A storming morning of sunshine today as we returned to Valpy Avenue allotments for another round of bramble clearing.

Releasing another plot for use from the grasp of Skynet’s brambles. A chainsaw was even used by one of the extra volunteers supporting GoodGym to get the hardest bits of bramble cleared.

Fun was had and ground was cleared. Afterwards everyone celebrated with a picnic featuring some refreshing watermelon slices! Task to be continued...

Tonight 8 GoodGymer's ran 5km to Eaton Park on a lovely sunny evening.

We met Aafje from the Friends of Eaton Park, who supplied us with tools and explained the evenings task - to sweep gravel from the steps and path inside the grand rotunda.

Armed with brooms we split into pairs to cover the whole area, it was surprisingly satisfying seeing the results of a freshly swept floor! There was also time to collect any rubbish nearby.

As the sun went down our evening was sound tracked by a local drumming group practicing their rhythmic grooves in the nearby bandstand!

Shout out to Amie who joined us for the first time!

A decidedly sunny day, but with some seriously cold gusts, the GG team descended on Valpy Avenue Allotments to tackle some serious brambles. Armed with loppers and rakes the brambles did not stand a chance and we made some serious progress, making a previously overgrown plot habitable again for a lucky allotmenteer.

Afterwards refreshments were served which were very welcome to the team, some admiring a pond that was thriving with tadpoles. Hopefully another visit will occur in the future and more plots can be made ready for use.

A bright Saturday morning set the scene for this feel‑good GoodGym mission at St Andrew's Triwse, combining fresh air, teamwork and more than a little tidying. The group ran and cycled their way over, warming up nicely before tackling a busy set of tasks. On arrival we split into teams and got straight to work. Team Shed took on the big job of clearing and reorganising a very cluttered space, uncovering long‑forgotten items and transforming the shed into something usable again, whilst evicting a LOT of spiders.... Meanwhile, inside the church, one GoodGymer calmly dusted pews and surfaces, helping bring a fresh shine back to the building. Outside Deepak swept through the churchyard, removing stray chairs and so on. Halfway through, we were treated to tea and cake, which gave everyone a welcome boost. Emrys the dog was especially pleased about this development — he even attempted to liberate a slice when he thought no one was watching. He also made a new friend: a lovely big greyhound who seemed delighted to meet him. After just over an hour of steady graft, the shed was sorted, the church interior refreshed, and the churchyard looking cared for. A brilliant way to start a Saturday, full of teamwork, wagging tails and very good cake.

On a drizzly Saturday morning six Goodgymers ran or cycled to help the local community Green Hearts group and the wonderful Common Lot gang at the Valpy Allotments.

These local groups are trying to transform a lot of the overgrown and tangled plots so they can be utilised.

We were set to work with rakes, wheelbarrow and loppers and in the space of an hour we had cleared brambles and helped organise the space. Getting our steps in whilst also running rubbish up to the skip.

Luckily the rain held off and as a reward we were treated to homemade ginger and rhubarb muffins in the beautiful Common Lot lodge and we also got to admire their lovely community garden.

Today 7 GoodGymer's ran, cycled and walked to join the Friends of Anderson's Meadow local gardening group.

Tools were provided along with refreshments! We helped clear an area of overgrown unwanted plants to create a wild flower patch, improving the areas biodiversity.

Once the surface had been cleared and litter removed, some wildflower seeds were sown and stomped into the ground. We also erected a bamboo and twine fence to protect the plant growth.

In one hour the task was complete on a lovely sunny day!