A GoodGym Huddersfield beginners run combined with a Community Mission at Gledholt Woods....this promised to be a busy morning. Unfortunately due to late dropouts there was just Kati and myself for the 3K run to Gledholt Woods in crisp conditions and stunning winter sunlight.

However upon arriving there were already a number of GoodGymmers and other Friends of Gledholt Woods busy planting some of the 4000 bulbs kindly provided by Kirklees Council for the group to plant. So with a barrowload of bulbs to plant we quickly got stuck in. The process was simple, someone would cut a hole with a spade or trowel and the planters would follow along, dropping 4-5 bulbs in each hole. As all GoodGymmers know many hands make light work, and alongside Kati and myself, Leeds GoodGymmer Rachel Cooney and her mum Gillian had turned and also Huddersfield stalwart Ben Godfrey. This is not to mention the dozen or so Friends of Gledholt Woods who were all planting away with us.

The bags of Crocus, Hyacinth and Allium bulbs were soon being gradually emptied as together the group worked and chatted, knowing that the fruits of their labours would be apparent for all in the spring. I will make sure that we do a GoodGym run via the woods sometime so we can appreciate our efforts too. Thanks to all for a cracking morning’s work.

A GoodGym Huddersfield beginners run combined with a Community Mission at Gledholt Woods....this promised to be a busy morning. Unfortunately due to late dropouts there was just Kati and myself for the 3K run to Gledholt Woods in crisp conditions and stunning winter sunlight.

However upon arriving there were already a number of GoodGymmers and other Friends of Gledholt Woods busy planting some of the 4000 bulbs kindly provided by Kirklees Council for the group to plant. So with a barrowload of bulbs to plant we quickly got stuck in. The process was simple, someone would cut a hole with a spade or trowel and the planters would follow along, dropping 4-5 bulbs in each hole. As all GoodGymmers know many hands make light work, and alongside Kati and myself, Leeds GoodGymmer Rachel Cooney and her mum Gillian had turned and also Huddersfield stalwart Ben Godfrey. This is not to mention the dozen or so Friends of Gledholt Woods who were all planting away with us.

The bags of Crocus, Hyacinth and Allium bulbs were soon being gradually emptied as together the group worked and chatted, knowing that the fruits of their labours would be apparent for all in the spring. I will make sure that we do a GoodGym run via the woods sometime so we can appreciate our work too. Thanks to all for a cracking morning’s work.

There was an autumnal nip in the air in Greenhead Park this morning but that didn’t stop five GoodGymmers getting out of bed and running 5k. A big thank you to Acre Street Runners for providing the volunteers at Huddersfield parkrun this morning and especially to Run Director, Richard Plunkett, who gave GoodGym a shout out in the run briefing. During the run GoodGymmers chatted about organ donation after two ladies gave moving speeches in the run briefing. Have you chatted to your loved ones recently about what you want to happen to your organs when you no longer need them? As my next of kin has recently changed my sister and I have just exchanged texts on the subject. That really is all it needs to save lives! After parkrun we wandered over to Gledholt Woods, also known locally as TP Woods. We met members of the Friends of Gledholt Woods who were busy putting up smart new signs telling us about the area. With a lot of excitement at the sight of litter we got stuck in to the task at hand. After a hour we had picked up ten bags of litter and the woods were looking a lot cleaner!

After parkrun this morning, seven runners headed over to Gledholt Woods to help Richard and Jim from Friends of Gledholt Woods to tackle a large amount of litter which had been chucked over the wall from Gledholt Bank.

The team included GoodGym first timers SallyAnn Masih who regularly walks her dogs Sonic and Fudge in the woods, John Fletcher who was visiting Huddersfield parkrun as his usual parkrun of Storthes Hall had been cancelled and Julie Polzin, who I ran 5k with at Acre Street Runners several months ago and had told her all about GoodGym then. Also on the team were Helen Rutherford, Liz Walsh and GoodGym regular Ben Godfrey. (Ben politely let me beat him at parkrun this morning! Thank you Ben!)

Everyone donned their gloves, grabbed a bin bag and we were off. SallyAnn, litter picking champion, was the first to fill her bag. There was the usual fare of empty plastic bottles, crisp packets and coffee cups. Some of the more unusual finds included a toy train, a tooth brush, a duvet and a sign informing us fly tippers could be fined up to £50 000 or face up to six months in prison!

25 bags later we had collected most of the rubbish and the woods looked far more attractive. After the obligatory group photos some people shot off home for a much needed post-parkrun shower, while the caffeine addicts amongst us headed to the cafe in Greenhead Park for a coffee, chat and a read of Thursday's Examiner! https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/amazing-gym-group-makes-every-16279275.amps://