MY GOODNESS WHAT WAS THAT WEATHER?!?!?!?

Extra kudos, pats on the back and gold stars to all who came to Hogacre this evening.

This evening moved boxes of manure over that railway bridge, spread the aforementioned manure in various fruit and veg beds, ferried hay from the recently mown meadow, picked apples, and tackled brambles. ALL IN THE HAMMERING RAIN.

No one drowned.....

Well done everyone, and welcome to Goodgym Alice and Jen!! We hope the next session you come to will be a tad drier.....

It was back to school for us on Wednesday evening; giving the garden plot at St Nicholas ' Primary School a very thorough weed ahead of the gardening club getting started again next week.

A couple of years ago we uncovered the garden and polytunnel from beneath a lockdown's worth of weeds, so it was great to see that raised beds had been built and some gardening done. However, with no-one around during the school summer holidays the weeds had taken hold, so there was plenty of digging, lopping and pruning to be done.

A dozen GoodGymers made speedy progress, filling the compost bays, loading the skip (to cover the skeleton, or not to cover the skeleton? That is the question.), and enduring a few nettle stings and bramble scratches along the way. If nettle stings really do protect you from arthritis I think we must all be fully immune now.

Congratulations on your 50th Good Deeds Steve and Andy, and to Katie for reaching an epic 150 Good Deeds!

Magdalen Wood is a lovely spot. A little network of paths, lots of lovely trees and natural clearings. It is also, unfortunately, a HUGE litter grot-spot.

The main path through the woods has just been resurfaced in a very lovely track-like material (note to self, maybe a good place for an interval session.......) which has potentially attracted more pedestrians.

Wonderful, but the litter was ASTONISHING.

Working along the main paths we quickly filled up loads of bags - mainly beer cans and cigarette packets but with the usual smattering of clothes and weird and mystery items - anyone need a coin sorter?!?

Then a call came from Vicky who had discovered the aftermath of what must have been QUITE the party. Cans, cans as far as th eye could see. We considered just reporting it to the council but figured strength in numbers we could get it sorted. 5 goodgymers (who would have appreciated nose pegs) and 5 minutes later it was clear - good work team!!

We all appreciated lots of hand sanitiser and a good post-task scrub after all that.

Welcome to Goodgym Meg and Mae, it was wonderful to meet you.

The answer: lots of regular scything.

Last night we returned to Aston's Eyot to try to get some nettles under control. An area that we've worked on previously has been earmarked as a picnic/play/chill-out space. Unfortunately it is currently covered in nettles. To ready it for the council's tractor we scythed and cleared lots of nettles, sawed some low hanging branches - Joe discovering some pole-sawing skills - and collected the inevitable litter.

Another team were sent a little further along the river to deal with a fallen tree. A tree surgeon had done the heavy work but we needed to clear branches from a river-side flower area. Sawing up branches is quite the workout but chats about books was a good distraction!

Well done team! We'll be back in September for another go!