This evening four confused Goodgymers realised that a degree in engineering would be handy when covering boxes with Christmas paper.

**How much paper?? Where to fold?? Where to stick?? Why is there a flappy bit left over??

We DID manage to wrap boxes though, which were gratefully received by Christine at Project Shoebox. They will now be filled with goodies and distributed to refugees and shelters around Oxford.

Good work team!

Does it get any more festive than breaking out the wrapping paper and spending and evening surrounded by Christmas presents?!

Last night we had 2 tasks to complete - constructing and wrapping the boxes needed by Shoebox Project for their Christmas gift packs, and making a start on Operation Christmas Gift for Oxford Mutual Aid. Fortunately we were able to take over the Richard Benson Hall where the food bank is based and do both tasks there - saving us from a logistical nightmare!

On arrival we got stuck into (literally in some cases) the flat-pack boxes for the Shoebox Project. They were easy enough to construct, but quite tricky to find the best way to cover them in wrapping paper! Still, a bit of puzzling and perseverance paid off and everyone seemed to find a good method in the end, getting all 20 boxes covered in Christmas paper, and a few even decorated with festive bows and ribbons too.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hall we tackled the mountain of Christmas gift donations. First we hauled the crates out and worked out what was actually in them, categorising by recipient age. Then we started picking out the gifts for households on the Monday food parcel delivery routes; wrapping them, labelling them up and putting them into crates ready to be added to food parcels in the week leading up to Christmas. We were the trial run for the system, so there was a bit to figure out, but once we'd got the hang of where everything was we got into the swing of it very efficiently.

As people finished their Shoe boxes we redeployed them over to gift corner to unpack and categorise the pile of incoming gift donations which hadn't yet been opened or sorted.

We definitely left the task feeling festive, but I must remember to bring Christmas TUNES for next week!

This week we returned to the Shoebox Project to help Christine wrap and pack Christmas parcels. The focus this time was on babies. As with all the other types of boxes there were some basic essentials and then room to fit in some treats and luxuries for the wee ones.

We all rolled up our sleeves and went about packing boxes from an excellent array of products. All the boxes were filled with various bath time and changing essentials, a Christmas card and a few treats; cuddly toys, dummies & teething toys, snuggly clothes and a few bits and bobs for the parents.

It has been fantastic to be able to help the Shoebox Project this year. I really hope that the boxes help to raise a smile on Christmas day in what has been a tough year for so many people. It really does bring home to me personally, just how privileged my life is.

We look forward to packing more present boxes in 2021.

Project Shoebox was one of our favourite festive tasks last year and it is brilliant that the pandemic and tier 2 restrictions have not de-railed this essential service. The volunteers collect unused and unwanted toiletries to pack as gift boxes for individuals and families who are in Oxfordshire domestic abuse refuges, homeless shelters, or who are refugees/asylum seekers. The aim is to recognise them as normal people who need a bit of kindness in a tough time, not victims or problems that need to be solved.

With masks firmly in place three Goodgymers spent a therapeutic hour listening to a lovely soundtrack of carols checking and packing boxes for women. Typical contents included the all-important 2020 items - hand sanitizer and a face mask, toiletries such as shower gel, toothpaste, sanitary towels and deodorant. We also selected some goodies which would raise a smile and act as a well-deserved treat - fluffy socks, face masks, cosmetics and sweets and chocolate.

Packing a box is like a very festive game of Tetris and all three of us have a new motto - "if it rattles you can fit more in".

Thank you to Rachel and Martha for their hard work and company.

Welcome to Grace and Leo Jay who joined us for the first time.. you are very welcome!

So 13 of us went to Pack more Christmas boxes for Project Shoebox!

the focus this time was for boys, teenage girls and men. We knew what we were doing this time so some speeeedy boxing up occured :).

Trev forced us to wear jingle bells, santa hats, beards and Chrismas jumpers.. which I personally feel added a lot to the run up to headington. We made a sleigh like sound as we passed by the houses of people trying to forget that Boris Johnson has stollen all of their Christmas cheer.. not yet we say.. NOT YET!! and as the full moon peaks as i type this there is an optimism that maybe, just maybe, this Christmas will be a GoodGym one!.. yes, yes it will!

Thanks to Rachael who organised a fab Christmas meal for us at the Oxford Blue!

We ate all manor of rich food, shrimps in a fancy butter, pots of turkey, home baked Pizza and Baklava.. I'll let people comment if they have more food info!! We had crackers, Trev tangled up the yoyo and got told off for threatening to use the Water pistol. Stu made an overdue and welcome return and we talked about dating and politics, amongst other things! There were about 2 cracker jokes which I wont repeat here.. (There is still time, the whatsapp group joke book is now...OPEN!).

Angus reminded people that we needed to vote tomorrow as we paid the bill.. and we all laughed because like no-one would forget that.. right?!..

Welcome our new runners Louise and Harry, great to have you along!!

14 joggers went to help pack shoeboxes, we cut and stuck, we used Christmas wrapping paper, and wrote Christmas cards.. it was all to give a vulnerable person a smile at Christmas. What a fab charity they are!

If you would like to organise a collection of items check the advice on the Project Shoebox Oxford website.

Streets and Star Jumps

Sarah showed us how to do real star jumps... none of this Jumping Jack millarky <3 Trev (who has been in hyper GG admin stress this week, including "why do portrait photos make the report look funny".. "what are the best GoodGym Cracker Jokes" and "does anyone actually care?!") got 4 x out and back courts, closes and places ticked off during the runs woop woop! #runeverystreet here we come! woop woop!

Watch out for our GG Shark!

We went to visit our newly named GoodGym Shark, which is a famous shark sticking out of the roof of someones house on New High Street! A few of us were mildly bitten by a mysterious fish when we were getting our photo taken on the street... echos of do doo d doo d doo.. were heard by many of the neighbours we interviews after the event.. Advise strongly suggests only to ever approach the shark again if you have a GoodGym T-shirt on, or at the very least a great reason why you don't have one on!!..