Who said litter has to be picked? Today, it apparently had to be chased.

With wind gusts hitting 49 mph, the GG Stockport litter‑picking session quickly transformed into a full‑blown extreme sport. Even the horizon tried to issue a warning, showing off the bluest clouds the team had seen in ages—now officially dubbed the “blue storm clouds” phenomenon. Common in strong late‑afternoon storms, when low golden sunlight scatters through heavy clouds, it creates those dramatic green‑blue hues. Very pretty. Very misleading.

Not exactly the dream welcome task for Molly—but full kudos to her for showing up anyway and battling the elements like a seasoned storm chaser.🙌 It was lovely meeting you, Molly!😊 The rest of the team brought equal levels of dedication: Melanie arrived early after trekking from Disley (basically a heroic quest in that weather) bringing along her study materialsfor biology class, and Mandy —as always—was the steady, calm presence risk‑assessing everything wobbling. We appreciate you, Mandy!🙌 And Hazel… well, she can always make you tea or coffee before the task even begins.☕

Halfway through, nature upgraded from “annoying breeze” to “angry sideways rain,” 🌧️so the team wisely called it. But in just 30 minutes of meteorological chaos, 🌪️this mighty quartet still managed to fill eight full sacks of plastic and glass bottles in every shape and size imaginable. Truly impressive for half an hour of storm‑dodging.🌪️

They’ve promised to return on a day when the weather is less dramatic. Hopefully next time they’ll get to learn more about Molly—and fill even more sacks with litter, not rainwater. Great British Summer Clean 2026, maybe? ☀️😄

What a glorious day for litter‑picking in Hazel Grove — a soft launch of Spring that had everyone wondering whether to pack sun cream or still keep the gloves on!

After signing up to GoodGym Stockport back in 2022, Melanie finally made her triumphant debut at her first GG session. She hopped on a bus from the nearby village of Disley, Hazel warmed up with a casual ~4 km stroll, and Ben… well, Ben did what Ben does: arrived via his usual epic long run. All three landed perfectly on time to meet the lovely crew of Hazel Grove Mutual Aid. 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

The task took the team across the parking areas around Hazel Grove Library, Hazel Grove Clinic, the neighbouring residential streets, and a stretch along the A6. In just 1.5 hours, the trio managed to fill around 20 bin bags with assorted plastics, suspiciously well‑hidden beer bottles, and all the usual bramble‑dwelling treasures. Ben and Melanie even bravely emptied a former postbox that has been lovingly repurposed as… a dog‑poo bin. Truly heroic stuff. 🙌

It was a light, chatty Sunday mission for Melanie, Hazel, and Ben — the perfect blend of fresh air, friendly nattering, and the occasional “Wait, is that another beer bottle?”. They got to know Melanie properly: how she found GoodGym online while searching for a community that supports both mental and physical well‑being, and how delighted she was to finally join in. She left with a smile (and hopefully no bramble scratches), declaring she’ll be back for more GG Stockport adventures once the days grow longer, lighter, and a little less… wet. Good job and welcome, Melanie! 👏✨

The session ended a group picture taking and a promise of future collaborations. 🤝🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

📷 Ben, Hazel