There’s something great about doing something on a Friday night after work, it extends the weekend and there’s something extra special about running to the Hilbre Islands off West Kirby in the River Dee estuary. Until about 3pm this particular Friday it had been overcast and drizzly but miraculously the sun came out for us for this run (and walk). April is lovely because you’ve shaken off the winter and those dark nights and you get your evenings back. There was a great group of Goodgymmers for this special run. Heetu and Liam drove joined by Steph, Ellie, Priyanka and her friend Aisha, Vikki, Miriam, Jess and her partner Jono. While the runners warmed up on the shore at West Kirby, Miriam and Ellie got a head start walking and made it past the little island before the runners set off. When the walkers reached the middle island, the runners caught up. The sunset was so beautiful. The runners ran all the way out to the old lifeboat post at the end of Hilbre Island. The walkers made it to Hilbre island and had a good nosy at the Nordic style properties, even waving at some residents through the window (probably unwelcome ha ha! Pesky visitors!) We all made our way back to the mainland at our own pace in the gorgeous last rays of the sun. Liam had been prepared and bought a towel for wet feet, others stewed in soggy socks until they could get home and showered. A lovely group run that cleared out the cobwebs and started the weekend right.

The mid April weather being what it is, our latest group run began with a mix of a rain deluge and sunshine at the Suitcases, which rewarded us with some beautiful rainbows before we even started. A nervous Liam stepped up to lead the run for the first time, leading Aatefa, Sallyann, Heetu, Steph, and Laura on a short but sweet run through the Georgian streets toward the Cathedral. It was a great way to warm up before the main event.

By the time we reached the gardens, the sun had come out fully as we were joined by the rest of the group. We were delighted to celebrate two big milestones: Aatefa completing her 10th task and Miriam reaching her 50th! To mark this milestone Bekah brought a box of chocolates for Miriam, which she kindly shared with the group. We’re all looking forward to seeing Miriam in her new black GG T-shirt soon!

After a helpful briefing from the Friends of St. James Gardens, we got straight to work in high spirits. Heetu and Sophie did a great job clearing litter to keep the space tidy, while Aatefa, Sallyann, Jess, Pri, and Ellie planted new flowers near the Parliament Street end. It’s always rewarding to add something lasting to the gardens and the new flowers will be a lovely addition for the gardens.

The rest of the team headed to the old towpaths at the back of the gardens, working together to clear branches and foliage from the walls. Some of the branches put up a fight but the team weren't accepting defeat and managed to clear a large section of the walls. This essential maintenance helps preserve the site's history, and the team made light work of it with plenty of chat and energy.

The time really flew by and before we knew it we were back at the Huskisson memorial in the centre of the gardens to wrap up the task under the shadow of the Cathedral. A special thanks from Liam to the rest of the group for making the task go so smoothly. It was really appreciated!

A huge thank you to everyone for your hard work and for making the session so enjoyable—we look forward to seeing you at the next one!

The clouds parted gently, as if persuaded rather than forced, and the sun found its way through once again. It was one of those rare, balanced days where light and air seem in perfect agreement. Nature was quietly doing what it has always done best: restoring order without asking for attention.

Across different lands and cultures, people marked this moment in their own ways. Easter, ancient and enduring, symbolises rebirth, the passage from darkness into light, the quiet return of life after stillness. Carried through generations, it echoes a familiar rhythm: hope, renewal, and the belief that no darkness is permanent. The egg, simple and unassuming, holds this meaning effortlessly, a fragile shell containing the promise of something new. Yet, while many celebrate renewal, the world continues to wrestle with itself. In too many places, the drums of war still beat, loud and relentless. It’s a strange contradiction: joy and suffering existing side by side, exactly as they always have. It was a bank holiday Monday, a day most people reserve for rest, comfort, and small pleasures. But when a green duty calls, rest becomes negotiable. The warriors of light, stubborn as ever, show up anyway. Not because it’s easy, but because it matters.

