We had a great start to the weekend supporting Fulbourn Hospital parkrun.

Harriet was out early setting up the course, a tough task this morning covering up all the rabbit holes and clearing leaves, and I was number checking. Jobs well done as the parkrun was incident free and all numbers were aligned 🙌 We celebrated with a hot drink in the cafe to warm up.

Well done to all the runners and walkers!

Storm Benjamin didn't stop play, so we hit the streets of Cambridge again this week to keep the area tidy. Taking a steady jog, we headed this time to the bus station and surrounding green space. There wasn't as much litter as we were expecting, but we managed to collect nearly a bag full in 40 minutes, so a good effort 💪 A lovely member of the public stopped to say they were grateful for what we were doing, which was a nice reminder of the impact we have.

It was brilliant to welcome Ilse for her first GoodGym task 🙌

There is always a vibrant atmosphere at Brook Leys Parkrun and this morning was no exception! Goodgym was represented across the event, with Caroline marshaling, Nick running and Catherine handing out finish tokens 🙌 🏃‍♂️ 🏁

Harriet was also representing at Fulbourn Parkrun, a fantastic Goodgym team effort across Cambridge!

After some warming cups of tea and pastries, a couple of us strapped on our helmets and headed out on a cycle into the Cambridgeshire countryside. With a hearty lunch and cake at our stopping point, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way - particularly the autumnal colours coming in 🍁

Some unexpected excitement came in the form of a flat tyre, but we worked together and had it changed in record time! We were back on the road in no time and celebrated our 40 km efforts with refreshments and a cosy fireplace at the finish 🚴‍♀️

Two GoodGymers and whole lot of grit

We joined Abbey People for the last evening session of the season at Fox Den Community Allotment. 🦊

Caitlin tasked us with weeding and clearing the beds and covering them with cardboard, and having seen the brilliant work started by other volunteers, we set to work.

After a good start and a nice chat, we soon realised we were up against a fierce challenger in the form of mallow. Being so prolific with deep roots makes it particularly stubborn! Leveraging with a spade, we dug and we tugged, eventually clearing as much as we could - a real team effort 💪

It's always a pleasure to work on the allotment and we came away commenting on how much calmer and uplifted we felt after the task. We will miss our visits, but look forward to returning in the spring!

It felt very autumnal at this morning's parkrun and we enjoyed a lap of the course through the woods and crunching leaves on the way to our marshalling points.

Marshalling was a perfect first volunteer role for Daiana who is a pro at motivating runners having supported a number of races 📣

We kept spirits high as runners and walkers completed the course, and then lifted our own spirits with delicious cake and a chat when all the excitement was over. Exactly the kind of balance we love 🍰

Armed with pickers, bags and high vis, three eager GoodGymers took to the streets of Cambridge to fight the war on waste. 💪

Our expert litter picker, Nick, led the way to some of the worst areas for litter, including a section of the Cam. We collected bottles, plastic, and a disproportionate number of tissues. Nick added to his vape and ring pull collection, ensuring all are disposed of responsibly or recycled ♻️

It was our first litter pick group run and it certainly added an interesting element. We definitely got better as the run went on, spotting the smallest bits of rubbish hidden in hedgerows (as well as very obvious takeaway boxes on fences). Although we didn't find anything too unusual, there's always next time!