On a positively tropical Monday evening in Newcastle, four GoodGymers set about making Shieldfield a lot more clean and tidy.

Welcome to Jasmine, choosing the warmest Monday of the year to make your GoodGym debut! A recruit as a result of our recent leafleting campaign. Scott, his hands splashed with all kinds of liquids over the years, came prepared with some thick gloves, while Nour's leather jacket might have been a little less practical given the heat!

As ever, there were some interesting and cordial interactions with passers by, many bin bags filled with litter and a difference made to the streets of Newcastle.

The weather was kind to us as embarked on a litter pick around the Heaton area of Newcastle. There was a GoodGymer tonight, welcome to Nour who came to the UK from Syria, via India. Welcome Nour and we hope to see you back with us again soon! Good selfie-taking skills too.

We visited South View West, which has got to be one of the most littered street in Newcastle. We chatted to a badminton-playing lady living on the street who picks up litter regularly. Please sign up and comment if you are reading this after taking one of our flyers! We had thanks from various passers by and someone shouting out of an upstairs window from one of the houses on the street!

We did get a little carried away and finished a bit later than planned but hopefully Heaton looks much tidier as a result!

The award for most littered area stumbled across tonight belongs to Croft Stairs, near City Road and Manor Chare. GoodGym Newcastle's three intrepid litter pickers stumbled across some sort of den and filled many bin bags with rubbish in double quick time!

Everything was heading for a successful conclusion, but while depositing the last of the litter into a bin, Jack cut his hand while some strange liquids leaked onto Richard. We hope the cut heals quickly Jack!

Some train mishaps and delays led to an absence of litter pickers, the inanimate not the human kind, for tonight's litter pick. Fortunately GoodGymers are nothing if not resourceful, so we improvised with some gloves, which Aimee thankfully had to hand, and the willingness to literally use our hands. Undeterred by the lack of mechanical assistance Scott and Richard managed to fill at least six bags with litter, while Aimee protected her aching back as designated bin bag carrier.

It was a successful evening in the end, with the added bonus of better than expected weather!

On a very pleasant evening, we spread the word about GoodGym to another 500 households with some leaflets. There was one particularly 'interesting' interaction with one resident who had some unfortunate views. Otherwise, it was a very good evening!