Despite the awful weather Five GGers were met by 5 Fishponds Friends to remove ground ivy and strip some trees of climbing ivy. Most of the work was ripping and rolling up ivy from the ground, revealing snowdrops bluebells and violets concealed underneath. Babs and Hannah developed a technique of rolling up the ivy like a blanket while the rest of us adopted an individual yanking and tugging technique with good effect. We filled 6 large bags but there’s still plenty more and enough for a Monday night group run if we can fit one on.

Four fantastic Goodgymers got a good arm workout hauling out boxes to set up the monthly book sale at Tang Hall Library. There were lots of great books on all sorts of topics: James indulged his love of the celebrity memoir, while Holly checked out the very latest styles in (1970s) knitwear and Amy picked up an introduction to nothing (?!). All the proceeds will go to support this great community venue.

January may be over but that doesn't stop goodgym York from coming out in force to keep doing good!

We started by celebrating the folk who ran Dewsbury 10k and especially Amy's sub 50min PB! We also adorned John with the cape of good deeds for reaching a phenomenal 600 tasks, and congratulated Becca for getting to 50.

We were then off to Holgate Allotments where Helen already had the bonfire going. Tasks included emptying the shed, cutting back brambles, digging over the soil and keeping the fire going. it was a chilly night and we were grateful for the warmth, even if a few people got a bit singed!

i didn't need my leg hair anyway - michael

We enjoyed the fire so much it was too difficult to tear people away for fitness so we did some exercises whilst enjoying the heat. There was a bit of a stand off between Ed and Alex on the arm circles, and despite Alex's pleading we had to call a draw!

We have been asked if we'd like yo return to take the shed down. Now that sounds like the perfect follow up and right up our street!

Andrea, Soph and Elle worked away at tidying the Fulford Hall patio and shredding more of that huge buddleia... until nearly an hour in, the hall Yoga teacher thought their chipper and chatter was too much for meditation! They stopped for coffee and the team decided it wasn't in good spirit to leave the job unfinished, so they headed back into the freezing cold and did GoodGym proud.

Soph and Elle set-up the hall for the Fulford Community coffee, tea and soup morning. They have the routine down by now and everything gets done in a jiffy.

Four people signed up for the last community mission of the January Challenge: a 1pm litter pick along Kingsway North.

• One signed out after a Saturday morning double good deed session. She needed a nap!
• Nicky decided to start an hour early so that she could get home quicker.
• Paul Kelly and Leanne started an hour late so that they could have lunch and visit a five-sailed windmill between tasks.

On average, they probably all arrived on time...

Nicky found lots of her litter on the way to the meeting point and had already filled her bag to the brim before she reached Kingsway North... mostly with a giant Peppa pig calendar.

Paul and Leanne found Nick and Barbara on the way to their pick - who seemed to be racing around York collecting last minute squares on their bingo cards. They did make it to Kingsway North and got most of the way down the road before their bags became heavy enough to leave by the bins for the council to collect.

They all went home for a well earned rest having claimed the title of the last GG Yorkies standing in the January Challenge!