On our first warm summer's evening in what feels like forever, a stonking 25 GGers turned out for this week's Group Run to Hull Road Park. Before heading off we awarded the GoodGymer of the month gong for June to the amazing Abigail who not only regularly volunteers her services for back-marking duties but also recently completed her Taskforce training. Give her a big cheer (even if she wasn't on brand) 👏

Vicky then set off with the steady pace crew whilst the rest of the gang celebrated Mark Cavendish's achievements at the Tour de France, numbering off by naming the field in which they could set a record in. Turns out a GG York like food, a lot! Then it was off to the task 💪

At Hull Road Park we were greeted by Kristina from the City of York Council Environment Team who split the group into 3 teams:

Team 1 would be removing Verbena seedlings from the flower beds so they could be replanted elsewhere

Team 2 were getting edgy on the paths, removing overgrown grass and weeds

Team 3 were on bush trimming duties, removing unwanted plants from the hedgerows around the basketball courts

My face is in bush and I'm covered in hairy balls - Michael

Team 3 soon realised the perils of getting stuck into bush task as they came out covered in sticky, hairy ball type things. I'm sure they have a name but we were being too childish to look it up

Team 1 did such a good job removing the verbena seedlings that they soon ran out of plant pots. That didn't deter Sarah though who resorted to keeping the seedlings in the pocket of her leggings (possibly to take home to plant herself 🤫)

Meanwhile team 2 did a superb job on the path edging. Despite starting in the wrong place, they did a great job and uncovered loads of pathway that was previously lost the overgrown grass.

With the task coming to an end, some of the crew made a start on the bark chipping that is set to feature in next week's task. After a quick team photo Vicky led the steady group back to base whilst Ed set up this week's fitness sesh.

is this like the human centipede - Lyndsey

With the cones dumped in the middle of a circle of GGers, there was only one thing for it - a game of human Hungry Hungry Hippos. With people split into pairs and adopting the wheelbarrow position, the aim was to collect as many cones as possible. Turns out then some serious core strength is required, especially when reversing! Martin and Michael were the victors and their prize was to gather in the rest of the cones. Well done guys!

🦉 22 excellent GoodGymmers gathered on a chilly Monday evening for our weekly group run. We named, numbered and warmed up whilst discussing our favourite birds. Owls were popular, although some folk went for the innuendo options!

✌️We had two tasks this evening so split into two groups and parted ways. Here’s what Ed had to say about the Park Grove crew:

🧸 On arriving at Park Grove we split off into two teams. Nikki G had unfinished business with a mound of earth so swiftly got to work with a spade along with Laura, Jenna and Cara. The second team armed themselves with loppers and saws and set about cutting the willow trees down to size. All was going well until the lights from the school went out and Lucy discovered a very creepy doll nestled in one of the trees.

🃏 After completing the task the two teams joined together for a round of card based fitness. Each person taking it in turn to 'draw a card' (press a button on Ed's phone) which determined the subsequent exercise. There may be a few sore logs after waaaaay too many squats!

🍎 Meanwhile, at Holgate Community Orchard, we’d been promised destruction (hence it was a popular option!)

💥 They’re wanting to build some new sheds so the area surrounding the old sheds needed clearing, which involved some fairly heavy labour! Rich, Dan and Max set to with removing a stake from the ground, digging, mattocking and tugging until eventually, it came out! Others were shifting bricks, picking them up and digging them out. Again, a very manual task!

🪵 The other half of our Holgate crew were “Team Stick”. These guys were moving previously-piled sticks to a new location and removing side-branches/“nobbles”. The sticks were then sorted by girth and shortened to the 60cm standard. Much discussion over the accuracy of everyone’s 60cm measurement ensued, with Dom claiming to have “an unerring sense of 60cm”.

🌳 With two minutes remaining, Helen asked if one final job could be completed - sawing down a (small) tree stump. Rich volunteered and completed this quickly.

📸 And with that, it was time for a group photo and fitness session before a run back to base and on to the pub for some.

👏 Thank you everyone, good work 💪

👋 20 GoodGymmers met on a sunny evening for our group run. We were thrilled to welcome a few new faces. Beattie was visiting from London while Paddy has recently moved up after doing a few sessions with GG Bristol. Ivana and Rachel both came along for their first GG sessions tonight. It was brilliant to meet you all and we hope we’ll see you again soon.

🍝 We named, numbered and warmed up while discussing our favourite nostalgic food from childhood. Macaroni cheese was a surprise hit, along with various snacks and the like. We were soon ready to run off for our task.

🍎 We were headed to Leeman’s Park Community Orchard where we were helping Abundance York with various jobs. Mitch and Rich immediately nabbed the litter pickers to form “Team Apple”, also nominating themselves as bad and good apple respectively. Their job was to pick up any windfall apples and assign them into the good or bad apple boxes. Sadly, there were significantly more bad apples than good apples, but that was apparently to be expected and even the bad apples were making their way to the wildlife area so will hopefully help some wildlife.

🍓 Meanwhile, “Team dead raspberry” were cutting back dead raspberry canes to help them regrow and produce more raspberries next summer. Others were tackling the big bramble and thistle patches, with scythes, loppers and forks. Louise was delighted with the progress there, and Paddy seemed equally delighted to get to use a scythe for the first time 💪

🏃‍♀️🏃Lots of progress was made and it was soon time for a group photo before the party pacers started their slightly more leisurely jog back to base. The rest of us did a quick relay-based fitness session (accompanied by a very enthusiastic small dog) before heading to the river towards base.

🦺 Unfortunately, our arrival back to base was delayed after a few eagle-eyed GoodGymmers spotted someone in the river. Some incredibly quick thinking and acting meant we were able to reach her with a life ring and pull her out while Abigail called for an ambulance. Our resident paramedic Lyndsay arrived on scene first and was able to liaise with the ambulance crew when they arrived. Thank you everyone for your heroic efforts that may well have saved someone’s life.

🍻 Once back at base, some of us decided that a pub trip was definitely needed, to end a very unusual evening.