As the drought continued there was a huge outpouring of goodness going on in York at our Monday night group run. Tonight we welcomed Abel along to his first ever good deed. Give him a big cheer 🥳. Nick had also completed an epic triathlon at the weekend and successfully managed to stay afloat during the swimming leg 🏊. Whilst the cape of good deeds would be doing the rounds tonight with David completing his 300th (fresh from an ultra at the weekend, of course!) and James coming along for his 200th 💪. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all!

Tonight we were heading off to Millennium Fields to lend a hand to Nicola who had spent the day clearing a load of the grass on the wildflower areas in order to new growth come through. Ed led the main run out with Laura backmarking, whilst Vicky and Babs weren't far behind in the party pace group. Upon arrival we were straight off to work with Jen, Michael, Martin and James getting stuck in to the composting area in order to make enough space for all of the new grass that was coming across from the field. John had kindly volunteered to do the photography, so you can thank him for the much improved pictures of tonight's session (but also blame him if your photo is missing!) .

The rest of the Goodgym crew got to work in the field collecting the cut grass with pitchforks and rakes then getting it into tonne sacks or onto sheets and then dragging it across to the guys at the composting bays. Abel made an excellent first impression dragging three sacks full of grass at once, whilst Lucy was regularly seen with a smaller (but still very impressive) bag over her shoulders. The dried grass was soon piling up at the composting area where the guys were working flat out to make sure there was enough space for it all.

Matt, Abel and Neil did an excellent job scything more grass down for the guys to take across, and before too long we'd just about cleared all of the dried grass Nicola had spent the day cutting down plus a bit extra for good measure! This meant we just had to wait for the last few backs be taken over to the compost bays and then for everyone to come back, which gave Amy and Leanne time to get creative with the group photo

Then it was time for a quick group fitness session with Vicky, Babs and John demonstrating a game involving collecting cones and competing against the 2 other people in your group to be the first to get 3 of them back to your corner. Everyone had a few quick games before an epic final between Max, Kirsty and Abel, with Kirsty being declared the winner!

After tonight's session we had our summer Task Force catch up with lots of exciting things being planned for Goodgym York over the coming months including our tenth anniversary in January! However one thing to note was that the unfortunately a GGer's bike at the bottom of St Martin's Lane was stolen, so please be super careful with where you park your bikes. Make sure you've got a really good lock and try to park in a busy area

There was lots to celebrate tonight following the weekends goings on. First up we had the wedding of Vicky and Neil (congratulations guys!) followed by a fair few members completing Thorp Perrrow parkrun dressed in wedding attire, including what could possibly be the first ever parkrun P1 featuring a chap in a dress carrying a handbag (classic Mitch). We then carried on the celebrations by numbering off whilst listing our favourite things about weddings, including lots of mentions of the various foods!

After that it was time to venture to Greenfields in a Woollard sandwich with Ed leading the run out and Amy backmarking. Meanwhile Vicky led a cycling group. Upon arrival at Greenfields the guys were organised promptly into 5 different groups and then led off by a volunteer from Greenfields to get stuck into their task. The following is the best recollection Ed can possibly give of what each different group was doing, without actually bothering to take the time to ask...

The first group were near the entrance and appeared to be hacking away at grass with relatively blunt instruments. Amy in particular seemed to be struggling to actually get any of the grass cut and every time Ed returned she'd swapped her instrument for one that she thought might be sharper. I think Michael may have actually managed to get some grass cut with a sickle but I can't be sure. He just looks like someone who can cut grass reasonably well.

The next 3 groups all seemed to be around the same sort of area. I think they were cutting grass near the raised beds or possibly even weeding in the beds, but I can't be sure. Mitch was asleep on the floor for a bit and Abigail was absolutely covered in stuff out of the beds which meant Babs had to get rather familiar with Abigail to help clear her backside! Steve constantly had a wheelbarrow. Laura was definitely removing grass from the side of a raised bed but didn't really seem to know why. Mitch had a wee in a bush. Abigail kept making faces. Jake and Matt appeared to genuinely be getting some work done, but I'm not sure if it was useful or not.

The final group were rather conveniently placed near the fruit trees and I honestly have no idea what they were doing. Rich had a rake but was leaning on it quite a bit. Lucy was very well hidden deep into the bushes. I think she was just hiding so that she could eat the fruit. I think I saw Neil and J cut some grass but I could be wrong.

After all that hard work it was time for a classic Greenfields symmetrical photo before a quick wedding themed fitness session, but only after Amy had reminded Ed that it was supposed to be wedding themed! There were some squats to start the wedding day, some lunges up the aisle, some very questionable dancing including the macarena and a little lie down at the end of the wedding featuring some burpees.

All in all a fab session at Greenfields and we'll be back again soon!

A gang of jolly Goodgymers met at the Poppleton centre for a spot of exercise in the summer sun

We had three group - long and fast, medium and steady and the slow walkers.

We arrived back and were rewarded with delicious pizza and good chat

where shall we go next?

For some people a Bank Holiday Monday is a time to kick back and relax but Team GG never sleeps!

Some ran, some biked, some ran a bit and walked a bit, some meeting at the usual spot and others arriving from far and wide to rendezvous at the task. Either way 26 folk met at Not Fishponds Wood near Fishponds Wood.

We had some heroes to celebrate

• Hannah who was excited to wear the cape of Good Deeds now that she has completed over 50 tasks
• Neil who is our GoodGymer of the month for being an awesome gent, doing 7 Good Deeds in the month as well as being personal chauffer to Vicky The Hip Hearson!

We also welcomed Jake to his very first GoodGym task! Jake is Alex's mate. Whatever Alex is selling it's working as last week he brought along Dylan who was back again despite endangering his bright white new running shoes last week and now we have Jake too!

Who will Alex bring next time?

It was straight to work in Not Fishponds Wood Near Fishponds Wood pulling the ivy which was choking the trees and plants.

We tugged and pulled and scraped and snipped and hacked and sawed and yanked and plucked and picked and ripped and jerked and wrenched and heaved and hauled and slashed at the ivy and pretty soon had cleared a good section of the wood and had filled a huge collection of tonne bags with ivy!

Then we were off running and biking back for some fitness activity running up and down Windmill Hill!

On a Bank Holiday Monday!

I know!

Now that's just daft so the sensible ones discovered they really needed to go straight home instead!

This morning at York Community Woodland Parkrun (Or YoCoWo some people are disappointed to hear it's becoming known as!) some of the GG crew stepped in to Car park marshall, course marshall, funnel manage, number check and deliver the first timers briefing.

Shout out to Nick for the most effort - he not only did two different volunteering roles, but also managed to run too!