Stockport’s creative future is looking brighter — literally! Tonight, five GoodGymers rolled up their sleeves (and maybe a few paint-splattered cuffs) to help transform Grit Studios’ newest space, recently acquired from Stockport Council, into a welcoming hub for community art projects.

Armed with rollers, brushes, and boundless enthusiasm, the team brought fresh white colour and energy to the walls, turning a once-empty building into a space brimming with possibility.

Between brush strokes, ideas flowed for exhibitions, workshops, and creative collaborations that will soon fill the rooms.

This new home will be a place where artists, residents, and curious visitors can come together to make, share, and celebrate art in all its forms.

Grit Studios is hugely grateful to the volunteers whose hard work has painted the first strokes in this exciting new chapter for Stockport’s creative community.

Tonight, six dedicated GoodGymers came together for a successful session of Balsam Bashing in Happy Valley.

Armed with gloves, determination, and a shared love for nature, the group spent over an hour clearing the invasive Himalayan Balsam from the area.

This fast-growing plant, known for outcompeting native species, was carefully removed by hand to help restore balance to the local ecosystem. We worked efficiently and with great spirit, managing to clear a significant section of the valley.

It was great to welcome Jonny for his first GoodGym task and welcome Jamie who's recently relocated from GoodGym Cardiff.

What a time it's been, the past FIVE years have flown by in a haze of volunteering, fun and great NEW friends. By taking part in goodgym we are given the opportunity to get active, do good, meet new people and see the good side of our community through the groups that we engage with.

We started our week of celebrations with a party in the park on Saturday, games, food and of course goodgym FUN. Now, for the actual group activity which we always have on a Tuesday here in Cardiff.

Tonight, we were helping out again with our friends at Cwtch Together to clear their outside area ready to be used for the Jubilee Garden Party. We had slabs to move, a BBQ to move, weeds and rubbish to bag up ready to go, and a Mud Kitchen to build - what a workout we can have in store.

18 of the crew turned up tonight, including some of the originals WELCOME BACK.

It was going to be a good 5km round trip, and the weather was on our side as the skies cleared and the sun beamed down upon us.

It was a nice route, some park, some streets and then another park - scenery, friends and chatting always help on a run / walk. Once there, we split into groups and got straight to work, plenty of weight lifting with the slab crew, a nice quieter task for the weed brigade and the rubbish rebels simply hit everything. Whilst outside was a hub of activity, the Mud gang made their way inside to make a start on the build.

But wait.........who's this?

A surprise guest arrived to have a look at the great things that goodgym are doing here in Cardiff, and what a pleasure it was. Can you spot them in the photos?

Nearly out of time so a quick..

Tools down, a quick tidy up and just time for a photo or 20, we may have got overly excited with the cutout.

A huge thanks to all the members, past, present and future - you are the reason for our survival and continuation with the support and time that you give.

Diolch yn fawr

Keep an eye out for us on the streets and maybe join us sometime soon.

Back to our friends at 'Forget me not' cafe who today had been planting some new displays as well as the usual get together. We met in split groups today, those wanting a bit more of a run at Bigmoose a lovely coffee shop on Frederick Street (visit it if you get the chance). Those wanting a shorter distance met at Penylan Library where we ran to pick them up and finally cyclists met us directly at the location.

As we arrived we were met with smiles and tasks ready, outside we needed to get watering everything that we could see. Inside the tables needed removing and putting away, chairs stacking, floors mopped, chairs put back out ready for the Church that allows it's use as a community space and finally vacuum the carpet. Just a few things then...

Ready, Set GO!

It was all hands on as we started, using chairs and tables as weights, then as soon as the floor was clear decisions, decisions.....who's mopping? Jamie took the lead, whilst everyone else had a quick break, but not for long. As soon as floor was free it was time to start putting the chairs back in order, they needed to be in rows and hoked together.

Outside there was some watering action going on, hose pipes and watering cans giving the freshly planted flowers a good drink of water.

Soon enough it was the last push as the vacuum cleaners got to work on the aisle carpets, the ever trusting Henry (Hetty also available) and the strangest sounding machine I think we had ever heard. Once done we had enough time for a bit of a chat and some wonderful treats before heading back.

It was a nice total 6km all in all