With ominous skies a gang of eight intrepid Goodgymmers gathered at the bombed out church. This week we were aiming to finish the job started a few weeks earlier, which was to varnish all the picnic tables after a summer of festivities. The BOC team had been so impressed with our work last time, they'd immediately invited us back. We set to work a little anxious of the weather, as the day had been peppered with showers so far. We split into pairs and divided up the brushes, and managed to get all the remaining benches covered with only a few drops of rain.

By the time we were finishing, the clouds looked dark overhead, but hopefully the varnish will dry properly, and the benches will hold up well to future seasons.

Most important of all, this session was the first for new member Tom , who ran to the task, did an amazing job, and who we all hope to see again soon..! And thanks to Dan for leading a social pre-task run.

Friday evenings weather was a little overcast when John from Everton Community Garden opened the gates. Cries of "it's due to rain at 7" echoed around as a sudden gust of wind caused one of the gazebos to try and make an escape down Prince Edwin Street! A quick search for ropes and bags of sand, ensured they stayed put for the rest of the evening. Kevin was a dab hand at the barbeque, with hotdogs and burgers at the ready, along with the bar, trays of cakes and some gorgeous freshly pressed apple juice, of which I couldn't get enough of.

Soon enough it was time for the auction. Bids flew all over for the large baskets of fresh produce. Then it was time for the odd shaped piece. The Tromboncino.

Silence as the auctioneer tried to get it going. "£3" whispered SallyAnn, and without further ado, she was the proud owner of a member of the squash family . Another member, Leo, found himself now owning a MacBook case for a whole pound.

One guest asked if I was a volunteer, so I took the chance to big us all up and tell him about Goodgym.

"Oh yes, I've seen you. You're like a gardening flashmob. You come in, do a load of weeding, then disappear into the night"

Soon, another great evening came to an end. As a newish member of goodgym, it was great to be invited to a social event, where we could down tools and get to know each other without being scratched by brambles or asking if there was a spare pair of loppers!

Can't wait for the next one!

Referred to variously as the viewing point, the colonnade and the upper level, this Monday's task met 72 steps up from where Netherfield Road meets Prince Edwin Street, serving up a stunning view back down and across Liverpool city and beyond. Our task: protecting and refreshing Everton Park's hillside plant life, giving this historic site and wonderful green space the well-tended care it deserves.

First of all, rewind to the pre-task (optional) run, for which we were set to meet at the Hope Street suitcases, as usual. Unusually, however, our expected running route was blocked off to transform a section of the street into a Gotham City scene for horror thriller, 'Clayface'. With no call for walk-on extras dressed in Goodgym running kit, Siân Leonardo and Dan diverted to the foot of the Catholic Cathedral for our warm-up, sure that our evening ahead in north Liverpool was going to be the best view, and show, in town.

We gently stretched all the running muscles we could remember, ahead of a steady 2.4km jog to the task rendez-vous at the foot of those steps, leading up to the summit of Everton Park. Extra kudos to Leo, whose home is close to Everton Park, but still headed away from the task location to join our group social run back again!

Safely across from suitcase to staircase, task leader Sallyann guided us onwards and upwards, meeting Bekah up top, joined by Lucien and Eleanor(Ellie )to bring our Goodgym ensemble to seven, all treated to a stunning panoramic view: Welsh hills rolling along the skyline, iconic Liverpool buildings dotted about in front of the river, and, in the foreground, the unmistakeably cheery & plucky faces of our Goodgym team 😀

Sallyann had coordinated the session with John, member of Friends of Everton Park, and long-time local resident. John began by surveying the park areas down in front of us. A knowledgeable and enthusing character, it briefly seemed that John himself was rather daunted at the extent of unwanted growth overtaking the park's plant life. However, turning back to our gathering of Goodgym gardeners, gloves at the ready, John explained the challenge ahead, calmly briefing us about the two key offenders we were set to take on.

Firstly, the cherry tree saplings taking root on the lower levels, which risked competing with the established trees and blocking the view of the colourful murals that welcome onlookers travelling along the road. Secondly, the thorny brambles entangling the mature fruit trees on the higher ground, stifling growth and fruiting. We added a third offender, in the form of widespread litter, strewn about and often stuck deep down in the undergrowth - unpleasant blights on the parkscape.