This time, the call came from Care4Calais. A warehouse filled with donated clothes waited to be sorted, organised, and prepared for those who need them most. Each item carried a quiet history, a life once lived, a story once known. Now, these clothes are meant for people who have left everything behind, stepping into uncertainty and crossing borders not out of choice, but necessity. They are hoping for safety, for dignity, for a moment to breathe. It’s impossible not to notice the stark contrast. In one part of the world, resources are squandered on conflict and division. In another, people rely on the kindness of strangers for the most basic needs. And still, despite everything, kindness refuses to disappear. People give what they can, passing on what they no longer need, not out of obligation, but from a shared understanding that we are, whether we admit it or not, inextricably connected. There’s something deeply humbling in that thought that the person now searching through these clothes may once have made them in a harsh, unseen workshop, or worn them in a life not so different from ours. The distance between giver and receiver is far smaller than we like to believe.

And so, GoodGym Liverpool answered the call once again.

I arrived at the Suitcases and found Heetu already there, ready as always. We checked the time, waited briefly, and then decided that standing still simply didn’t suit us. With about twenty minutes to spare, we turned waiting into movement. A few uphill and downhill runs between our meeting point and the task woke us up properly. Nearby, two women were sitting, and one of them spontaneously joined us for some stretching, a small, beautiful moment that showed how easily energy spreads when people see it in motion.

Soon after, Bekah arrived, followed by Tsitsi and Eleanor, and a bit later, Sallyann and Amina. The group slowly came together, conversations sparked, and the usual mix of familiarity and new connections formed in a matter of minutes. After a short wait, we headed towards the warehouse as a team.

We arrived to find the space already buzzing with motion with the fabulous Care4Calais volunteers. Simon, a man of quiet simplicity and humility, welcomed us. He briefed us with a calm, steady presence that set the perfect tone for everything that followed. Inside, the warehouse was alive with activity, volunteers, boxes, and piles of clothes filling every available corner.

With limited space, we adapted quickly. Six tables were set up along the entrance hallway, creating just enough room to work. The task was simple in theory: sort the clothes by gender, type, and category. In practice, it became a surprisingly lively exercise in interpretation. Discussions about whether something belonged to men or women, boys or girls, sparked laughter, and debate. Even in a room full of practical people, clothing categories can still cause mild philosophical crises. Still, the work moved forward with focus and rhythm. Hands stayed busy, conversations flowed, and time passed faster than expected. There is a distinct kind of energy that builds in these moments when everyone is aligned with the same purpose. No distractions, no egos—just pure, collective effort.

Before long, the chaotic piles became organised rows, and the chaos turned into structure. Everything was sorted, packed, and ready to be sent to where it was needed most.

We finished the way we usually do: a little physically tired but grounded in that quiet satisfaction that doesn’t need to be announced. It's the kind that comes from knowing your time has been used well. Because in the end, this is what it comes down to. It is the belief that even in a world that often feels divided, there are still people willing to show up for each other. It is the comfort of knowing that if any one of us falls into difficulty, somewhere, someone will reach out a hand and say, “You’re not alone. We’re in this together.”

At GoodGym, we try, in our own small way, to give meaning to our actions. We choose empathy over indifference, striving to add something good, however small, into a complicated world. Happy Spring. Happy Easter. May your days carry light, and may your lives remain green, growing, and full of quiet hope.

In keeping with the theme of last-minute tasks we seem to be experiencing in Liverpool this April, I spotted this mission to get some groceries for Ms K around 10am this morning and signed up for the 2pm slot for this afternoon. Due to Mission Controls super speedy responses, they were able to confirm with Ms K and then confirm with me, leaving me plenty of time to arrange my day and head over in the afternoon.

I arrived at Ms K's to check the list and confirm a few details. It's always tricky shopping for someone else - we all have our own preferences and "if they don't have this, get that" - but Ms K was easy to chat to about the different options, and I annotated the list as we discussed. She told me she'd originally wanted 2 x 2 litre cartons of milk, but had very considerately not wanted me to be laden down, so had just put 1 on the list. Fortunately I'd brought my rucksack to help me carry things (and I'm a Goodgymmer so a bit of a workout is part of the job) so I was able to exceed Ms K's expectations and get her the full 4 litres, ensuring she was suitably stocked up.

Ms K generally likes to do her shopping herself but is struggling with mobility after an injury, and she was very grateful for the help. Due to her clear instructions I was relieved to find the specified store had everything she was hoping for, and I delivered a fully checked off list along with the 3 bags of shopping.

Ms K was so pleased with the help and thanked me numerous times. It was an hour or so out of my day but had a big impact, demonstrating Ms K wasn't alone and there is support to get her through her injury until she's back up on her feet.

It was lovely to meet Ms K and I wish her well and a speedy recovery.

