This evening we returned to Oxsrad! This time no painting was done - the reception area is looking SPLENDID, if we do say so ourselves.....

Today we were based outside clearing and widening some of their pathways which were becoming rather weedy and therefore not particularly safe for wheelchair users.

After an hour and a bit and some inventive tool use - (who knew tent pegs were so good for removing pesky weed roots?!?) we left the area looking much neater and clearer.

Well done team!! And thanks for the company on the run!

This evening we returned to the Warneford Hospital site to flashmob some of their flower beds.

The flower beds in the aptly named Meadow ward had got quite over-grown and needed a good weed, a food water and some general TLC.

After crowning Ellie for achieving her 100th Good deed and enjoying some Celebrations, we set to work.

Thistles, lots of grass and some pesky dandelions were removed, a wild patch preserved to protect a hedgehog house, and the best Celebration thoroughly debated. I'm team Bounty - possibly in the 1% minority of the population!

Watering cans were emptied and woodchip spread to hopefully ensure that the beds stay happy!

Good work team.

Double points if you can name the musical reference in the title.....,

Yes I do indeed know a smattering of Shakespeare!

Academic boasts aside, tonight was a lovely task. The chilly wind that had been whipping around Oxford earlier died down just in time for our quintet of Goodgymers to do some gardening.

When we arrived at the Warneford site, Laura the gardener for the area, gave us a couple of options for tasks. We plumped for clearing, pruning and reviving some rose bushes around one of the entrances.

The roses had got rather choked by weeds and brambles and also just needed a good trim and tidy - a springtime haircut if you will! We all set to work and in true Goodgym style managed to blitz a large area and create a large compost pile. What we didn't get to this time hopefully we'll manage to finish off on our next visit in a few weeks.

Post task a few of us headed off for a run, chatting about parkrun tourism, and rewarded ourselves with a go on the zip wire in Southpark for managing to slog up the big hill!

With the clock change to BST on the horizon we made an early start to get as much light as possible for our Wednesday task at Makespace.

We had a task list to try and get through, and did really well on it - many hands can work magic in a short time.

We hefted pallets, weeded raspberry canes, shovelled leaf mould, cleared the compost area of weeds and rubbish, watered thirsty plants, and started sanding down the picnic benches. As a lovely post-task bonus we had a twilight run over Port Meadow (where the bats were dancing around) and along the canal.

Welcome to GoodGym Joe!

On Wednesday we did our own mini Morse plog around Oxford.

Taking inspiration from the locations used in Inspector Morse films we set off to visit the sites of significance in central Oxford and Jericho, litter picking as we went.

From the Oxford police station (sadly, no Morse cut out in the windows) to the Phoenix Picturehouse we ran and walked our way across the city, amassing 2 sacks of litter and covering 3.75 miles.

Favourite sightings: The Oxford Story Museum telephone box (definitely worth a detour down Pembroke Street), and the murals on Canal Street.