Twelve Goodgymmers gathered on a lovely summer’s evening at the cemetery below the impressive cathedral and help the Friends of St James Gardens continue their amazing work caring for this beautiful and historic area.

Michael gave us a warm welcome and soon had us divided into three task groups. The main focus of the session was weeding the paving around the monument, while the other two groups took on a couple of outlying tasks: litter picking and clearing the nettles and undergrowth around the tunnel entrance to the cemetery

But this wasn’t just any Goodgym evening. It was a night of reunions. Lucien and Sian were back in Liverpool and, naturally, made sure a Goodgym session was part of their plans. bringing along Sian's Mum Karen who we had met not long before Sian moved away. Although they no longer live in Liverpool at the moment, Sian and Lucien are certainly not absent from the Goodgym brainpower. Both continue to suggest ideas, come up with plans and keep things moving from afar. As Sian describes it in her WhatsApp title, “Task Force in Absentia” — proof that moving away doesn’t get you out of Goodgym responsibilities! It was so lovely to see them both back. They are such active members of GoodGym Liverpool, and it’s brilliant to see that their enthusiasm and commitment to Goodgym continues even though life has taken them to Spain and Staffordshire at the moment,.

And for Lucien, it was a particularly special evening because this was his 100th Goodgym task! 100 tasks is no mean feat at the best of times, but Lucien has managed it while undertaking his PhD, moving home and city, and undergoing significant surgery. Quite an impressive list of life events to fit around 100 Goodgym tasks!

It was also a joy to see Leo back after his time away with family. Great to have his positive energy back in the group — Leo we have missed you. Dina and Leo were talking about Fado a particular type of Portuguese music... I had to go away and look it up... Goodgym brings so many new things into our lives we never stop learning from each other.

The evening flew by in a blur of chats, laughter and hard work. Minutes became an hour almost without us noticing, and the transformation of the paved area around the monument was a joy to behold.

A truly precious moment was as Ellie uncovered a huge piece of turf covering a gravestone or ledger stone. She peeled it back — and underneath was the inscription from the gravestone, with the engraving preserved in relief in the bottom of the turf. Robert Merchant's inscription echoes from stone to earth uncovered by our Ellie.

The next day on our WhatsApp group it led to a discussion on the use of gravestones as paths and flooring ... I tell you Goodgym Liverpool has the best people to learn something new every day.

Back to our Monday task and with the work done, it was time to celebrate Lucien’s 100th task with some well-earned sweet treats. Nobody seemed particularly keen to rush off. People lingered, standing around chatting and catching up, enjoying the warmth of the evening and each other’s company. Goodbyes became long, lingering goodbyes, as conversations continued and nobody quite seemed ready to call it a night. It was just one of those evenings .... A beautiful summer evening, a brilliant piece of work completed, an unexpected glimpse of history uncovered, reunions, laughter — and Lucien celebrating his 100th task.

Congratulations again, Lucien. We’re looking forward to seeing you back in Liverpool — preferably wearing your wings T-shirt. And what better place to earn your wings than in St James’s Gardens? After all… Earning your wings is no grave thing!

This week, we were back at Everton Park and quickly split into two groups. Thanks Miriam and Aatefa for the two reports!

Litterpicking

Myself, Jo, Lucien, Craig and Clara went off to do the litterpicking at the bottom of the park. Apparently this stretch of the park is where fans from all over the world walk through from the city centre to get to Anfield so it has to look presentable to showcase Liverpool. The litter was prolific. Mostly sweet wrappers and plastic bags and lots of bottles but reward for unusual find goes to Jo who found a plastic elephant, she also found a birds nest and a clothing wrack. In an hour we collected eight sack fulls of rubbish. We took them to the community skip. On the way back to the gardens we saw a brightly painted skate park and a newly opened kids parked. It’s easy to see what a rich community Everton is and we felt glad to be able to contribute.

The Verdant Verdict: A Chronicle of Ten GoodGymers in Everton

In the heart of Everton, where the city's pulse beats a steady rhythm against the hum of nature, a fellowship of ten gathered as the day began its gentle descent into dusk. They were the GoodGymers, a modern-day band of heroes whose strength was not measured in muscle alone, but in the collective will to cultivate community. Their destination was the Everton Community Garden, a cherished green sanctuary that had called upon their aid. And as the sun cast its final, golden rays upon the garden's entrance, casting long, dancing shadows across the earth, the ten assembled, each having answered the call in their own noble fashion.

For some, the journey was a quiet pilgrimage through the amber-lit streets, their footsteps soft upon the pavement as they walked with thoughtful purpose through the cooling evening air. For others, it was a pedal-powered odyssey, wheels turning in rhythm with the city's gentle twilight hum. And for two among their number, it was a spirited run, a rhythmic pounding of trainers against the tarmac as they made their way from Suitcases, that beloved landmark upon Hope Street, their breath keeping time with Liverpool's own steady pulse, until they arrived at the verdant embrace of Everton Park just as the evening began to unfurl its velvet cloak. Yet, regardless of the path each had trodden, they all converged as one, a tapestry of diverse faces, ten unique stories, united by a singular and noble purpose. Each arrival was met with warmth, for every journey, whether by foot, by wheel, or by run, was a gift of time and energy freely offered to the community they cherished, offered not in the brightness of morning, but in the quiet generosity of an evening given to service.

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the promise of an evening's noble toil. The cool breeze carried whispers of the day's fading warmth, and the garden seemed to sigh with anticipation. The session commenced not with the clang of a bell, but with the welcoming words of the Run leader, his voice carrying gently through the twilight. A special warmth filled the air as Hasan was introduced, a bright new star in their constellation of volunteers. His first session was marked by a chorus of greetings, a genuine embrace from the entire group, officially welcoming him into the fold. Every member, whether they had walked, cycled, or run to be there, offered him a beaming smile and a hand of friendship, for they knew that the strength of their fellowship lay not in how they arrived, but in the fact that they had arrived at all, sacrificing their evening hours for a cause greater than themselves.

