After saying goodbye to the others, Ben and I joined in with the litter pick in the Jewellery Quarter. We were late after walking back from the canal, so we picked along Camden Street and Pope Street until we got a message back from the others to find out where they were. This gave an opportunity to test the new litter pickers’ magnets on the numerous NOS canisters we found. The good news is they attract. The bad news is that the magnet isn’t particularly strong!

After picking our way round the loop, we caught up with the others further down Camden Street. Leah had separated lots of recyclables and I got to meet Duncan properly, as he has also had a great role in setting up these litter picks as well. We found a few of the throw zones at the bottom of the hill, particularly at the abandoned car dealership, which had zombie film levels of weeds, along with lots of litter and the odd syringe as well. We then climbed back uphill towards 1000 Trades where Ben went for a takeaway and I dropped off bags in the collection point in a nearby square.

Today I was fortunate to be able to join in with the Jewellery Quarter little pick myself. It was fantastic to be able to meet Amy for the first time and to find out that she might be joining us more in Birmingham, having started her Goodgym journey in Coventry. It was also fantastic to see how Leah has managed to galvanise her local community into action through Goodgym. By setting up a WhatsApp group to go with the Facebook groups that were there already, she’s been able to get community action going in a very short space of time.

These groups have produced a lot of links and expertise, so we had the Litter Man from the JQ back with us again, which was fortunate because there was lots of broken glass to pick up, which is not as easy to do with the litter pickers as with the broom that he had brought in the cart with him. Conversations in the groups also lead to a group of schoolchildren and their teacher from the Jewellery Quarter Academy to join us and take part. They set off down Camden Street and picked up many bags of rubbish themselves, as well as a discarded mobile phone in today’s random rubbish.

This was real community action at play and possibly a sign of what’s to come with the changes going on at Goodgym. We’ll hopefully see much more of this impact as we prepare to set up community missions in all of the different areas that we live in around Birmingham.

The blistering sunshine made the best of the Jewellery Quarter look fantastic. It also brought action from local residents who had noticed that the post lockdown period was showing the worst of the area looking much the worse for it.

Goodgymer and local resident Leah found complaints about the neglect of some areas online and decided to organise and take action. So today she grabbed the litter pickers, bags and a group of likeminded residents. They were joined by Amy who has been doing a fabulous job by herself on lunchbreaks over the last few months to keep the area and the canals running through it tidy. Not only that but they also had the support of a member of the Jewellery Quarter BID, who joined in with the picking.

Far from a chore, they all enjoyed it very much and will be setting up more. Watch this space.

We were delighted to welcome both Emma and Tatyana to GoodGym Brum for the first time. Last night was a bit of a celebration as five of our regular runners have birthday's this week, myself last night, Morwenna, George, Laura and Aidan all covering other days during the week so what better time for a GG social. But first of course was the 'do good' and 'getting fit' bit.

The group ran down the canal, armed with bags and litter picks. Once on the canal we split into three groups, each clearing a different section of the canal. Once done we all met up at Aston Lock, had a quick picture, which was kindly taken by another runner and we were on our way again. The group ran in two separate parties, one slightly faster than the other, taking in more of the canal, before arriving at Millenium Point and then heading through the town back to 1000 Trades. Yep no fitness session this week, that was replaced by some arm curls with pint glasses! Happy Birthday to all those GoodGymers this week I hope you have a fantastic day when it arrives!

Next week we will be out doing good again, it would be great if you could join us sign up here.