Tonight we returned to Park Grove to give the willow its annual haircut.

We welcomed newcomers Leticia, Matt and David to their first group sessions then headed through town to the school.

When we arrived we split into three teams - loppers, runners and weavers. Within no time the willow was cut down and transported to the dome, where the team added to the structure.

We then finished off with heart shaped strava art fitness for York Cares. The heart shapes were questionable but we spread lots of love and were rewarded with a chocolate heart.

We then headed back to base to round off another fun Monday evening.

Turns out that we still can't get enough of doing good, even after an epic January challenge. So after laying the foundations for the raised planters earlier in the year we returned to make a start on building the wall that will hold in all the soil.

Ian from the Groves gave us a quick lesson in bricklaying, then it was over to us (albeit heavily supervised) to have a go using our new skills

James and Arthur made a great team on one side, whilst Babs, Nick and Vicky tackled the other. In the meantime, Amy and Ed were kept busy making sure that Fergie didn't leave too many paw prints in the cement

We were soon up and running and making excellent progress, managing to lay the bottom layer of bricks of two planters. We all looked very confident in our use of the various tools and only needed the occasional helping hand to make sure we were level and not going too far wrong

To be honest, we probably could have carried on all afternoon as we were enjoying it so much. But time wasn't on our side, so we called it a day after getting a quick group photo next to our "walls"

As part of GoodGym's mega weekend away in the Lakes, we all volunteered at Patterdale Village School. They needed a lot of work completed to make the school tidy for the pupils.

The initial task was actually getting there. There were multiple splinter groups where some people ran whilst some people (including myself) hiked. We loved the scenery of the Lake District so much we decidede to take a scenic route and get to the task half an hour late. I did not hear of other stories from the runners, but I assume they were more punctual!

After that initial hurdle, we all got stuck in. There were so many tasks to complete, including:

1. Clearing out a greenhouse of old dead vegetation and giving it a good clean.
2. Digging up large amounts of weed and soil around a climbing frame, and throwing the debris into a drainage ditch (lots of fun!)
3. Adding new meshing and wiring to the border fence (very proffessionally done!)
4. Cleaning out a bug hotel
5. Cleaning out a chicken coop
6. Lopping trees of various sizes. Some of the branches were massive and required 4 of us to move!
7. Clearing the car park of moss and debris.

Despite the fact there was so many of us (more volunteers than students), we were all busy and got to work.

See this mess I'm making, you need to clean it up - Rich

After 2 hours of solid graft, cake and a chin up competition (which Paul absolutely won!) we were left with a clean and tidy school and very happy staff. We definitely earned our trip to the pub after.

report courtesy of Matt Hobby

Let's face it, January is rubbish! The nights are long, the Christmas and New Year hangover has truly set in and spring still feels like the light at the end of a very long tunnel. So what better way to turn that frown upside down and spend a weekend with the good gymmers in the lake district.

And if you think you're not a fan of January, well... the weather gods are just as peeved. With Storm Eowyn sent to smite the north of England, the weekend started with a series of closed roads, fallen trees and landslides. But, undeterred, with the mountains calling and tasks to be completed, a pioneering team set off across the pennines early on Friday. Relaying messages as to the great peril that lay ahead, they provided safe passage for the goodgym pilgrims who followed later.

Home for the weekend was Glenridding YHA. This remote hostel, nestled amongst the old lead mine ruins of yesteryear, conjures up feelings of a dwarfish middle earth. And like Hobbits to the shire, the goodgymmers feasted on home made chillis as late arrivals continued bursting through the door to much laughter and joy. None less so than during the Goodgym Treasure hunt, derived by Abigail who sadly couldn't make it at the last minute. Making full use of the YHA, it was a good thing we had exclusive use of the building

Saturday dawned with some folks disappearing off to Penrith Parkrun as volunteers, Pacers and participants, whilst others remained in the mountains to watch the sun rise or go for a fell run. Snow levels at 650m and some remaining strong wind meant changing plans to accommodate the conditions. But with stunning views of Ullswater amongst the snow covered corries above, it was well worth it. Returning to the YHA from the buzz of parkrun and fell runs alike, a full breakfast was prepared and devoured by all. Cooked eggs, bacon, veggie and meat sausages, hash browns, mushrooms, beans, tomatoes - you know, the full works organised with the usual military goodgym precision.

Sated and ready for action the team descended upon Patterdale school. Such an idyllic place for little people to learn with wild gardens on the edge of the lake. Of course, even wild gardens can get too wild and the school team had a big list of tasks pruning the hedges, clearing the flower beds, tidying the field edges and prepping the dead wood hedgerow. What would have taken the school team weeks, if not months, was polished off in mere hours - they were so happy! A warm feeling, knowing that we'd made someone's life easier and brightened up a spot of the local community, meant a well deserved stop at the Ullswater Inn, before heading back to the YHA. ... and then, of course via the Travellers Rest. Well, we were travelling and fancied a rest. It would have been silly not to stop for another beer!

Finally returning back to the YHA to a smorgasboard of curry dishes that folks had prepared at home and brought along to share. There's a recurring theme here, have you noticed? Big spice, little spice and everything in between made for a super tasty supper followed by a game of pass the parcel. Now, you may think you know how to play pass the parcel... but you've never played Goodgym pass the parcel. Everyone brings a parcel, an old unwanted gift or something, and everyone takes home a parcel. Everyone is a winner! However, with some exchanges forced by the gamesmaster and others voluntarily engaged in, there's no telling whether you'll go home with Aunt Ethel's old stockings, or a golden ticket to Willy Wonker's chocolate factory. Nevertheless, Mitch seemed genuinely excited by his grabbing a copy of Cheryl Cole's biography - who gave that away!?!?

And Sunday dawned with another fantastic breakfast, consisting of more bangers than a second hand car show (leftovers making a perfect treat for James dog when he returns home). Task number 2 involved another school trip, this time to Chapel Stile in Langdale. Once again, the team set about helping to clear up the school grounds and build deadwood hedgerows. But this task had a special treat - fresh pizza cooked on the school's wood fired oven.

... and just as the weather took another turn, the team packed up and started heading back to York. Well fed, well rested and with a warm glow inside from having helped out some local communities. Maybe January isn't that bad after all!

Tonight we started our group run by welcoming Alacia then naming and numbering off. In honour of the Boston tea party, we stayed which British institutions we’d chuck into the sea!

Pete led a small walking group, whilst Ed led the rest back to Park Grove for a second indoor wrapping task. This time we were wrapping water bottles and prizes given for the most speedy wrapper and the neatest.

We soon made our way through 250 bottles, counted them into bags and cleared away for our Christmas edition of pass the parcel fitness. Each layer unwrapped a treat and a fitness task. Mainly for Vicky’s entertainment, everyone embraced walking like Santa and turkeys and passing a smile, as well as some more traditional exercises like press ups and lunges. Sadly we ran out of time for musical statues of pain - we’ll save that for January!

Time soon flew so the gang headed back to base one last time in 2024.

Hope to see lots of you on Friday at the Christmas party! If not, happy Christmas!