Five thousand, six hundred and thirty five good deeds

Five thousand-six hundred moments so dear

Five thousand, six hundred and thirty five good deeds

How do you measure, measure 8 years?

In daylights, in sunsets, in parkruns and breakfasts

In walking, in running, in laughter so rife

Five thousand, six hundred and thirty five good deeds

How do you measure eight years in our life.

How about Love

How about Love

Seasons of Love

Five thousand, six hundred and thirty five good deeds

Done by, three hundred-forty three volunteers hands

Seven Hundred and twelve times we helped a community

How do you measure eight years in GoodGym plans

In brushes, in litterpicks, in weeding and planting

In painting, in clearing, in cheering so rife

Five thousand, six hundred and thirty five good deeds

How do you measure eight years in our life.

How about Love

How about Love

Seasons of Love

(apologies Jonathan Larson)

Celebrating is something that comes second nature to a GoodGymer. Every week for eight years we’ve celebrated the amazing communities we get to work alongside and be inspired by. We’ve celebrated connecting with older people who may be a little isolated, hearing their stories and sharing a smile. We’ve celebrated running and walking together, and all our achievements and milestones along the way, big and small. And we’ve celebrated milestones in each other lives, weaving together our own stories as we dig, plant and weed. If there’s one thing you can say about a GoodGymer is that our group is full of people cheering each other on! Celebration is second nature.

And if we are ever lacking in energy, feeling a bit glum in this complicated world, we know that an hour or two working side by side with neighbours, communities, and projects in Liverpool will lift us up and remind us that Liverpool is a city full of love.

It’s no surprise that when it came to our 8th Birthday celebrations, that even people who couldn’t stay for the evening popped in to help Bekah and Heetu set up before heading to another commitment (lovely Clara) and that everyone coming mucked it for this GoodGym style DIY party.

We had use of the fabulous DoES Liverpool space arranged by our ever amazing Bekah (where would we be without the effort love and care of our Bekah!) and everyone brought food to share (including Bekah’s now famous sausage rolls!) and Liam provided the music (after a somewhat intense discussion about what playlist to choose - why 80’s/90’s bangers of course!) With party decorations a plenty the room soon filled with the buzz of joy just to be in each others company, and one of our favourite things we also got to meet new people as Aatefa brought two friends along as a means to pursue them to sign up (It was lovely to meet you Kate and Sadia) (If Aatefa has her way her whole class would be joining GoodGym!)

We talked about what our favorite tasks have been (seeing the sunsets from Everton Park always gets a mention here) and what we would like to do in the coming year.

And I managed to share some statistics from our 8 years together reminding people that each and every task has been an act of love in a world that often feels scary and isolating for so many of us. There is no greater achievement in this world than connection, creating community as an antidote to what ails us, and community as a radical act of love.

“Community is much more than belonging to something; it’s about doing something together that makes belonging matter”

In eight years (including the time spent in national lockdown) 343 GoodGymers have cumulatively completed 5’635 good deeds in Liverpool. This includes: 349 visits to people who are older and isolated, helping with the things that usually slip through the net of social services, and finding that the task is what brings us there, but the chat and the cuppa is what we always remember most.

712 Group Tasks, planting, clearing paths, painting rooms and fences, wrapping presents, cleaning walls, lopping trees, sorting clothes, weeding, brushing yards, shifting furniture, stewarding runs and festivals, and not to forget litterpicking! Often in the dark, sometimes in the rain, always in laughter.

8 years, 32 seasons of love Happy Birthday GoodGym Liverpool

This Saturday, a team of five volunteers from GoodGym came together at Princes Park to support Princes Parkrun, which was at risk of being cancelled. We quickly got into position, each taking on different roles to help the event run smoothly. I was at the front line, encouraging participants to keep moving forward, guiding them to stay in line, and motivating them with positive energy as they completed their run. Other team members supported by scanning barcodes, marshalling along the route, and helping runners who had issues with their QR codes by assisting them in accessing their Parkrun ID numbers. It was a fantastic experience being part of such a supportive and energetic environment. Despite being tired, runners shared smiles, waves, and thumbs-ups, which made the atmosphere even more rewarding. We all left feeling proud that we had helped make the event possible. Volunteering like this not only supports physical activity but also has a positive impact on mental wellbeing by creating a strong sense of community and encouragement.