This week's group run marks 5 years of GoodGym Liverpool (!?) and what better way to celebrate than a bit of weeding and planting with the Urban Green Up Project?

As usual we met on Hope street and walked/ran through the rain to the park lane site where we were met by Elaine. To say the site has undergone a transformation since our last visit would be an understatement! (See the report from last time here) what was once overgrown was now neatly planted with woodchips to stop the weeds coming through.

Our task was to clear the remaining weeds ready for the rest of the woodchip to go down, as well as transplant some plants from across the way onto this site! It really does look impressive - we can't wait to see it in a couple of months when everything is is full bloom! Well done everyone, it definitely wasn't easy in the dark and wet!

After the task we headed off to the Baltic Arts bar, for a well deserved drink and cake. A lovely evening was had by all! Thanks for all the birthday goodies Ema

It may have been a grey cold day but we received a warm welcome from Mrs H. She showed us the problem she was having with some of her kitchen cupboards and quickly Mat was able to fix one problem with a few turns of the screwdriver as the door had dropped due to a loose screw in the hinge. The other two doors took some figuring out and between us all making suggestions Mat managed to make a significant difference so that the doors stayed shut without the use of blue tack. Mrs H chatted to us as Mat worked and Sallyann made out she was the labourers apprentice by holding the door. Mrs H said she was delighted with the doors much improved and also having someone to chat to. She was pleasantly surprised it was free. Mat and I left and as we hadn't taken a photo had to have a coffee and catch up at a local cafe and take our photo.... Goodgym tasks really do provide goodgymers with gifts..... of feeling we are making a difference, of spending time with people and of ongoing friendships between our local group members.

After four seasons in as many days Monday night arrived with a generous helping of rain. But was it mulch too wet? Never! Not for goodgym! Some of us met at 'the suitcases' and ran up to the task - it was striking that on the mile and a half run we passed areas we have litter picked, a place we have helped to create wild seed beds, and an area we have helped to weed and clear up. No two tasks are the same - it is never much of a mulchness where Monday nights are concerned.

When we arrived at the Greenhouse Project we were met by Sandra who completed her first task tonight (yayyy welcome Sandra) Heetu and Ema.

We immediately set to work filling bags and wheelbarrows of (you guessed it) mulch and transporting it to the flower beds. The mulch was spread around the established plants to discourage unwanted weed growth. Due to the continual rain the mulch felt heavier so we all got a good work out - to keep warm some people took to running laps of the area in between tasks, running with the wheelbarrow and doing some spontaneous star jumps.

Despite the rain spirits were high and there was still a lot of chat whilst we worked. Nobody sang, that I could hear,although one suggestion for a song may have been ...Mulch is all around me (and we're wet wet wet!)

We have been to the Greenhouse Project a number of times and always receive a warm welcome and are happy that there's mulch to do at the Greenhouse Project and so we get asked back.

In true Goodgym style many hands make light work and in super quick time we had finished the task and we were ready to pose soggily for our group selfie ( apologies to Pauline who had to rush off to her drumming practice so wasn't in the group picture)

Speedy gone mulchly - our work is done.

Shout outs to Heetu for her 50th task (which included a double mission this weekend) and Sian for her 10th task. Credits for photos to Pauline and for puns to Bekah and Ema. Kudos to the team tonight for working up a storm in a downpour

Although the days are getting longer we are still currently meeting in the dark - so it was a dark evening when we met at The Brain Charity to help them tidy up their outside place. Everyone arrived independently - totaling over 19 miles between us of walking and running. We welcomed new members Sarah and Kleanthis to their first task. Great to have them on the team. The tools had been hidden by the staff of the project so uncovering them we soon set about cleaning and clearing the tarmac and beds of leaves and rubbish. Its a big area and our torches picked out the litter but when we started to rake the laves up more and more litter was also found amongst it. We uncovered little plants that will now be able to grow without having to push through the huge blanket of leaves. Sian found a grid under a mound of leaves and earth which will help with drainage when we next have a big spate of rain. Its amazing how much can be done when everyone works together - 13 bags of leaves and 2 bags of litter and even in the dark we could see that we had made a difference. Huge well done to Harriet Pat and Lucien for completing 5 tasks.

We were so pleased to hear that some of Goodgym Sheffield were going to be coming to Princes parkrun, and looking forward to today. However I don't think any of us realised just how fabulous it would be.

The sun shone on a cold morning making the ideal conditions for a parkrun. As always parkrun allows everyone to find their own rythmn, volunteering, walking, running, chatting. By the time we all met up at the end of the parkrun connections were already being made. Sheffield showed us their photo taking expertise - they had already decided on the perfect backdrop for a photo shoot.

We then headed down to The Third Cafe for the post parkrun breakfast and over enormous plates of delicious food and steaming drinks we chatted. It was so exciting to meet and talk about our groups and share experiences and ideas. The energy in the room was buzzing and inspiring. It never ceases to be smile inducing to get a group of people who share an interest together. Whilst at the table we got an incoming photo of Jo our intrepid parkrun tourist who had just completed her Compass Challenge at East Park Wolverhampton.

Thank you so much Sheffield crew for sharing your city break time with us - we look forward to seeing you again soon. Friends who run together brunch together

Well what larks we had this evening.

Heetu and Sallyann ran from Lark Lane to the meeting place just in case there was anyone joining us - we then ran back to Lark Lane to meet everyone. Well done Heetu for a week back and a 4 mile run before she picked a piece of litter up.

At Lark Lane the group met Helen who had sent up the Lark Lane Wombles. She provided us with the litter pickers and bags and explainedthat the wombles had been out so once we had cleared any litter from the lane itself we could go into the surrounding streets (underground overground........ anyone remember this?) . Despite Lark Lane being full of cafes, bars and take aways it was remarkably clear - its obvious that the newly formed Wombles are doing a great job - however we still found during an hour we filled 8 bags of rubbish.

It was a lovely atmosphere and we had many kindly and funny comments: people thanking us, one man asking where are capes were (as he thought we were super heroes) the answer back was in the wash.... another laughingly sayingi t was late for community service before thanking us with a broad smile, a shout outofthanks from a seond floor window and roses given by the local florist as a thank you. Very quickly the night was over - 8 litter bags piled up and photos taken (thanks to Carys for the group photo)