With the pleasantries exchanged, the tone turned to one of thoughtful preparation. A comprehensive safety briefing was delivered, its words carefully chosen and heeded, outlining the careful choreography of the evening's activities. The group listened with intent, ten pairs of eyes fixed upon their leader in the fading light, understanding that the true essence of their work lay not in reckless haste, but in mindful and considered effort, especially as the evening shadows grew longer. The plan was set: a two-pronged assault on the garden's ills, with the ultimate goal of restoring its inherent grace before nightfall claimed the sky.

The fellowship was then cleaved into two groups of five, each embarking on a distinct quest, and each member, whether they had arrived on foot, on two wheels, or on two swift legs, was entrusted with a role of equal importance.

The first quintet, armed with grabbers and bin bags, began their meticulous sweep beneath the amber sky. They were the "Litter Knights," banishing the forgotten wrappers and stray detritus that had dared to mar the garden's beauty. Their work was a silent conversation with the earth, a reclaiming of its purity as the daylight slowly surrendered to dusk. Every piece of litter collected was a small victory, and every member of this group, be they walker, cyclist, or runner, contributed with equal diligence and pride, their efforts illuminated by the soft glow of the setting sun.

Simultaneously, the second group of five, equipped with sturdy tools and unwavering resolve, turned their attention to a grander task. They ventured into the adjacent areas of Everton, not to fell, but to liberate. Their mission was to clear the space around "Chree Trees," a term that seemed to hum with the spirit of the old Everton, ensuring these leafy sentinels could breathe freely and stand tall against the urban sprawl. With each branch cleared and each weed uprooted, they restored dignity to the ancient trees, their silhouettes stark and beautiful against the evening sky. Every member of this group, whether they had arrived by foot, by cycle, or by run, worked with equal passion and strength, their labour a quiet offering to the encroaching night.

And so, for a time, the symphony of labour played on as the evening deepened around them: the whisper of leaves as branches were cleared, the soft clink of litter meeting its metal container, the steady breath of the runners now restored, the gentle hum of conversation, and the shared camaraderie of a team working in perfect harmony against the fading light. Each member, regardless of how they had arrived, found their place in this beautiful orchestra of effort. The journey from Suitcases, the stroll from nearby streets, the cycle from distant corners, all became threads in a single tapestry of community spirit, each thread equally vital to the whole, woven together as the stars began to peek through the darkening canopy above.

As the evening sky deepened into a canvas of indigo and the first stars began to twinkle, the two groups concluded their respective campaigns. Their work was a resounding success. The littered pathways were once again pristine, and the areas around the ancient trees were cleared, allowing the moonlight to soon dapple the ground in silver patterns. The garden and its surrounding spaces now breathed a sigh of relief, their innate beauty coaxed back to the surface by the gentle hands of their caretakers, even as darkness settled around them. And every single member, walker, cyclist, and runner alike, could look upon the transformation and know that their contribution, however great or small, had been indispensable.

The final, glorious act of the evening was the reunion. Both groups, their spirits high and their work complete, converged once more in the heart of the Everton Community Garden, now bathed in the soft glow of street lamps and the gentle light of a rising moon. They stood together, a fellowship of ten, surveying their handiwork, a transformed landscape that stood as a testament to what a community can achieve when every member gives their all, even as the day gives way to night. No distinction was made between those who had walked, those who had cycled, or those who had run; all were celebrated equally, for each had brought their own unique gift to the evening. With farewells exchanged beneath the stars, promises to return, and hearts overflowing with quiet pride, each member began their journey home, the walkers strolling with satisfied steps through the lamplit streets, the cyclists pedalling with renewed vigour into the cool night air, and the two runners turning back towards Suitcases on Hope Street, their legs carrying them home through the darkened city with the sweet fatigue of an evening well spent. But whether they travelled by foot, by wheel, or by run, they all carried with them the same treasure: the joy of service, the warmth of fellowship, and the quiet satisfaction of a job beautifully done under the watchful gaze of the evening sky.

In that moment of collective reflection, surrounded by the fruits of their labour and the gentle hush of night, one thing was clear:

It was a truly tree-mendous effort.

Super interesting task for this Monday! Our presence was requested with urgency for the Bombed Out Church re-turfing of their grass area as they had a wedding in just a couple of days!

And when someone asks for help, how can we say no? So off we go to the task on a day that was threatening to rain and make the job much harder. Luckily the rain stopped right as we all gathered around the entrance for introductions and debriefing.

It was definitely a task and a half, but we were up to measure even after some of us run a half marathon the day before! We weren't going to let some dirt keep us from completing our mission.

Like a SWAT team, we deployed our divide and conquer tactic. A few of us were in charge of clearing up big clumps and get the plot even and clear for the turf.

The rest of us had the tough job of carrying dozens of turf to key locations to ease the job of rolling them out later. Initially a trolley was used, but the tactics soon changed to a human chain , which was wonderful to see pros do what they do best. Strength is doubled when helping your neighbours and specially needed this time, but the time flew by and although it was impossible to get it all ready, we definitely a big portion of it and we're glad evening was back on track.

A special thing about this task was that it made me think that, you're not just volunteering and doing some work. You're having an impact on other people lives even if not directly. You're creating space for little miracles to happen so why not create as many chances as you can.

So anyway, here's today malapropism: many hands makes the world go round

PS. Should goodgym have a bat signal?