The nights are most definitely drawing in with the need for head torches now ever present!

This was the last fish pass survey of the year, with the clocks changing soon, making it difficult to see the passes and if they are obstructed by anything.

We got to 3 passes last night and also had a further afield contribution from @James Smith who sent us some photos in the daylight from Meadowhall a bit further down the river. Thanks James!

Get your head torches charged up for the next one folks and we'll see you there!

Happy running! :)

Mr M recently had someone out to look at his electrics, but they couldn't provide him the new lightbulbs he needed for his living room. So, he bought the replacements, but just needed someone to fit them for him. That's where I came in.

Up on a ladder, bulbs in hand, it was barely a 10 minute job to change out 6 bulbs. I washed the glass fittings whilst I was at it, since they were full of dust and bugs. A bit of chit chat along the way about his recent birthday and a badger in the garden and before I knew it, it was job done!

5 of us started running from The Showroom. We stopped a couple of times to take photographs of The Big Moon. It was so low, big and bright and we were all over the moon. Nice evening for a run to meet the Sustrans team. John explained that it is no more called Sustrans but it is now known as 'Walk,, Cycle , Wheel Trust'. We worked hard but fast as we are all fit. The team were very impressed of how fast we tackled the street and collected cans, trash and rubbish. Simon came to join us too on his bike and trailer and he worked very hard too and longer than us because we all waited and chatted with the others. Eventually Simon came but were all still busy taking photographs of the Big moon.

After meeting for our local Park Run, we headed in the pouring rain to tidy up the community garden space at the allotments. The wind had already ruined the shed roof but we found a dry corner to leave our stuff. Bind weed, stinging nettles, brambles etc were cut and removed and we tidied and trimmed generally. Yoseph run about 8km to join us and in the tipping rain we ploughed on. Back to Annie's for breakfast and to warm up.

There was an Abundance of volunteers this Wednesday lunchtime to harvest apples with Friends of Whirlowbrook Park, and thank goodness, because what a crop!

We met Nicola and other "friends of" at the entrance to the park and were led to the recently unearthed orchard, where there were 5 or so apple trees that had been hidden and not harvested for an estimated 30 years, plus lots of newly planted baby fruit trees.

Celine kicked things off with a wassail, blessing the trees with a verse, some apple cider vinegar and toast(!)

We then set to the usual work of clearing windfalls, getting in with telescopic pickers and then the fun of shaking the trees and catching fruit with a big tarpaulin. Yoseph was our intrepid tree-climber today, taking on the branch shaking from the top.

The bumper crop was quality control sorted into firsts, seconds and thirds. Most of the thirds were left for nature and, after we took as many as we wanted, the firsts and seconds will be distributed to good causes.

On a quiet and dry evening a team of goodgymmers ran up the hill - up and up all the way to the very top, but the views are as breathtaking as the climb up.

Garden angel Angela welcomed us to the school garden and laid out the tasks in store for us fir this autumn themed session:

• Sawing down dead conifers at the bottom of the garden
• bringing up the trunks and branches to the top
• hammering down stakes between which a dead hedge would be built at a later stage as a cosy home for wildlife

In no time, we had split into 2 teams, sawing away, wheeling offcuts and branches, hammering and bashing away all under a bright half moon.

Shout out to our hardworking crew tonight:

Lumberjack Rachel, scourge of the dead trees, joined by parent volunteer Rachel - yes 2 Rachels! Dead conifers beware! Wheelie good wheelbarrow driver Cat; Stake rhythm bashers Celine & Yvette; Masters of the hammers James and Yoseph; and recording the action and encouraging the team Annie still recovering from hip and elbow injuries - top marks for making it out tonight!

In under half an hour, we had cleared the dead trees and staked in the soon to be hedge.

We concluded all this sawing, wheeling and hammering actions with a gorgeous green tomato cake baked by Angela! Delishious!!!!

We then said our goodbyes to Angela and Rachel, promised to come back soon and rolled down the hill, a lot quicker than on the way up. Until next time for a winter inspired session!