Today we ventured back to Boundary Brook Nature Reserve. Lovely Helen always comes up with unique jobs for us to do and today was no exception. Earlier in the week an Early Years sessions had resulted in a popped beanbag covering a large area in THOUSANDS of teeny tiny polystyrene balls. At first glance the ground looked like it was covered in blossom or snow. Undettered we set to work, trying to preserve as much of the gravel as possible. I must admit that it was slightly meditative but i think ill be seeing those little pellets in my dreams!

Another species that has taken hold was big clumps of sedge. Of left this plant can be very invasive so Vicky and Muireann dug out loads of it, filling 4 wheelbarrows - STRONG ❤❤

Particular highlights of the task were mostly dodging the rain, a visit from Meg (and Dylan) and being tolerated by Mr Bojingles (the cat).

*What do you do when the Met Office suggests a 95% chance of rain and you have a litter pick and outdoor pizza planned? *Answer: a speed litter-sweep, quick dip in the Thames (ok, that was only the spaniel) and head off in search of pizza under a roof.

Port meadow was surprisingly clean given our recent sunny spell (well done, Oxford!) but eagle Goodgym eyes still managed to retrieve a small haul of bottle tops, cigarette butts, miscellaneous pieces of plastic, a dirty sock and what looked like a false finger nail. Every little helps and hopefully a small but worthwhile contribution to keeping Port Meadow a beautiful place to relax on a nice summer's day. And we did get our pizza.

Welcome to Goodgym Alice!!

On a bright and warm Saturday morning, Henry, Axelle, Jango and myself headed to Cutteslowe Greenhouse. The raised beds the GoodGym team worked on a few weekends ago were looking good. They were filled with healthy looking lettuces which were very perky in spite of the heat.

Michael asked us to clear away a section of the site and while we were outdoors, we were thankfully in the shade! We moved bricks, rocks and pallets while Jango bounded around the site charming everyone he met. Our next task involved cutting back brambles, nettles and dead plants to access some giant planters which needed emptying. This all went smoothly until we discovered the final planter was filled with soil and chunks of polystyrene. I’d say we dug out about two wheelbarrows worth of polystyrene before we were able to dump the remaining soil onto the compost heap!

Our shady spot began to shrink, so we eventually called it a day and headed off into the afternoon sun!

(If anyone knows why you’d bury a load of polystyrene in a planter filled with wisteria, please let us know)

My goodness that was HOT!!!!

visiting Aston's Eyot is always a joy, mainly because it always involves scything - relaxing but also quite sweaty work.

This evening's task was clearing an amazing amount of nettles and thistles to start creating more welcoming spaces for pollinators.

Nettles were duly scythed and we discovered that uphill scything in a heat-wave is really rather hard work! Our clearing were then covered with big tarpaulins to help suppress regrowth.

With frequent stops for water and bug spray we made a huge difference. Its always mega satisfying to see quick results!

Well done team, ice creams all round I reckon.

This evening, 11 GoodGymers returned to a task favourite: Marston Forest Garden. Fred, Muireann, and Ellie went running in the sun through Marston, briefly passing Wasabi (Ellie’s cat!) before joining the rest of the group.

We had a real assortment of tasks to take on. There was clearing with sickles and scythes, transporting compost, weeding (including clearing common hogweed and valerian), and topping up the pond with water as it had become dry. The group divided up and got to work, attempting to dodge the large amounts of bugs and ants that were enjoying the compost. Fortunately we got a briefing to help us identify the various weeds we were tackling.

A big congratulations to Mae who celebrated 10 good deeds this evening! As with all milestones, the garland of joy was worn to mark the occasion.

Tonight we headed to a brand new GoodGym location - Cuttleslowe Greenhouse. This lovely community space helps people connect with nature, food, and each other. After being closed for a few years, it’s finally being brought back to life. On a bright spring evening, we got to play a part in its reopening.

Our task definitely leaned toward the gym side of GoodGym. We shifted heavy piles of garden waste across the site, including some very large branches. Over the evening we experimented with every possible method - wheelie‑bin shuttles, dragging or carrying sacks, and even the occasional overhead branch lift. We also rescued some compost to be reused in the greenhouse’s raised beds. Before heading home, we picked up some great souvenirs: postcards about the project and packets of seeds to grow at home. Among the gifted seeds were peas, calendula, and basil.

We’re already looking forward to returning to the greenhouses in future tasks!

Welcome to Goodgym Jacqueline! We're so happy you could join us this evening!