It's our wonderwall - six Goodgymmers wage war on ivy in one of Bath's secret spaces

6 Goodgymers helped their local community in Bath
Liza Sweeting
Caroline Paknaitė
Eleanor Mackie
Jer Boon
Dan Laws
Ruth
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Bath

Saturday 22nd April 2023

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Jer Boon
Jer Boon

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Report written by Ruth

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Today was gonna be the day when GoodGym returned to Southcot burial ground. You might call it an "Oasis" in the heart of Bath, full of bluebells and other wildflowers among the gravestones.

Our task was to remove the ivy from the wall and restore it to its "morning glory". The site is looked after by Bath Preservation Trust who were very clear about its dangers. Although the plant looks attractive, one website describes it as "one of the most pernicious, nasty and destructive of the invasive plants." Left unchecked, its rootlets burrow into masonry, weakening it and eventually causing it to collapse.

Gloved up and armed with loppers, we took on the green enemy, ripping it from the stone and throwing it to the rest of the team who wheeled it away to add to a growing pile. With the help of Colin from BPT we achieved quite a transformation - as you can see from the before and after photo.

"And all the roads that lead you there were winding..." Special mention should go to Liza and Jer for completing the group run to the mission.

"And by now, you should've somehow realised what you gotta do..." And a GoodGym welcome to Liza, Caroline and her dog Bosley for their first session. You've gotta "Roll with it!".

Apologies to Liam and Noel Gallagher for the dreadful puns!


This task supported
Bath Preservation Trust
Treasuring the past, embracing the future

We are a charity promoting high standards of planning and architecture in Bath, striving to ensure the future success of our special heritage city through conservation, education and museums.

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