Our trips to Byker are always eventful and tonight was no exception as we paid a return visit to Byker Community Centre, a task first sourced for us by Dan back in February! You can read about what we got up to then, here

We had so much to catch up on despite no community missions taking place over the weekend. Nick and Abi did their first ever mission and saved an escaped greyhound on the way. Their task truly made a difference to an isolated older person in our area. You can see what they got up to in Abi's report here

Kudos !

There was also an amazing social yesterday in which Team GoodGym took part in the Whitley Bay sandcastle competition. You can see their incredible work of art on our Instagram and Facebook Page AND the GoodGym Newcastle rugby team, victorious in their touch rugby league had brought along their trophy for us to admire

Is there anything we can't do?!

I overestimated the warm-up, the distance and the time and we arrived at the task late to find that there had been a very last minute change. There was no room of doom as promised as the hall was now being used by a yoga group. Dan thankfully had new instructions after arriving at the task to meet us and seeing the task owner who had kindly left us some grapes and water! Our new tasks were to tidy up the gardens to the rear and side, do a spot of weeding and do a general tidy up and litter pick around the grounds of the church beyond the centre. We were pleased we could still make a difference after a hot and hilly run there.

We couldn't believe the amazing view of the Quayside below- check out the group photo to see the Tyne Bridge just making a cameo appearance behind us- it was a stunning evening! The task was completed quickly and we got into teams for a hastily prepared fitness session (I had planned to use the hall inside!) We were a few minutes into the circuit session when I realised we were missing a whole group who were so dedicated to the weeding (check out Rachel's pics!) so it was a mix of my all-consuming guilt and them feeling really smug when they eventually came back.

I am so sorry !!

There was a last-minute good deed for a few of us before we left as a music group arriving at the hall needed our help to carry some drums inside too. We can't help being helpful! Hopefully we can go back to Byker Community Centre and do the great task we had planned in a few weeks time... I will keep you posted.

If you're looking for some more good things to do in the community, Andrew's leading a Community Mission this Saturday to spread the word of a free community meal, for FoodCycle Monkchester. If you would like to help out, all the information is here

We are also helping FoodCycle out at the Group Run next week as we spread the word of FoodCycle Westgate. There's a walking option on next week too!

For something completely different, you can join us for a Running Technique session at the Quayside on Wednesday 21st August, suitable for all running abilities. Check out the listing here

Have a great week knowing you started it doing good things,

Anji

It was awesome to welcome along a team in sky blue from the fabulous Claremont Road Runners tonight as they popped along to GoodGym Newcastle in place of their usual Monday night club run to see what we are all about. It was so great to see how quickly you all "got it" and got involved and we'd love to have you back any time! Thanks Nina for organising this mini mash-up. Click on the link to find out more about this fab local running club.

While we were famously getting our mugs on telly after ITV filmed us last week, GoodGym life went on and we did what we do every Monday, meeting up at Hotel Indigo, with a quick catch up, warming up with a silly game and heading off into the night to do good deeds. It was an extra-special night as everyone's favourite Route Master and all-round top husband of mine Paul was celebrating his birthday. For those who didn't come tonight, you missed CAKE. And there was loads of it.

For my 50th Good Deed tonight we had a brilliant new task at Byker Community Association organised by ace task forcer Dan. We had one big job to do: sort out THE ROOM OF DOOM by helping to clear out a cupboard, forming a human chain to transport piles of random stuff to a waiting skip. The human chain is always a firm favourite of ours as we passed down everything from a spirit level, a mannequin, loads of out of date drinks and in Paul's words, "something rank, I don't even know how to describe the smell". Task owner Rowena was delighted with our help, as the cupboard was cleared in under 20 minutes.

YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!

Rowena gave us a fabulous background history of the centre and told us all about the brilliant activities that bring the community together in Byker in the famous wall. The clear out that is currently taking place will allow the team there to create a reading room where they will host beam-back bedtime story readings for children in refugee camps. How life-changing is that? It was great that we were able to make such an impact and I know we will be back.

I changed my original plan for the fitness session tonight when I saw the tables and chairs set up in the main hall that were begging for some fit competitive people to play a game of musical chairs on them (with a fitness twist, obviously). All manner of competitive game play ensued with moments including Emma grabbing a chair from under Sarah (literally), Nick jumping into chairs in absolute ninja fashion, and an edge to Charlotte storming into winning seats we have never seen before! The fitness forfeits were also creative and fun, my favourite being Dave's step ups on the chair while he waited his turn to come back in.

In the end, it was Emma who was victorious, declaring "I HAVE NEVER WON AT MUSICAL CHAIRS IN MY LIFE!" leaving me a little sad I didn't have a lolly or something for her.

Three top elements achieved: heart rate up, out of breath and laughing our heads off.

I've shared a great live video on our Facebook page that was posted on Byker Community Association's FB of everyone during the task that I hope you all enjoy.

It's another new task next week as we trot off to help out with a huge kitchen clear-up at Newcastle Cricket Club. Get involved and you might even get to play childrens' party games by way of exercising. Sign up Here

Have a great week,

Anji x