A mild November evening saw 8 Goodgymmers (+Jordan and Mr Harris) return to Burchett's Green School for the, now annual, leaf clearing event.

We couldn't be-leaf it had been a whole year since we had previously attended on the night before the winter lockdown to clear the leaves and give the playground a good tidy up.

Diya, Kanika, Kelley, Sheila, Nicola, Amy and Jess set about clearing the leaves from the play areas of the impressive playground. The leaves were raked, swept and then thrown over the fence, with Sheila being dubbed the 'Woodland Lobster' for her use of the hand shovels. The leaves were everywhere hiding in and around the play equipment. Jordan was using the leaf blower and was making quick work of moving the leaves out of these areas and to the fences for easier removal.

When the large quantities of leaves had been removed the group took a quick break to admire Kanika on her throne, eat some chocolate and admire their handiwork. However, there was not much resting on their laurels as they quickly took up some loppers and cleared some brambles away and then with 5 minutes left blitzed the raised bed of the pesky stinging nettles - not everyone got away unscathed!

Whilst the leave clearing, throne sitting, bramble lopping and nettle clearing was going on Dean was hard at work with the pressure washer cleaning the painted play areas on the top playground. This was a satisfying job as the bright colours of the number square, snake and the start of the playground mile were once again visible for the children.

With some photos taken and more chocolate eaten (courtesy of Tawny Owl!) the runners disappeared back into the darkness, Sheila hooped on her bike and the others scurried away, with only the evidence of their handiwork to show they had been there left!