53 GoodGymers have supported Friends of Clifton Backies with 6 tasks.
Wednesday 6th April 2022
Written by Leanne (she/her)
Today's challenge was too clear as much litter from a ditch as we could in an hour.
Jenny and Becki from the council actually got into the ditch and focussed on pulling out bikes, trolleys, lino and garden furniture. The rest of us non-wellied up folk explored the brambly edges with an assortment of litter pickers, including some extra long ones.
Within an hour, we'd filled 5 bags of litter and left Becki and Jenny to it with the promise of more ditch-related picking in the future. Next time we might even bring our wellies so that we can join in with the really fun stuff!
Saturday 15th January 2022
Written by Nicola Gover
Team 2 started to assemble at 12 after various teetering arrivals on bike and foot through the freezing fog. We found Team 1 had done a sterling job clearing the area for the shed, flattening the ground as much as possible, measuring up, and mixing a mahoosive amount of concrete! They had also laid down the first 4 slabs already (super speedy!) but unfortunately Beki realised at that point that we were going to run out of materials for the concrete with the current thickness, so step 1 for us was to undo part of their good work and spread the concrete layer out further before re-laying the slabs, and then moving on to new slabs and more concrete mixing. Rich and I joined Katie and Louise on this (who had both already done the full first session! Big props to them both!), quickly joined by Debs (who can't resist a big hammer).
Meanwhile the rest of the group, Cara, Max, Helen and Amy, who couldn't really squeeze in around the shed, kept nice and warm with clearing all around the car park - lopping branches and brambles, sweeping up dead leaves and muck, and generally making it all beautiful and tidy again. Max also entertained us with some comedy dramatic throws of muck into the bushes (sadly not fully captured on camera).
As our concreting and laying skills improved, we got a bit cocky about how good we were and started re-writing the lyrics to Bootylicious.
Something along the lines of: Debs, can you handle this? Louise, can you handle this? Katie can you handle this? I do think you can handle this...
I don't think you're ready for this jelly(like consistency concrete) 'Cause my concrete too slabbylicious for ya, babe
We were quickly brought back down to earth by the realisation that despite the re-spreading of the concrete we were still running out of sand. "Please sir, I want some more!" Just after sending Beki to the shops for more sand, we realised we were also running low on water. After discussing several options (including "pee in it", thanks Rich), we dispatched the most presentable of us (Debs) to knock on doors to find someone with an outdoor tap. Luckily she struck gold on the first try and found an ex-builder, who was very interested and impressed to hear all about GoodGym, and more than happy to help. He also offered us a concrete mixer (damn that would have made life easier!).
With ample sand and water now available we set to finishing off the last two slabs, only to discover we were now getting quite low on cement.. with a little bit of bodging (wouldn't be GoodGym without a bit of bodging) and bulking with more sand, we just about had enough to finish and level the last 2 slabs ("make the noise!" obscure reference for Binky fans). Team Clean meanwhile had finished their super sweeping and we all admired their sparkling carpark. They in turn got to heckle us to hurry up and finish before they froze to death before the final photo could be taken.
Finally done, we all gathered around the Beautiful Slabs for the photo, to many shouts of "don't touch it!" and with a final touch of GG graffiti from Debs, we all set off home to warm up!
Monday 25th March 2019
Written by York runner
GoodGym has partnered with WWF this week to #runforyourworld and LOADS of GG Yorkies turned out to make it happen!
With another two-task week, we set off to Foxwood and Clifton Backies to tackle two tasks, both to improve local spaces for the community.
Before we started, we gave a huge cheer to Huw who has a mammoth weekend of running (and treat-eating) completing the Cake-a-thon and choc-a-thon double, squaring away around 72km in the process, wow! Not only that but Stef run a cracking time at the Coventry Half, Craig scored a new 5k PB at Victoria Dock parkrun and Mel boshed a 10km PB and also ran the furthest she'd ever run in one day, phew! What a weekend.
I led one group (carefully back-marked by Becky and marshalled by Christine and Ellie B!) across Hob Moor to Foxwood, where our task was to reclaim the edges of the tarmac path. Armed with moon-spades, regular spades and one very tiny broom, we made quick progress clearing back encroaching grass.
Nick led the other group (back-marked by Leanne) to Clifton Backies to reclaim the car park, which was very overgrown and full of debris.
We also ALL completed the amazing EARTH HOUR workout, which comprised:
Hopping on one leg
Hopping on the other leg
One minute plank
Upside down plank
Rebound squat jumps
Leanne who is usually a stickler for the rules, got all rebellious and did a reverse plank instead of the lesser-known upside down plank, but boss Nick let her off. There wasn't much rebellion in my group but there were some amazing acrobatics including handstands and cartwheels!