After weeks of planning, Goodgym finally went off on our weekend adventure to the Isle of Man! After a dramatic ferry ride over, we got to know each other, tackle the hilly Noble park parkrun, meet the locals, hike up the famous Snaefell Hill and be in awe of the view, see the stars and coastline by moonlight, tour a tall ship and explore Manx history at the Manx museum all before heading back on the ferry exhausted but buzzing from the experience. Thank you everyone who helped to organise the trip, especially Amina, Heetu and Liam!

Heetu Well the weekend started off a little crazy… with last minute logistics arrangements to include one more, Deekay, with help from everyone-so thank you all! Sally Ann forgot lots of bits and went running back for them all but did come back to the ferry thank goodness! Then Amina was at the wrong ferry terminal with 5 mins to go and our hearts all stopped until she made it into the boat! After that it was all plain sailing as we came together as an effective goodgyming team and made the whole weekend just work with no other major hiccups… we did a parkrun with a goodgym breakfast to make parkrun friends, caught an electric tram, climbed the highest mountain, experienced the TT road curves with no speed limits, ate loads, stargazed while traversing a coastal path and finally a museum. Had an amazing weekend with some extraordinary lovely people that was the best bit!

Amina Favourite moment for me was the team bonding activity and getting to know each other. Another thing I enjoyed was the park run. The course seems fairly ok and along the way I chatted with another runner and we encouraged each other to the finish line. The most memorable moment for me was seeing the relief on your faces when I eventually made it to the ferry. I had already resigned myself to my fate but luckily I made it. Defo, spending time together with the group is another favourite part. Another good thing I enjoyed was the Airbnb - it was centrally located and well equipped. I was a bit nervous with the hike because of it's steepness but encouragement from Steph kept me going to the top. It was also interesting how much we could pack in to such a short time.

Steph We chose a lovely sunny weekend for our trip which allowed us to fully enjoy the ferry ride and the sunset as we approached the Isle of Man. Special mention to the large number of wind turbines on the ferry’s route.

I’m a big fan…

It was so lovely to spend time with my fellow goodgymers to chat and get to know everyone better. Me and Amina got very lucky with all of our timings, allowing us to do everything we planned and more. Next time I’ll make sure I can stay for the whole time.

Miriam This trip was full of highlights it was such an incredible trip. One stand out for me was getting the electric train up to Laxey from Douglas. I heard about a study in Sweden where dementia patients were put into a made up setting of their youth, like a whole village street constructed to look like the mid 20th century. It really helped the patients to function. Well, in a completely positive way, that’s how the various modes of transport we encountered on the Isle of Man felt to me. A steam train, a horse drawn tram, an electric railway. All the original features on the wagon were beautifully maintained. The upholstery on the train could’ve been from the 1960s but it had clearly been recently reupholstered as there was no signs of wear. The wooden interior, the sliding doors. There were smells, sounds and sights that took me back to my own childhood in the 1980s when there were relics like the old wooden district line and slam door British Rail rolling stock still in use. The Isle of Man is comforting in its mix of old and new.

My second highlight that was also a confrontation of history was seeing the abandoned mines on our walk. Looking at how the slag heap had poured over the derelict building ruins, it was so haunting.

Then in the museum the next day we saw a painting of how it looked in the 1960s. The Isle of Man is rich in visible history.

Ellie I'll never forget the friendliness of the locals. But after meeting several locals who had stared at us in bewilderment when we said we were hiking the 5 miles up Snaefell, we set off on our hike thinking what fools they were for not enjoying the glorious sunshine and Manx countryside. We passed idyllic houses we wanted to live in, the famous Lady Isabella waterwheel (the biggest in the world), cute new born lambs and so many spring flowers! But we were soon eating our words when we found out just how brutal this climb was as we clambered up steep grassy slopes and dodged bogs all the way to the summit. I have to give an extra shout out to Miriam who persevered despite her fear of heights and Heetu who conquered the hill despite her sore knees. Three hours later, we finally emerged onto the top of Snaefell sweaty and panting (at least in my case). But the views over the seven kingdoms were incredible and we soon forgot our pain.

Another moment I won't forget in a hurry is how well Goodgymers can lie in Amina's 'Two Truths, One Lie' game. While these truths shall stay with the group, we learnt Miriam had not had a film nominated for an Oscar (which was quite unbelievable of course), Steph had not played darts with Ozzy Osborne (turns her dad did though!) and I had not been caught in a shipwreck. Sorry for deceiving you all!

Dike The dip in the pond was especially meaningful for me. It was my first time swimming in a body of water since moving to the UK nearly five years ago. What made it even more special was how it happened, right in the middle of a hike, surrounded by friends, chatting, enjoying the sunny weather, and then came across this fresh pool of spring water flowing down the mountain. Without overthinking it, I immersed myself in it. It’s hard to fully describe how I felt in that moment, definitely felt refreshed and also my Goodgym friends who captured it on camera. Unplanned, it cooled me down from the scorching sun and nothing went wrong. I wouldn’t have envisaged a hiking experience like this.

