Welcome to Robert for your first GoodGym Manchester session 👏 Great to meet you.

This evening was a bit different. After being approached by Natalie Kate Moss Trust, a charity raising funds and awareness for the treatment and prevention of brain haemorrhages, we combined GoodGym with their Brain Gym resources to get us thinking about our brain health and lifestyle. As part of that, we covered ~4.5 km from St Peter's Square around via Hulme, University of Manchester, Ardwick, and circling back to Sandbar. The combination of a brisk jog and social interaction both forming a significant aspect of the Brain Gym suggestions 🧠

We had bumper numbers this evening, with Scott fresh from a speedy Media City Half Marathon, Hazel joining from Stockport, Peter back from Sri Lanka, Tanoshi and Fanette joining for their 1st Monday night group run, Robert, a journeyman of Bath and Merton GoodGym groups, and regulars Sam and Ben.

We self-quizzed ourselves on the Brain Gym recommendations, including taking small steps, keeping a record or journal, having a support network, "colouring our plate" for food, and keeping a good sleeping routine. All this while enjoying refreshments and tasty pizza at Sandbar (some were more colourful than others) and discussing a potential Mam Tor litter pick in the spring... watch this space 💪

Welcome to Hannah for your first GoodGym Manchester session! Great to meet you and hope to see you again soon.

This evening was our monthly Monday evening litterpick 🚮 with a stroll towards some of the green spaces in Ardwick to clear up any rubbish 🗑

With Vimto Park relatively clear, we found lots of bottles and cans on the A6 path opposite the Marriott Hotel. We also found

• a broken umbrella 🌂
• laughing gas canisters
• a pair of glasses without lenses
• a baby's dummy

After admiring a well made dead hedge, we made our way back through a residential area, circling back towards the city centre. On the way we found some interesting underwear and sleep mask, plus a collection of plastic forks 🍴

In all, there were 7 full refuse sacks filled, all reported to Keep MCR Tidy for collection. Job well done on a chilly evening.

Happy new year!

Despite the plummeting temperatures, ice, snow, and a touch of frost ❄️ Stefanie, Sam, and Ben wrapped up to litterpick in the city centre.

With a demonstration ongoing outside the Central Library, we met on the benches to prepare refuse sacks and divvy out litterpickers. We made our way to the Bridgewater Hall and along some of the canal, picking up discarded bottles, frozen cans, McDonald's waste, and a few ear buds too.

Following that, we headed towards the footbridge to Hulme, stumbling across a site near an unused warehouse, where lots of cans, bottles, laughing gas canisters, and a couple of umbrellas 🌂 had been discarded.

In just 70 minutes, we collected 11 full refuse sacks plus a carrier, a couple of brollies, and a flowery pillow. Good workout in the cold. All reported to Keep MCR Tidy to be collected from near a public bin nearby.

Happy Christmas! 🎄🎅🎉

Welcome to Michael for your first GoodGym Manchester outing, and good to see Stefanie, Sam, Sanjeev, and Ben for a ~4.5 km jog around the city centre.

Setting off from St Peter's Square, we made our way down to Grosvenor Street before circling back up Oxford Road to Manchester Central Convention Complex, through St John's Road to the gardens (unfortunately the Garden of Hope from The Christie had finished) before skirting past the Opera House, up Deansgate past the lights before ending near the Cathedral, with bells ringing.

We went for a drink at Sinclairs Oyster Bar, a Samuel Smith pub so no phones allowed out. Chit chat ranged from the theatre, restaurants, cricket, basketball, lawn tennis and sports injuries to Christmas plans and the mild winter so far.

Good to see you all, and wishing you the best over the Christmas period, however you plan to spend it! See you in 2026 💫

Welcome to Alice for your first GoodGym Manchester outing, and well done to Sam for reaching your 10th GoodGym good deed 💪

This evening, we went for a litter pick in the Manchester rain 🌧

After covering ~2 km from the big Santa in St Peter's Square, we started picking up discarded bottles, cans, shoes, vapes, cans, and takeaway waste from near the footbridge towards Hulme Park.

With 3 bags collected, we went across the bridge, cleared any litter nearer the park (2 bags) before climbing back up the ramp. We stumbled upon a fly tipping spot near the new high rise buildings, and collected what we could, with piping and rubble also discarded in the area that will likely need council clearing. There was some discarded clothing too plus a small collection of used laughing gas canisters.

In all, we collected 12 full refuse bags of rubbish all reported to Keep MCR Tidy for collection. We certainly know where we'll be starting next time!