Today marked a great day for GoodGym Bournemouth as an group, but a very sad day as a family. Although it was GoodGym Bournemouth's 3rd Birthday today, it was also Grace's last group run with us.

Grace is the type of lady who packs as many adventures as she can into a day, living it like it may be her last. And after doing all that she still manages to fit a GoodGym group run into her Wednesday evenings, and we are a very lucky group for it. She is always positive and truly interested in how your day has been, welcomes everyone with a smiley face and leaves you feeling more refreshed about life. Grace doesn't just do adventures, she also helps out wherever she can. From volunteering in Calais numerous times, to giving up her days to volunteer at community gardens. She has been an amazing addition to our family, and although we're all hoping it's a see you soon....we know we're going to miss her lovely soul. We know that where ever she goes next, she's going to make it a better place.

Thank you Grace!

To celebrate all of this we got together with the Bournemouth Parks team for a litter pick at Meyrick Park. Thanks to our Sarah for providing bin bags for rubbish and recycling as well as litter pickers.

It was lovely to have Claire back with us after some time off, we missed you!

It was only a short run and once arrived at Meyrick Park the group had 4 options for 10 minutes. Option 1: Relax and chat Option 2: Intervals. Option 3: Slow steady run around the park Option 4: Strength work... I'm happy to say that nobody picked Option 1....there were some relaxed efforts with Option 4 however.....

After a little work out and a celebratory photo, we all put on our let's go gloves, split into three teams with bags and litter pickers and set off to see who could collect the most rubbish.

Marianne, Hannah, Amber, Mark and Fredrika managed to find

9 1/2 L of Vodka......

Caprice, Kristina, Nicola, Neil and myself found a shopping trolly, rotary clothesline and a pink plastic jumpsuit.....yep, apparently Meyrick Park is where it all happens in Bournemouth!

With about 4 bags of general rubbish and 8 bags of recyclable rubbish, it was time to meet the Parks team for them to collect it all in their truck.

A quick photo opp and the gang was ready to make their way back so we could get together for Pizza!!! We were getting HANGRY!!!!! Also great to have Daryl make the effort to come and join us despite having to work late!

See you all next week! Sign up here

Originally we were going to run to the Foodbank this week but we had to change that as there weren't enough donations for us to go and help out with.....so we need to start donating more food!

Instead Jane at St Peter's Church was happy to have us over and help her with the upkeep of their iconic church.

We welcomed back Abi, Mark, Sean, Sarah and Janet after all had been away for at least a few weeks. Great to have them back!

We also had Mark come along for his first taste of GoodGym after signing up way back when it all got started in Bournemouth, almost three years ago! Glad you decided to come and see what it is like rather than observe from a distance! See you next week!

After introductions and learning what makes each of us happy, from music to chocolate, we set off through the gardens for a mellow run to allow us all to catch up. Fredrika, as back marker, making sure no one was left behind. Thank you and well done for joining the Task Force and getting involved straight away!

We spotted some stylish looking logs next to the stream so stopped for a photo and then turned back towards town and headed down to the beach and the lovely BIC hill. Here we gathered and spoke about a little workout we were going to do. For those willing and able we were going to do 6 second hill repeats and only 4 of them. Enough to get a little workout out in and work on our fast twitch muscle fibers. Despite most of the gang dreading it they realised that 24 seconds of discomfort wasn't that bad at all.

With that done, and feeling looser, the gang headed up towards St Peters Church and arrived having already completed 5km.

Jane was there to welcome us and introduce us to the Team Proctor Ian, who was very happy to have us helping out.

The gang split up into groups, some taking on clearing the water drainage channels of weeds and rubbish, lifting heavy slabs of concrete and allowing water to have a easy path to freedom. Others headed out around the grounds, starting off near to the church and collecting cigarette butts and rubbish. Gradually moving away and into the bushes the gang managed to collect so much rubbish, mostly cans and bottles. Caprice, Sarah and Neil also ventured to the edges of the graveyard and found all types of abandoned stuff....sleeping bags...pillows....pants....jacket.....and even a whole bag of unopened needles...that's a first!

Thanks to Mark we also learned where Mary Shelley's grave was....someone had left some plastic poppies in a Jaegermeister bottle by her grave. Very thoughtful...speaking of thoughtful, Neil and I deliberated whether or not to try and put up a massive gravestone that had fallen over....after discussing the morality of it and worrying if Anges would haunt us forever....gave it a go but found that the stone was so heavy that we couldn't shift it.... Sorry Agnes, our intentions were pure!

After filling lots of bags and losing Roshana.....not for the first time in the evening....we may need to start bringing in back markers for the actual task........we gathered and took pictures with our haul before setting off back to Flirt Cafe where we stretched and then half of us headed to the pub for a few drinks and a chat!

Congratulations to Mark for reaching

25 Good deeds

a great achievement, so make sure you give him a cheer!

Next week we are doing a flyer drop for the YMCA. Sign up here. It'll be a longer run....no hill workout on the agenda either.

A very soggy day, that according to the weather forecast was supposed to clear up toward GoodGym time....well....the weather forecast was WRONG!!!!

With the promise of a get together and some beach time to go with it 14 lovely people hoped for the best and turned up to do some good!

Due to the weather we changed our plan from a beach clean to a Boscombe Garden clean. So a longer run and probably a lot more litter to hope for....well.....Bournemouth is pretty clean on Wednesdays!!

But after filling a few bags and then sorting through them for recycling....didn't want our Sarah coming after us....we made friends with a guy who had litter picked half a bath....and set off on our way back to Bournemouth Pier...somewhere in the foggy distance!

After 6.5km and getting very wet through a mix of rain and mugginess we got back to our meet location to gather our things and get together at the pub for some food and drinks!

Always lovely to hang out with our GoodGym family!!!

Next week we are gardening!!!