In the evening we ended up walking over three miles along the coast, beside steep cliffs and a beautiful shoreline, with laughter, conversation, and the night sky above us. It’s not something I would have ever imagined myself doing, but it turned out to be an incredible experience were I learnt a lot of new things in our cosmos amidst banter and laughter. I’d happily do it all over again.

The visit to the museum brought everything together, the places we had visited, the people we had met, the electronic train ride, hike to Snaefell, the mine, the lost Manx language and the drivers/bikers we saw revving their cars/bikes. It was the last activity and my best. The Digital elevation models in the museum put the areas we had visited in perspective. The short film helped in understanding the artefacts on display. I was particularly fascinated by the documented decline of the Manx language, having to listen to the recorded voices of people speaking Manx was the icing on the cake.

Liam As the sun dipped and moon rose over the Irish Sea, we headed out for a night walk along a rugged old coast road. The Irish Sea was unnervingly still and it looked pretty eerie shimmering under the moonlight. Away from the town lights and the boy racers, the cliffs felt massive and silent, with only the occasional splash of a tiny wave against the rocks to keep us company. The sky was pretty clear with only a bit of cloud cover. We managed to spot Vega and Arcurus shining brightly, as well as Jupiter and Venus. Everyone arrived back at the house really happy but very tired after a long day outdoors.

Sallyann At Noble parkrun we learned “Traa dy liooar” — “time enough.” Which sounds lovely… until you’ve been stargazing, it’s nearly midnight, and Miriam’s 5-month Norwegian Duolingo streak is hanging by a thread Made it back with minutes to spare. Lesson done. Streak saved. Crisis averted. Time enough… just.

Liverpool put on a lovely clear night for my last task with Good Gym Liverpool. I met Liam, Aatefa, Sophie and Steph at the suitcases. Steph, who is in the midst of half marathon training, was even mid long run. We cannot wait to hear how the race goes!

We enjoyed a lovely nearly 2km run to Princes park to meet the rest of the group. We were so impressed to see Dike who did not let running back to back marathons put him off joining the regular Monday night task! Well done Dike! 👏

Before we got started, Bekah said a lovely goodbye and I was given some very generous gifts from the team. I may have shed a few tears and had many bittersweet goodbye hugs.

Katy and Liz then gave us the briefing. Our goal was to revitalize a very muddy and slightly overgrown area of path near to the island. Armed with wheelbarrows, shovels and loppers, we headed down to get stuck in to the task, in true Good Gym form. Highlights included debating the difference between a shovel and a spade and seeing a frog! By the end of the hour we had cleared a whole lot of mud from the path and filled this in with overgrowth that others had cleared from nearby.

At the end of the task, some walked and some ran back to the suitcases where after a quick stretch, we headed to the pub. What followed was a lovely time catching up and chatting about how lovely it is to be a part of Good Gym Liverpool!

Thanks again to everyone for being a part of my journey and for the excellent send off!

It was March 23rd, 2026 — four days into spring. Just as the sun began to set across the Mersey, six GoodGymers assembled at the "Suitcases" on Hope Street. Dressed in their running gear and ready for action, the group prepared to jog to the Urbanscape community garden on Mulgrave Street to tackle the task of the week.

Run leader Sophie McClellan assembled the runners into a small circle for introductions. The team consisted of Liam, Heetu, Sophia, Sevan, and Dike, with a plan to do a more formal introduction once they reached the venue. After Sophie led the group through a quick warm-up and stretching session, the lively crew set off toward Mulgrave Street. They ran at a comfortable "chatting pace," paired off in twos: Liam with Sophie, Dike with Heetu, and Sevan with Sophia. The smooth journey had a lovely surprise when the team ran into Leo, another GoodGymer on his way to the task. The group slowed down for a quick exchange of greetings before Leo joined the ranks, and they all headed for the garden together.

By the time they arrived, dusk had fallen. Headlights flickered on, and Leo provided extra lamps to keep the workspace bright and the spirits high. While awaiting the arrival of the final members, some chatted while others explored the garden. Heetu expressed a playful concern that the task might end too quickly — she joked that ten GoodGymers could easily devour the work of planting ten plants in under 30 minutes, so they might have to plant them extra slowly!

Once the team was complete, they were joined by the task owner, Khan Odita, along with Bekah, Naser, and Claire. It was a night of milestones: it was Sophia’s very first task, while Sevan — visiting all the way from Ealing — was incredibly marking his 1,281st GoodGym task. Khan shared a brief history of the community garden before dividing the team. Some helped Khan gather the plants, others retrieved tools from the shed, and Sophie got a head start on some litter picking.

