, and the simple pleasure of spending time together. Because, as we were gently reminded, community is built not only through organised activities but also through moments of connection.

From Princes Park to Squash, the morning was packed with smiles, community spirit, and plenty of food for thought. It was a reminder that every time GoodGym turns up, we don't just make tracks around the park, we leave a positive footprint in the community too. Here's to many more mornings of running, chatting, sticker collecting, and proving that the shortest distance between strangers is often a friendly conversation.