Fit for a Queen and call a spade a spade, and anything else a spade, too

13 Goodgymers helped their local community in Bristol
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Bristol

Tuesday 12th December 2023

Report written by Melanie Young (she/her)

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Woohoo, it's nearly Christmas AND it wasn't raining as 13 GoodGymmers, including Callum for his first ever good deed, Chloe for her first Group Run and Jo for her first Bristol good deed - we love you being part of GoodGym Bristol!

The running group and walking group set off for the sights and sounds of St Paul's, negotiating Christmas shoppers, revellers, roadworks and building to arrive at the lovely warm Emmaus office with lovely Xanne ready to tell is all about the charity and tonight's tasks - one indoor and one outdoor.

The outdoor group were filling a big and a small planter with compost and then being trusted to plant cyclamens, ivies and something we don't know the name for. Xanne knew there was a distinct lack of spades so there was a traditional GoodGym scouting-about for anything that looked spade-y and bucket-y. Winners were an actual spade, a couple of snow shovels and some desk in-trays (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to fill a freezer drawer and other receptacles at great speed. Only to empty them into the planters and start all over again!

Meanwhile, indoors, the floor was deep in crates of Bric (as we professionals call bric-a-brac) to be sorted and shelved with all sorts of 70s and 80s reminiscences for those of us old enough to remember the 70s and 80s. We had a brush-o-matic that i remembered as soon as I saw it!

The outdoor team were soon laying out and planting the new plants, getting into the groove (other Madonna songs are available) with brushes to leave it clean and tidy - fit for a Queen (who we can now reveal was visiting two days later on Thursday). Sometimes we are actually quite good at keeping secrets. Not much of the tine but some of it.

Withe the outdoors finished, everyone headed indoors to help with the sorting and to find something to wear as headgear/hide behind for the team photo.

Off we then shuffled, via the excitement of the Christmas Market (sheds) for our post-task socialising as Workout's Club Haus had a private function- so mulled drinks and interesting hot chocolates it was.

Roll on next week for the pizzas we've pre-booked at Club Haus to celebrate Christmas GoodGym-style.


Session Leader
This task supported
Emmaus Bristol
We believe that people who are homeless and socially excluded have something to offer. We encourage people to use their skills to change themselves – and change the world.

We know that overcoming homelessness often means more than a roof over your head. That’s why we support people to work their way out of homelessness, providing meaningful work as well as a stable home for as long as someone needs it.

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Attendees
Callum Wood
Chloe Turner
Gareth
Jason Thorne
VaguelyNorthernDarren
Katie Thomas
Melanie Young
Richard Breakspear
David Head
Caroline
Join us on our next session

Bristol

Group Run - 30 Apr - St Werb’s ahoy
🗓Tuesday 6:20pm

The community centre will be looking much better, or worse, depending on the task...

+5
Tom Christmas
Marianne BradshawWill WrenFreya Dodd
10 GoodGymers are going - 20 spaces left! 👀

Discuss this report
Jason Thorne

Fri 15th Dec 2023 at 9:24am

https://emmausbristol.org.uk/25th-anniversary/welcoming-her-majesty-the-queen/