Now clear of our specific activities, we equipped ourselves with pruning loppers and cutters from John's car boot tool armoury, together with a pair of litterpickers for good measure. We divided our steadfast yet careful clearance energies between the baby cherry trees down low and the bramble bushes up high.

Key accomplishments of the roadside team, aside from resisting the tinkly tune of the local ice-cream van, were Leo's calm and steady progress slicing through sapling stems, Bekah coming up trumps as our Ace of Spades (Bekah found a spade to add to John's car boot) and Dan picking up a bag full of litter to keep the ground as clean as it was becoming clear.

Battling away with the spiky intruders at altitude were a quartet whose focus on liberating fruit trees from prickly takeover was barely interrupted, but for brief breaks to admire the golden glow cast by the sunset. Choice photo opps aside, their firm attack saw brambles obliterated into a trampled pile of spliced branches, a sea of spikes all snipped up to blunt their bite. The reward: the sight of crab apple trees standing tall and proud, resplendent with the weight and colour of their burgeoning fruit.

Special commendations to: Lucien, whose saw craft dealt with the hardier growth; Ellie, whose determined pruning skills did not disappoint; Siân, whose dynamic energy ensured the team covered ground thoroughly and efficiently and Sallyann, whose supportive and relaxing team spirit more than compensated for the minor injury accidentally inflicted on an innocent crab apple tree.

As our efforts wound up at the hour mark, Goodgymers reunited with a well-earnt sense of satisfaction, having contributed to a neater and healthier Everton Park hillside, all a little more sparkly in the dusky light.

We ended by looking ahead to the Everton Park Community Garden Open Evening on Friday 12th, 6 to 9pm. Goodgym members are invited to the party, as a chance to socialise, catch up and congratulate everybody's volunteering. Just take along a little cash to chip in for the communal spread on offer and share in the Everton Park love!

Did you know? Up until the 1950s the area that is now Everton Park was densely packed with rows of terraces. Owing to cramped conditions the area was cleared and replaced by an ambitious new housing scheme of towerblocks. That housing lasted barely 20 years before they were demolished, having fallen into disrepair amd disorder, resulting in the relocation of huge populations of north Liverpudlians. The terraced staircases, viewing platforms and grand pergolas you see today are relics of the previous buildings, converted in the 1980s to blend into the large and varied green spaces and plant life you find today, the site of much diversity, past, present and future.

It was raining quite heavily when I got the bus from Old Swan and Bekah drove from Toxteth to a house near Breeze Hill. We met Mr. W and he explained that ‘Bulky Bob’s’ (the local big waste collectors) were coming soon to collect his arm chairs. He wanted them moved into his back room and some other chairs bought down from upstairs. It was a bit of a ‘to me to you’ moment when we navigated how to get the chairs down the stairs. Mr. W was really grateful and said that once Bulky Bob’s had collected he would like us to come back and move the chairs we’d bought down from upstairs into the back room so he could put some flooring down in the living room. We were really glad to be able to complete the mission despite the bad weather and we’d be happy to help Mr. W again.

I had my hair done before this mission which was stupid because I ended up a brambly sweaty mess! Mr C’s house was really big, a lot to manage but the garden was tiny. It was overgrown with brambles so I got my gloves on and my secateurs out and got cracking. I’ve done a job like this before, the brambles are going mad this year. My hands got soaked pricked loads by the thorns on the brambles. I know from the other job like this that it doesn’t hurt that much now but over the next few days I’ll feel like I’ve been pricked like a pin cushion! Mr C said that his health was declining and he tried to help but I told him to take it easy. The neighbour popped her head in and offered a tub of industrial weed killer. Just over an hour into the job it started raining so I called it a day. I think I achieved quite a lot in the time but happy to go back again and do more.

Serving society knows no time or place, you just need to be ready. On a stroll along Crosby Beach, I found the view spoiled by rubbish. I started collecting, and before long I had filled four bags. Some passersby noticed, which I appreciated—not as a show, but as a reminder that small actions can inspire change. At GoodGym, that’s what we do: take small steps that plant seeds for a better future.