Eleven GoodGymers met up this week for our group run, with 7 meeting at Edinburgh Street Food and 4 people making their own way to the task. This was our second visit to help Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links (FoMBL) and it was another great evening.

We've really enjoyed getting to know Neil, whose passion for maintaining the Meadows and encouraging a rich diversity of plant life is infectious. He was on hand again to kit us out with spades, forks, wheelbarrows and trowels and he briefed us on what needed done.

With three different tasks to do and enough of us to spread out, we split the group up with some tackling the heavy work of digging and spreading mulch around newly planted trees. This help to protect them and give them the best chance to thrive.

Others waged war on some stubborn thistles, hard work but it paid off with a huge bag filled up in a short space of time.

The final team got busy planting bulbs and managed to complete the fence line we targeted so that it will be brightening up the area with purple flowers next spring.

We were expecting a wet evening with the forecast, so it was a lovely surprise that the weather was kind and we ended up with a dry evening throughout.

It is a slightly longer distance run to Bruntsfield (3.5km each way) so it was expecially great to see a strong turnout, we made good time getting there and managed to get a huge amount done in a short space of time.

Thanks to Neil and the Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links for having us back. Hopefully we will be seeing you again soon for another great task.

Shout out to Laura and Raphael for coming along for your first sessions. It was lovely meeting you and hope to see you again soon.

Eight GoodGym runners gathered at Edinburgh Street Food for this week's group run. It was a slightly longer route today with plenty of uphill, bit shout out to everyone for managing 7.5km and getting so mulch done with our task too!

Our task partner this week was Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links (FoMBL) — a volunteer‑led organisation dedicated to protecting, maintaining, and improving one of Edinburgh’s most iconic green spaces. FoMBL works year‑round on projects that support biodiversity, preserve heritage features, improve access, and keep the Meadows and Links welcoming for everyone who uses them: runners, dog walkers, families, students, and wildlife.

We were glad to meet up with our task coordinator today, Neil from FoMBL (20 years volunteering with the group!) was ready and waiting for us, equipped with wheelbarrows, spades, forks, and a clear plan for the evening. With tools in hand, the group split into two groups:

Group 1 had their work cut shifting and spreading mulch around newly planted trees to protect their young roots and retain moisture. Group 2 got down and dirty picking weeds along the walking paths.

After an hour of graft we managed to make good progress. We had been able to clear whole sections of path from weeds and a whole enclosure of new trees was freshly mulched.

Why FoMBL Matters — and How to Get Involved

FoMBL is powered almost entirely by local volunteers who care about the long‑term health of the Meadows and Links. Their work includes planting, maintenance, heritage projects, litter picking, and advocating for the protection of these historic spaces. They have a regular meet up on Friday, you can find out more and get involved on their website:

Anyone can get involved by joining the charity, attending volunteer days, or supporting their campaigns. Their website includes details on membership, upcoming activities, and ways to contribute: https://www.fombl.org.uk/

A Strong Showing from GoodGym Edinburgh

This was one of our longest and most energetic group runs yet, and the effort showed. The combination of distance, hills, and physical volunteering made for a proper GoodGym workout — and Neil seemed pleased with how much we managed to get done.

GoodGym Edinburgh is off to a strong start. It's a simple concept - meet, run, help, connect, repeat. It's great to see our little community starting to get established after only 3 weeks!

Shout out to Holly and Rory for their first runs, both made big contributions tonight.

Also shout out to Katie for becoming the first member of GoodGym Edinburgh to take on the Taskforce volunteer role!