14 GoodGym volunteers ran a hilly 4km to Donkey Lane to visit a community garden managed by Transition Bath. We did some essential weeding and garden maintenance to make the garden presentable and easier to use.

Well done Pascale!

We met at our usual spot outside the Leisure Centre and shared our running news. Well done to Pascale for smashing the Green Man Ultra race around Bristol over the weekend!

Welcome Cassie and Tom!

We also welcomed two new runners to the group, Cassie and Tom. They were both keen to join us in getting fit and doing good! After a warm-up and a headcount we were off on our way.

Donkey Lane is situated between Perfect View and Claremont Buildings in Bath. As you might have guessed, the views we saw as we ran up the hills were pretty close to perfect! Although the hills were tough we banded together as a group and made it to the top.

Our host, Sue, met us and gave us some information about the community garden. The site is run entirely by volunteers and anyone is welcome to get involved growing or enjoying the fruit and veg. Some examples of the food that is grown there are strawberries, spinach, apples and courgettes!

Testing our mettle, cutting back the nettle

One of our achievements last night was cutting back some nettles and long weeds around some young trees on a public footpath. A team used some shears to cut back a massive proportion of these weeds. This made a massive difference and stopped the footpath becoming overrun.

Digging deep

Another great task done was clearing back a footpath that runs throughout the garden. Weeds and long grasses love to swarm the footpath which makes it unsafe and untidy. Much to Sue's delight, the group managed to clear the whole length of the footpath and add to the compost heap! We reflected after we finished that having a clear footpath really makes the space feel like a garden and not just an patch of green land.

Going back to our roots

Finally, a team successfully removed a large infestation of buttercups. These were spreading and taking vital nutrients from the strawberries growing near them. Top tip: to check that you have pulled a buttercup and not another weed you have to check if the roots are tinged purple!

Thanks to Chris for backmarking for this run and thanks to Mary for the Pun this week!

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Organisations are already getting in contact with us through these platforms and this means we are securing more varied tasks for you to enjoy!

Bath Chronicle

Last night a photographer took some snaps of us volunteering and running. There is going to be a feature in the local paper about us - hopefully this week - so pick up and copy and spread the word about GoodGym!

Upcoming runs

• On Sunday 7th October (this Sunday!) we have a Community Mission at Prior Park - sign up here for a fun task in a beautiful and historic place!
• Next week we are running to St John's Court to paint some outdoor furniture for them - sign up here!