Adam and I helped to clean at one of the Foodcycle kitchens in the West End. A welcoming, warm place for a meal with absolutely no need to spend.

As we rubbed and rubbed, I wondered if I would ever be satisfied with my efforts of cleaning the fridge. We were met with volunteer JP who got us talking about wild water swimming and formed the bridge.

Cleaning the fridge was one task, and sorting pots and pans was another task. We will be back Foodcycle, please kindly ask.

This evening Emma and I met in Westgate to spread the word about the weekly, free three-course meals provided by the brilliant charity FoodCycle. Everyone is welcome to free hot meals with FoodCycle which has locations in Walker, Felling, Byker, Westgate, and Benwell, and we were helping to raise awareness of this amazing work with tonight's leaflet drop.

Big kudos has to go to Emma who cycled up the hill from Gateshead to Westgate, truly putting the gym into GoodGym! It was undoubtedly a job well done as we were able to distribute every leaflet we had been given in just under an hour during a lovely evening in the sun! FoodCycle are just one of a number of wonderful charities that we help in Newcastle and we'd love you to come and join us for the next one!

THE PROJECT GoodGym Newcastle midweek community mission

Objective Spread the word about the wonderful charity FoodCycle who take surplus food from supermarkets, markets and independent local grocers and create a tasty three course meal, available free to anyone who would like some company or to save a little money.

Method Deliver leaflets in the Westgate Road area highlighting the meal available in the Westgate Baptist Church.

Participants Krishti, Carrie, Lucy, Debbie, Tanya, Aimee, Louise

Plan Divide 217 leaflets (random pile grabbed by task owner from her big box) equally between 7 participants giving a satisfying 31 leaflets each. Split into two groups, each taking parallel streets.

Result All leaflets delivered in 30 minutes.

Outcome Seven happy GoodGymers and (hopefully) one satisfied task owner

SIMPLE!

It’s been a while since we climbed the great hill of Westgate but needs must and we did so tonight to lend a hand to FoodCycle with another great leaflet drop.

It was an all-walking task tonight with all four GoodGymers choosing to do the task together. Lucy had run from home to the start point and arrived in a super-quick time. Kudos! Thankfully the weather was cool and dry and we had perfect letter box conditions for the job.

We have been helping to drop over 1000 leaflets in and across Newcastle and Gateshead to spread the word of the brilliant work FoodCycle do at a number of locations, tonight of course being Westgate. We know this area pretty well now after previous leaflet tasks and the job was done in no time. We managed to cover four and a half streets in just 30 minutes feeling accomplished (and hungry thanks to the many food establishments in the area!) before heading back to base.

Louise is leading the final part of this job on Thursday night in Byker if you fancy getting involved. It’s a great way to get your steps in and a sociable way to grab another good deed.

The first day of March brought us part three of the leaflet drop we are doing to support Food Cycle at four locations across the city. Food Cycle provides cooking and free meals to local people and it's a great way of bringing communities together.

It was the first time we've gone to an evening task when it's still been light in a long time, and Charlotte snapped a beautiful photo of the Tyne on her way over. While Charlotte and I met on the way, poor Laura had her first experience of the great hill of Westgate Road.

I didn't realise it was uphill the ENTIRE WAY!!

Louise is amazingly the only GoodGymer to take part in every Food Cycle task in this leafleting streak but she will sadly miss next week's due to being away. As soon as she arrived we made a plan and got cracking.

Westgate is a lively community and shops and takeaways seemed loud and friendly as we made our way up and down four long residential streets. Louise had the chance to chat to a few locals about the work of FoodCycle and some seemed keen to get involved.

Laura learned there is definitely a skill to leafleting and despite being a veteran of leaflet drops myself I still managed to get a few trapped fingers and two very cold hands by the end! In just 30 minutes, another 250 leaflets had been distributed, ready to move to our fourth and final location in Byker next week. We hope you can join us for that one!

Our next session is a Community Mission as we lend a hand to Saltwell Junior parkrun this Sunday. Come and join us if you can!