Our first visit to the Lighthouse Project was very interesting, as five GoodGymers completed a good deed there tonight.

We split into walking and running groups, inadvertently joining up metres from St Michael's Church, where the Lighthouse Project is based. Both groups stumbled across a film crew at the Byker Wall. Several of us walked and ran on paths and steps, part of the surrounding estate, than many of us had not been on before.

After a warm welcome from Jo, the Youth and Community Operations Assistant, we found out that the youth groups operate every weekday, while the church functions as churches are designed to on Sundays. Jo kindly offered is drinks, and more afterwards, along with bananas.

With brushes, shovels, shears, trowels and other garden tools, most of the work tonight was clearing overgrown areas on the edge of the paths and sweeping up lots of detritus. Aimee spent most of her time weeding a path behind the building.

We were so focused on the task at hand that we ended up having what was a very late finish for a Monday session. No one seemed to mind and the amount of bags filled with waste as a sign of a job well done.

The views from the church towards Gateshead made for a good photographic backdrop before we departed.

After we all went our separate ways, the first aid kit came to good use in the city centre, not for the first time. There were a large number of intoxicated people for some reason, and one lady in particular had fallen over and cut herself with a glass bottle. Fortunately I had plasters, bandages, antiseptic wipes and other things in the first aid kit to help!