So how much wood could a Goodgymmer chuck if a Goodgymmer could chuck wood?............

Autumn is well and truly here and tonight was our last night of 2024 with John and Friends Of Everton Park. We have been helping out over the months in the beautiful Everton Community Garden taking out the old rotting wooden raised bed frames which are being replaced. Each bed is able to be gardened without requiring to kneel or stoop so they have a lot of frame! So its quite some effort to dismantle as despite being rotten they are fixed together by hefty bolts and nails. Many techniques were used to release some of the stubborn planks..... some of the Goodgym team crowned themselves as nail technicians.

The old wood will be burnt on bonfire night so we were just in time to finish up and complete the dismantling of the last two remaining wooden frames. Both in time for the bonfire and in time for us to finish for our traditional winter break from Everton Park. Thank you John for all your wonderful tasks during 2024 and see you in March 2025.

Things that make Monday nights one of the best nights of the week..... in no particular order: 1. The opportunity to be outside -tonight felt like we are on the verge of autumn a warmish start leading into a cooler finish with the light starting to fade

1. The opportunity to feel part of the city - tonight we headed to Everton Community Garden an inspiring oasis of fruit veg and flowers all tended by the local community led skilfully by John who is always so welcoming to us.
   

2. The opportunity to give a little back to the amazing initiatives across the city - tonight we were tasked with removing the rotting wooden frames of two raised beds whilst trying to not disturb the actual raised beds.

3. The opportunity to learn new skills. John is always supportive and willing to share his knowledge and expertise and tonight was no exception. we needed to use various techniques and tools as whilst some of the wooden sleepers were rotten through other ones were still strong and gives with bolts and screws which all had to be negotiated.

4. The opportunity for a physics lesson may arise at any point - at one particularly difficult to remove section of wood Pauline called out.. we need a fulcrum and then said 'Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it and I shall move the world' and then mentioned Archie someone...well i could not find an Archie signed up for this task . However with a lesson in fulcrums Pauline managed to remove the stubborn wood which had us all clapping and cheering. Physics lessons never felt this much fun before.

5. The opportunity to work together - its the start of the new school year a busy time for teachers and parents and its also the season for various lurgies. so tonight we were a small team of four but we achieved the task working together.

6. The opportunity to be welcomed into the community space and group tonight it was so lovely to be back with John and greeted by Barton who we all love (John's chocokate labrador that we all assured John we were happy to have around). We were able to see some of the fruits of our previous labours and talking of fruits John insisted that we all picked a bag of tomatoes to take home... they are absolutely delicious. we finished the evening by being invited to the open evening social at the end of the month.

7. The opportunity to spend the evening with a group of people that are just .... well fab.

Today saw us at a completely new venue. We had been invited to Grant Gardens by John at Friends of Everton Park to help out with Scouse Flowerhouse. The site is on the intersection of a busy road - at the top of a hill might I add (big thanks to Heetu and Amina for dragging me up there). We were greeted by Ema who we are fortunate to have as our Area Activator the energy that she puts into Goodgym is keenly felt by us all.

Stone posts mark the entry of a large piece of land awash with colour and buzzing bees. Grant Gardens, we learnt , had been a cemetery in particular for the time of cholera. It was called The Liverpool Necropolis and was a significant place in times gone by. The buildings long gone - aside from one partial column - the still consecrated land had been left - a green space waiting for just the right love and attention to shine. That love and attention comes in the amazing shape of Scouse Flowerhouse who have created a beautiful space full of wild flowers fit for a queen...bee and her masses. Polly explained that it is a popular place for people to walk and walk their dogs and you can see why - it is a haven.

We were to help with pulling up sow thistles which were hiding and shadowing all the differing flowers. Taking the sow thistles out of the edges uncovered yet more flowers - very satisfying. We always like clear instructions ( or maybe that's just me) and Polly and Richard showed us exactly what they needed us to do and Theo and John helped us to keep on task (Ok I still got some chatting in). There were an array of tool to use including one grim reaper type scythe with the most beautiful wooden handle. Pauline and Amina took to this and cut swathes of thistles down using it - whilst striking poses for the camera here and there.