Before the tools hit the dirt, the group received a brief demonstration. The instructions were clear: dig a hole slightly deeper and wider than the plant's root ball, place the plant, and backfill with the original soil. As the work began, the garden transformed into a busy construction site. Khan moved between the planters, placing the plants in their designated spots while goodgymers did the digging and planting. Heetu was assigned to weeding the planters, a perfect fit, as she had earlier claimed that her favorite garden activity was "to destroy!"

One of the night's biggest challenges involved moving a massive planter from the fence to the pavement. Khan called for a team of four to handle the weight. It was an arduous lift, but thanks to some clever ingenuity and the combined strength of Naser, Leo, Sevan, and Dike, the planter was successfully transferred to its new position.

Elsewhere, the work was just as intense. For anyone who had underestimated the job, the reality of digging foot-deep holes through rocky, hard soil proved it was no easy feat. Bekah, acting as an astute project manager, coordinated the site to ensure every plant found its home and no tool was left idle.

As the session drew to a close, the team moved into the "tidy-up" phase. Sevan began the watering, Liam swept the paved areas, and others gathered plastic containers for recycling. Just as Khan was giving his vote of thanks, Naser positioned his phone for a group picture, nudged Dike to write the report and surprised everyone by producing a collection of bulbs he had brought along. The team immediately found spots for them, adding one last touch of magic to the garden.

Bekah announced the upcoming GoodGym birthday party and Sunday task, the team dispersed with dirty hands and fulfilled hearts. They left hoping to return by the end of April to see their hard work basking in the full bloom of the spring season.

It’s Not All About the Stickers!

It’s month three of 2026, and our enthusiasm for stickers has not waned—but our monthly parkrun meet-up has always been about so much more.

On this bright spring day, eight GoodGymmers arrived at Princes Park. It was Princes parkrun 15th birthday and the week of Goodgym Liverpool's 8th birthday so plenty to celebrate.

As we gathered at the start line, it was immediately obvious the massive difference Monday’s task had made. It’s a well-attended parkrun, and as overhanging bushes and mud had encroached, there had been less and less space for everyone to gather. Today, the pavements were visible again, the space freed up, and the vegetation looking decidedly healthier after a good prune.

GoodGym got a shout-out at the briefing for the work that had been done, and marshals were calling out their thanks as we made our way around the course. It’s so lovely to reap the benefits ourselves and see just how much it has helped everyone. Kudos to Steph for making the connection with the Friends of Princes Park last month.

The route is two and a half laps. Aatefa flew round as always and despite not being able to come to breakfast ensured that we got the group photos

Huge congratulations Steph on a PB! Steph has been training consistently, and it’s really paying off. With a half marathon on the horizon, she’s more than ready.

Talking of training, Liam is going to do the Run Leader training, which we’re all really pleased about. In true Liam fashion, he arrived after the runners had already started—but still ran strong, overtaking people along the way. Apparently when he passed me, I was chatting (as if!).

Clara continues to inspire —speed-walking the course before launching into a lightning-fast 100m sprint finish. Bekah joined her today and reported she had to skip at times just to keep up… and that final sprint? Phenomenal. And that’s coming from Bekah, who is known for her fast walking—so ............!

Well done to Suren who completed his parkrun beforehand by running across the city from home to the park to cheer everyone on and come for breakfast.

As we gathered for photos, I spotted a GoodGym t-shirt—it was Alex from Hackney/Walthamstow! After a chat (and me delaying her, naturally - have you met our Dan who moved to London? Will you be in our photos? will you come for breakfast?), we had the obligatory photo before she rushed off later than she expected to meet her friends. Lovely to meet you, Alex.

Jo—our parkrun legend with 408 runs and 345 volunteer credits—saved the day when Bekah realised she’d left her bag behind. Jo contacted the team, located it, and arranged for it to be kept safe. Absolute star.

Then it was on to Minna Café, where Eleanor and Steph were waiting with Heetu —who we’ve all missed while she’s been working away. She only got home last night, and yayyy we are so happy to see her back!

Minna was busy as ever, but Ellie had somehow secured a table for ten… and as if by magic, our surprise tenth Goodgymmer arrived—Dike! After a night shift and a short rest, he still made it to join us. Incredible effort.

And huge congratulations to Dike for a phenomenal result at the Liverpool Half Marathon—1 hour 47 minutes! With the Brighton Marathon coming up in April, which he is running to raise funds for Sense we know he’s going to smash it.

So… back to the stickers.

Steph, as always on the ball, handed them out. Liam is already aiming for a full card and was asking if that earns him a holiday in Barbados! As Ellie reminded us, the prizes and categories are top secret—but just in case, don’t go applying for that passport yet…

We meet. We fill our sticker cards. We look for ways to earn more and try to guess the secret categories.

But the truth is—we’ve already won the biggest prize.

A community where each of us is seen, supported, and respected. A space where we come together in unity and friendship. A shared desire to do good, and to give our time to help and support.

We are Liverpool GoodGym.