Capitalising on a sunny Saturday, 7 Goodgymers ventured to Oxford City Farm. Originally, we were set to help at their Autumn Festival, however, due to the heavy rain over the last couple of weeks this had to be postponed. Instead, we helped the clearup effort. Our first task was weeding under the apple trees and the beds of leeks. Weeds pulled and conversations had across many topics we enjoyed a cuppa and homemade flapjack with the other volunteers.

Our final task saw us clearing a path and area behind the kitchen in the hope that it can be used for future visitors to the farm for activities. Jobs done, we made sure to pick up some produce from the farm, jellies and preservatives were the order of the day. As it was Matt B's last Goodgym task in Oxford we hotfooted it the Jolly Postboys for crisps and a refreshing beverage.

Last night was all about BOG creation on Aston's Eyot, with bonus tasks of scything and pond sculpting to keep us all happily occupied. (Make a bog, get 2 tasks free.) The Friends of Aston's Eyot are very proactive about habitat creation across the nature reserve. We've previously helped dig ponds, make boggy patches and built hibernaculums (hibernaculi?) in other areas of the Eyot. This time the pond and bog areas had already been dug by a digger - somewhat more efficient than by hand! - just leaving some finishing touches to be made by volunteers. The bog area had been lined already, just leaving the task of filling the soil back in on top. Luckily Trev and Henry had wellies on, which made wading around in swampy mud a lot easier for them, while the rest of the group shovelled and ferried soil from heap to bog. Our scythers, Axelle and Venetia cleared the nettles from the perimeter of the bog very efficiently, while the rest of us got artistic, sculpting/reprofiling the sides of the recently dug pond so that it has a shallow slope instead of a cliff edge into the water - better for frogs and other critters to get in and out.

Despite being up against the failing light we made good progress on all tasks. Great work team!

Welcome to GoodGym Kate and Jamie.