Sunshine made for a relaxed start to the Group (Run) Walk with everyone opting for the slower pace to Brunswick Cemetery with lits of chat and excitement provided by two swans nearing each other with Frances adding jeopardy with a running commentary of "friends or enemies" - turned out they were lovely friends.

Jo and Di from the friends group were there to meet us and we decided on giving our attention to a path that we'd (pun alert) not tidied for a while. High, low and everything in between was targeted by enthusiastic GoodGymmers, except Darren who wasn't up in the enthusiasm stakes.

Richard G, Richard B and Frances specialised in bindweed gathering (did you know it can be used as a diuretic?) then shrub shaping, Julie did an amazing job at tidying everyone's cuttings and weeds whilst Freya showed her completer/finisher side by continuing her previous work on paving weeding and edge tidying.

The huge pile of green waste from the previous day's Friends session with a GG Community Mission was even bigger by the tine we set off for Eats and discussions about the upcoming Board Games Night with Frances whetting our appetite with a recommendation of a Chinese Whispers meet Pictionary mash-up where velociraptor Jesus became spatchcocked giraffe, obviously.

All good fun, and more to come next week.

The planned task may have been postponed but thats not going to stop GoodGym Bristol from helping out somewhere in the community.

Off to Brunswick it was with the sky looking like it was going to rain, as it had on and off all day and humidity high. The walkers were glad to be walking!

We're going to be at Brunswick next week, too, but this was a great opportunity to get stuck in with the grounder a bit damper and perfect for getting peaky weeds out of the spiral path as well as cutting back Jerusalem Sage that has flowered and is getting ready to spread seeds to create EVEN MORE of the lovely plant that spreads weed-like in the Cemetery.

The chopping was taken to a whole new level with the skilled removal of the shrub threatening the trellis, and some quick appreciation of the mural visible from the corner of the park before we headed back to Workout for more chat and drinks.

Same again next week?

On a perfect evening we gathered like excitable meerkats outside Workout. The chief meerkat briefed us on our mission this evening and we headed off.

A return visit to Hebron Burial Ground, this time to work on clearing back the brambles to the fence. The usual eclectic mix of topics were discussed this evening. The most controversial perhaps being whether Edward Scissorhands is misnamed as he actually has knives for hands? Edward Knifehands sounds a bit too sinister maybe? Whatever, he would have been quite useful this evening in our topiary mission. We are in prime bush snacking season at the moment so we nibbled on the berries to keep us energised while we snipped away. In a New York 40ish minutes we downed tools and headed back with only a few battle wounds to nurse.

A special mention to Paul who delivered leaflets in Easton this evening. Well done 🙂

Until next time…

Beating the impending heatwave (number 3 of 2025), we gathered in the shade at Workout (except Roddy who was determined to stand in the evening sun) and set off in two group - the runners with Richard now as a fully-fledged Fitness Leader (taking charge of the requisite First Aid Kit) and the walkers where no-one's really in charge and conversations are many and varied.

We had a plan, we knew we were preparing table cloths and decorations for the Festive Friends lunch on Friday, and watering the planters that were very dry. Except none of the decorations material shad been left out, so we kept ourselves busy with watering and weeding the edges of the building and front/side walls so he outside would look lovely for the Festive Friends. At least there wasn't a big pile of bunting to untangle!

There are planters of herbs and many fruits - a fig tree that's looking amazing (note to self - ensure we have a visit in 5 or 6 weeks' time when they should be ripening nicely), raspberries, gooseberries and wineberries where scientific sampling was carried out.

Then the Top Excitement of the evening overshadowed all other finding, conversations and puns as a little hedgehog was spotted and we ensured it found a quiet, shady spot to curl up. I say ensured, when we went back to check it had found itself a good temporary spot, but we're happy to take the credit as we COULD have helped if it had been needed.

We discussed a fitness session as the foot/cycle bridge is quite high, steps and slopes so lends itself, if only there'd not been an impending heatwave, and the pollution levels from the motorway below are possibly not ideal...

Soon we were climbing and descending the bridge just the once on our way back to Workout where it was the perfect evening for sitting out on the terrace.

Fantastic GoodGymming, Bristol!

To loaf or not to loaf? A dry morning greeted us as we met at Alpha bottle shop to meet the BS3 community led my Ian. Equipped with our picks, gloves, high vis vests and bags we cleared lotyer around an area near the green verges around the new student complexes. Then we loafed at the idea of coffee as the rain set in. A great morning and cleaner streets for all 👍🌟