It was a lovely evening dry and just the right temperature - so a perfect welcome to her first task for Maria hope to see you again very soon Maria.
Double cheers forPauline and Bekah who came straight from a mission helping to move a washing machine - they are just formidable.

Our time at the task came to an end and Ema did a good impression of herding kittens trying to get us all back together for a group photograph. We said goodbye to Polly Richard John and Theo and heading back - down the hill. A huge thank you for giving us an opportunity to be part of this gem with so much history that none of us had ever been to before. You can never take for granted what is on the corner of any street. Thank you Scouse Flower House and Friends of Everton Park.

With a combination of people walking, running and making their own way to the session, a group of 8 came together with instruction from the lovely John from Friends of Everton Park, we were left to crack on with clearing the saplings from invasive tree species that are quick to re grow each year! If they don't get cut back they take over the whole outer stretch of the park and affect the diversity of the parklife!

We made quick work of the patch John left in our care so made our way around the outskirts of the park knowing there were other patches waiting for us. In barley an hour we'd completed three large patches, a satisfying evening!

A huge well done to Dike for completing his 5th session!!

It was our first session of the season with Friends Of Everton Park. John had given us a slightly different venue and task for the first session. The Community Gardens is a hidden haven which is just full of plants. Its an amazing place that feels quite special when you walk in - not least as you know the hard work put in from all the regular people that tend this space week in week out.

The garden uses large raised beds which have been built using large thick substantial wooden planks however as happens the wood is starting to show its age and had started to rot in places.

Our task was to dismantle the raised bed - barrow the soil to the main soil heap and take apart the wooden frame being careful of the large nails that held them together- leaving the space flattened ready to be rebuilt.

As we were so many we had an over flow team working on a second raised bed and of course some friendly competition ensued. Lets just say the first team had more people more wheelbarrows and Jake who was running back and forth with the barrows and the second team had less people less wheelbarrows and a certain report writer who is renowned for chatting a lot.....

Our hour up and we had almost completed two raised beds - or should that be depleted? It was a really satisfying task great fun and company as always and lovely to be back in Everton again. Welcome to Tasha on her first task - look forward to seeing you again.

On a wet, slightly windy Sunday afternoon, 5 Hardy GoodGymers made their way to Everton Park, ready to take up their marshalling positions, for the 2023 Blue Run Challenge event. Ema, Heetu, Aditya, Sallyann and Pauline were warmly welcomed by the Friends of Everton Park. This annual 3K run is held in Everton Park in memory of 16 year old Joseph Lappin who was fatally stabbed in Everton on 20th October 2010. It's a popular event with local residents and community groups, organised by North Liverpool Academy and Friends of Everton Park. It is always a fun day for us to help out with each year. The race started just after 1pm, with all participants and volunteers braving the autumnal rain, wet pathways and muddy puddles. With GG and Everton Park volunteers stationed around the course, runner, walkers, dogs and pram pushers were cheerfully directed along the route. My position, at the carpark, was about 1/3 of the way around, and just as the last walkers passed me, I saw a couple of runners on their way back...not finished, but looking for a dropped mobile 'phone! After a frantic retracing of the route, back to the start, the 'lost' 'phone was found...much to the relief of all concerned. Trophies and medals were awarded, and all participants applauded, before heading home for a well deserved rest. After receiving a finisher's medal and event t-shirt each, our merry band of GoodGymers posed for a final group photo, then also went our separate ways...Ema, home to her beloved dog, Tilly; me to complete the course and some of the Heritage Trail; Sallyann, Heetu and Aditya to our regular meeting room, at The Philharmonic Rooms...where they spent a very productive hour or so, planning some group running events. This lovely email from John, at Friends of Everton Park, was a lovely way to end a very special day.