Mrs P was really pleased to see me and had cleaned the secateurs in readiness and got all the equipment ready. Unfortunately due to the wet weather I couldn't mow the lawns but did manage to trim and dead head the roses, cut back the large hydrangea to clear the path and tame a large salvia. Mrs P is a lovely person and so grateful although I didn't manage to get a lot done and she was very insistent I come in out of the rain. We had a cup of tea and a chat before I went home.

We've been doing a regular monthly session at Marston Forest Garden, and with a slight autumnal nip to the air we're anticipating perhaps one more evening session for this year.

This time we collected compost and woodchip, watered the squash plants, topped up the pond, moved some weed suppression mats, and sickled away a good quantity of bramble and nettle.

Same place next month?!

Today we made our long-awaited return to Barracks Lane Community Garden. A gorgeous oasis at the end of the Cowley Road, it is a community space which hosts a forest school, refugee projects, yoga classes, a monthly open day and much much more.

This evening they needed some heavy jobs doing as well as the usual weeding, watering and tidying.

After an introduction from Jane we split into groups and flexed our muscles moving a tonne bag of soil, using Stig's "Symphony of Wheels" (a buggy frame, sack trolly and some wood on wheels) to move some hefty patio slabs ready for a new shed. We also helped lay said slabs - who knew that jumpikg was the best way to level a patio?!?

After a well earned drink and snack - delicious melon and the queen of biscuits, the Jammy Dodger, a group of us headed off for a run.

On a planned route guys, a planned route!!!

Welcome to Goodgym Marcus it was lush to meet you!

Want to keep the Parkrun monsters as bay?!!? Please do put your name down to volunteer in next few weeks

Thank you to everyone who stepped up this week to make another sunny summer event happen

Welcome to all our first timers and especially our first time and tourist volunteers

Thank you all have a great week

Magdalen Wood is a lovely spot. A little network of paths, lots of lovely trees and natural clearings. It is also, unfortunately, a HUGE litter grot-spot.

The main path through the woods has just been resurfaced in a very lovely track-like material (note to self, maybe a good place for an interval session.......) which has potentially attracted more pedestrians.

Wonderful, but the litter was ASTONISHING.

Working along the main paths we quickly filled up loads of bags - mainly beer cans and cigarette packets but with the usual smattering of clothes and weird and mystery items - anyone need a coin sorter?!?

Then a call came from Vicky who had discovered the aftermath of what must have been QUITE the party. Cans, cans as far as th eye could see. We considered just reporting it to the council but figured strength in numbers we could get it sorted. 5 goodgymers (who would have appreciated nose pegs) and 5 minutes later it was clear - good work team!!

We all appreciated lots of hand sanitiser and a good post-task scrub after all that.

Welcome to Goodgym Meg and Mae, it was wonderful to meet you.

The answer: lots of regular scything.

Last night we returned to Aston's Eyot to try to get some nettles under control. An area that we've worked on previously has been earmarked as a picnic/play/chill-out space. Unfortunately it is currently covered in nettles. To ready it for the council's tractor we scythed and cleared lots of nettles, sawed some low hanging branches - Joe discovering some pole-sawing skills - and collected the inevitable litter.

Another team were sent a little further along the river to deal with a fallen tree. A tree surgeon had done the heavy work but we needed to clear branches from a river-side flower area. Sawing up branches is quite the workout but chats about books was a good distraction!

Well done team! We'll be back in September for another go!