GoodGym Swindon were back at Bridlewood Primary School this evening to continue work on reestablishing the pathway of the daily mile track overgrown by the grass and weeds. Tonight, we hit a milestone - armed with Simon’s twisty tools we completed the outbound straight, turned the corner and now making our way behind the footballs goals down the back edge of the field. We were also delighted to meet and welcome Emma along for the first time.

To keep us entertained this evening, we answered some of life’s most important questions: What’s our favourite Disney film? Charles opting for classics, Adam choosing more recent films, and Emma settling with two. Safe to say, none of us could agree on just one! Next up, what should and definitely should not go on a pizza? Emma, admitting in her own words that she is ‘a sinner’ where pineapple is concerned whilst Simon is happy with whatever he gets.. so long as it’s pizza or jacket potato.. yum! All this, whilst enjoying the sounds of a local residents varied music taste including the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, Meatloaf and a song about vindaloo.. which leads me to just one final question, the question everyone (but Charles it seems) is asking, is it really coming home on Sunday?!

We returned to Bridlewood Primary this evening for the second instalment and there was no messing around! We knew exactly what was expected of us and came prepared with a half moon and a kneeling pad 🧤 No time was wasted in getting stuck in. With all the recent wet weather, the ground was nice and soft making it super easy to pull the weeds 💪🏻

It was lovely to see our running Rector Richard again in real life.. it's been too long!

Busy catching up and hearing of both Jason and Richard's return of real life racing, the time flew by and before we knew it, it was time to rake the stones back over ready for the children's daily mile 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♂️

I'm sure we'll be back again soon to continue our way round the never ending path...

This evenings community mission saw us at Bridlewood Primary School. As we headed across the playground we noticed a number of educational games, a Woodland Walk and an assault course, which had us reminiscing about our own school days and how things had moved on from the hop scotch! After we’d figured out whether the North arrow was truly the real North, we continued over to the ‘daily mile’ track. We heard how all of the children complete a daily mile, either running, jogging, hop, skip and jumping, in all weathers around the gravel track.

Over the last few years, the grass from the sports playing field has started to overtake the path. Our task was to take back the grass to uncover the original path. As the spring sun started to set, armed with a shovel and rake, it was heigh ho(e) off to work we go! Before we knew it, we’d filled 2 bags! Lots more of the path to be done here, maybe we’ll be back again soon?!

Coming up: This weekend is (hopefully🤞🏻) our penultimate Swindon VPR takeover. You can get involved from home! Details and sign up here; https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/goodgym-swindon-virtual-parkrun-takeover-from-6pm-on-friday-23rd-april-until-6pm-on-sunday-25th-april-2021

Next week, we’re heading to Lydiard Park! If you fancy joining us, sign up here; https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/litter-picking-at-lydiard-park

On this 29th day of February, we ‘leaped’ into action helping Bridlewood Primary School. The GOAL, to unpack and construct new football goals.

Fresh from the 1st ever 29th February parkrun, the hardy souls made their way from Lydiard Park to the North Swindon venue.

Teacher, Miss Hulse, was kindly on hand to give us the tools and lead us to, what turned out to be the mamouth construction site. We were met by Chris and Harry who had been voluntold, by Teresa to help and Andrew who brought along son Teddy. Andrew was unpacking the goal frame and mentioned Annette a couple of times! Who was this mystery Annette? Was she a last minute sign up to the Community Mission? NO, nothing as exciting, he was unpacking the ol’ onion bags to use football parlance!!

Interest was soon directed to Harry’s neck tattoo!! in Harry’s neck and the apparent 100 deed wings inked on his nape

With a bunch of blokes on hand, there were bits of goal everywhere. With the ladies just stood shaking their head. Someone came up with the novel idea of reading the instructions!! Totally alien to us fella’s, we decided to give it a try. David took control and we were soon underway! We still had bits of goal everywhere, but at least it was a little tidier.

After putting the first goal together, taking it apart, putting it back together again, we discovered how to do it properly, then we were on our way. Tracey had to leave as she had an evening date in Birmingham with some chap called Kelly Jones and his mates at Arena Birmingham.

The sun came out, the hail battered our faces, the rain lashed down. It seemed like we had the 4 seasons of weather, not that surprising as it felt it took the 4 seasons to put the first goal together!!

While Emma ‘the Trainer’ kept the troops happy with an emergency cookie and jammy dodger run!!.

Thankfully the second goal took no time at all. This is fortunate as if it took as long as the first we would have been running out of daylight!!

There was a great deal of satisfaction in getting the goals up, although looking at how wet the pitch was they may not be used for a few weeks until it dries out.

Hope you can join us at this week's Group Run? Click here for more info and to sign up!

Saturday saw six GoodGymer’s visit Bridlewood Primary School, where Emma ‘the Trainer’ and ‘Safety First’ Simon’s two children (Luke and Grace) go to school. Our task, to build a Playhouse for the new Nursery School. Open since the beginning of September, the Nursery are now adding the finishing touches to the outside play area, with focus around the soon-to-be-built Playhouse.

Armed with electric screwdrivers, hex keys and bourbon biscuits Andrew, Graham, Kirsty, Carly and Graham's wife, Sarah set about our construction project.

In true style, the men threw aside the instructions and started ripping the boxes open and grabbing all the pieces and guessing where they might go! This was rained in as the ladies took over the logistics. Soon we had the wooden sections laid out in alphabetical order and knew exactly which screw went in which hole and who was doing what and in which order!!

We were a well oiled machine, as Sarah, with instructions in hand, acted as the conductor directing each section of construction until it all came together into something that had a resemblance to the picture on the instructions!!

Kirsty and Carly were keen to add the finishing detail of the awning and the blackboard and the Playhouse was ready for its first users on Monday morning. We went our separate ways after the photo call inside the Playhouse and left in the hope the children get as much pleasure from playing in the Playhouse as we did building it for them.

There are lots more Community Missions coming up between now and Christmas - keep an eye out for them here!