St Pauls Learning Centre Community Garden

A community garden
We use the garden to run weekly therapeutic horticulture sessions open to refugees and asylum seekers.

20 GoodGymers have supported St Pauls Learning Centre Community Garden with 2 tasks.


Top supporters
Melanie Young
Melanie Young (she/her)
Bristol runner
Bristol runner

Previous sessions
BristolGroup run
+8
Ed NewmanVineet PandeyLaurieRemoved UserNeil AllanachVicky

Being of-fense-ive

Tuesday 18th July 2023

Written by Melanie Young (she/her)

A second trip to St Paul's Community Learning Centre to the out-of-control but not-so-out-of-control-anymore garden. It wasn't too hot, nor too cold and it wasn't raining, at least at the beginning...

It was great to be joined by Vineet for the first time, who set off with not-seen-for-ages Neil in Vaguely Northern Darren's running group whilst the walkers sped along behind them.

We were soon behind the big fence and chopping, digging and clearing weeds from the area previously cleared and some more either side. More forks were out and about with a couple of nameless GoodGymmers being stronger than they knew, or the weeds being tougher than we thought.

Six-legged friends were made and kept safe, released into areas we weren't tackling, and obviously two-legged friends were made, too.

The compost heap was soon being stacked higher and higher and the ground was looking browner and tidier. And it takes more than a bit of summer rain to put us off!

Sasha was once again impressed by the amount of progress whilst she focussed on weeding the cultivated side of the garden, sensibly not letting GoodGymmers anywhere near the plants she wanted to stay in the ground.

Some great teamwork on the big brutish weeds and they were chopped and tidied, the paths were swept and the team stopped for a quick photo before heading back at varying speeds to Queen Square and Workout - another top evening and warm enough to sit outside.

Shall we do it all again next week?

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BristolGroup run
+6
Jason Thorne
Paul Becker

Once you pop(py) you must stop

Tuesday 20th June 2023

Written by Melanie Young (she/her)

It was a new adventure for GoodGym Bristol tonight with the opportunity to fulfill a short-notice request from St Paul's Learning Centre who are trying to bring their garden under control for a new project.

It was a forest when the runners but progress was already being made when the walkers arrived just a few minutes later. We could soon see the poppies we needed to save and were very clear to stop once we popp(i)ed.

Forks and brute force were the order of the day with a fantastic team effort to clear as much as we could. The walkers voted to stay and only leave when the runners were setting off just to get some extra time on the task.

The tiny compost heap was soon the height of the fence as GoodGymmers queued to add to the mound whilst other specialised in digging, chopping or pulling. One of the weeds removed was, according to Vaguely Northern Darren, at least six foot as it was as long as him lying next to it. No one mention Darren's actually 5 foot 7 as he was the tallest in his family until his son overtook him - so he's officially Tall.

Dave won the prize for the longest root still attached to a removed plant, though you may not be able to recognise him under said plant.

Caroline won the prize for having the most sticky bud seeds attached to her with Frances in second.

Sasha was totally amazed at the progress and is already looking at a return visit to continue the clearance and prepare the ground for planting.

In unsurprising news, the runners beat the walkers back to Queen Square and then workout with more chatting whilst the sky darkened and the summer downpour came - I hope you didn't get too wet on the way home!

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