The nature of Leagrave park was getting set for spring, with the irises peeping up in the marshy areas, blossom on the trees and ducks checking out nesting spots. So, it was the last chance to get out there with the litterpickers and stash the trash in our bags before it all gets hidden under a new leafy green blanket.

24 bags, plus a trolley and two bike tyres, were the total haul of the team today, leaving the river, the hedgerows, the paths and fields of the park bright and clear of unsightly rubbish and ready for a spring with hopefully similarly bright and clear weather for a change!

It might have also been a certain Area Activators 500th good deed! Plenty of cake was harmed in the making of this good deed 😄

The last Saturday in January saw 5 Goodgymers team up with Kevin from ABCD-IN-LUTON and Friends of Leagrave Park to tackle yhe first community litterpick of the new year. We accumulated 20 bags of rubbish and got a glimpse of a beautiful King fisher on the banks of the river Lea. Well done to all that took part.

We teamed up with some of the residents of Drunraven Avenue, Kevin from ABCD Luton and Sam from the Parks team to install a new hedge in a small park along the fence line of some houses to improve their privacy and security.

A swift spurt of spades sliced slots in the soil for the saplings. 🌱 Canes were added, protective spirals too and finally a splash of wood chip to help the hawthorns get established.

Last job of the day, a nice cup of tea in the sunshine ☕ ☀️

This week we welcomed Karwan and Lee to their first GoodGym session before we ran across town to the Luton Airport Parkway train station. It was a rainy night but the running kept us warm on our outward journey to the station. In the woods opposite the car park there was a large collection of litter and dumped clothes that Gill had spotted on her runs through the area.

We arrived on-site to meet Kevin from ABCD Luton, get kitted out with hoops and pickers and ventured into the woods where a handy shopping trolley because our shuttle for heavy bags and bulky items to the collection pile.

With a large team the large mess was sorted out really quickly, we made a huge pile for collection by the council and then set off for the second half of our run, back to the Galaxy for a cool down stretch.

Today letter pick went well.we worked together to clean up the area . It was encouraging to see how much of a difference a small group can make in a short amount of time. People passing by were positive and appreciative, which made the effort feel even more worthwhile. Overall, it was a productive and rewarding session, and we’re proud of what we achieved together.

On Sunday morning I joined the local residents for their first litter pick of the year in the area. A lot of the litter was at its worse around the riverbank edges which required some precarious balancing to as not to topple in and become part of the problem!