Five GoodGymers joined us for our bonus group run with the Ouseburn Trust on cold but sunny January day. Newcastle members Tanya , Debbie , Angela and I were joined by parkrun and GoodGym tourist Jason who had come up to Newcastle from GoodGym Leeds to get his parkrun alphabet J at Jesmond Dene and decided to make a day of it by including GoodGym.

We had a short walk from the stables over to the Ouseburn Trust container were we met task owner Dave and were equipped with gardening glove and loppers or secateurs then we send off up the steps by the Northumberland Arms and set to work, along side with Ouseburn Trust volunteers, on cutting back the branches and brambles which were growing into the path and pushing any cuttings back into the bush.

The area was covered in litter and we found a bank cascading with hundred of (mostly bud light) cans. I have so many questions. How was there so many? Surely these can't all be from one siting? A random person to who drinks a crate a day on his lunch break? Why bud light? Tanya requested litter pickers and bin bags and Dave retrieved from the container the biggest bin bags and I have ever seen! We got stuck in litter picking for the last 20 mintues and managed to make a big dent in the budlight mountain. I could barely pull myself away ('just one more handful!') but we were running out of time, the huge bag was getting full and getting out was a bit of a scramble! Angela was also struggling to stop continuing to littering pick all the way back to put the equipment away.

We decided not to do a fitness session as we collectively decided parkrun and the never ending stairs near the Northumberland arms were enough for today.

Well done everyone and a special thanks Jason for joining us you are welcome back anytime you are in Newcastle!

With Storm Bert bringing a bit of havoc over the weekend, we knew tonight’s task with brilliant Ouseburn Trust was in very good time. Ouseburn trust is responsible for keeping the Ouseburn area vibrant, safe and brilliant for both residents and commuters using the network of paths connecting Newcastle. We love lending them a hand, and even in the darkness of winter thanks to our trusty floodlights we are able to keep the partnership going.

Storm Bert stopping plans over the weekend was the topic of conversation when we met up tonight, forcing many of us hardy parkrunners to change, and in my case cancel, plans. I also shared plans for upcoming tasks as we head towards (whisper it!) our Christmas break.

Armed with head torches and lights and suitably layered up we headed off to meet task owner Dave for an epic tidy up session in the Ouseburn Valley. Split into two teams tonight, litter picking and maximising our step count for the day was Aimee, Damu, Max, Scott and I, while Tom and Jack got stuck into leaf sweeping with Dave. Keeping track of the group was easy enough though- just keep a look out for the head torches and you can’t go wrong! A really simple task this evening that covered a lot of ground and really made a difference.

As I missed our last social thanks to a stomach bug, a repeated visit to the Cumberland Arms followed this evening, a great chance to warm up and chat to round off an excellent start to the week.

If you’re around on Saturday morning there’s a great Urban Green Newcastle task at Leazes Park where we are getting some expert tool training as part of the session. Come and meet us any time from 10am.

It was a very mild October evening down in the Ouseburn Valley this evening, with the weather offering no clue of the effects of the edge of Storm Ashley that we caught yesterday. Whilst we know we were let off very lightly compared to some parts of the country, nevertheless, Ashley meant that we weren’t short of work on our mission tonight!

Armed mostly with brooms and rakes, and the odd set of shears, we started with a leg workout as we made our way up the steps from the bottom to the top of the valley! We followed that with a lateral core workout - it’s always surprising how much torso rotation is involved in sweeping and raking - and we did an awful lot of sweeping and raking tonight to clear away the leaves and twigs deposited by the storm. Together with some expert clipping by Pippa, double brooming by Adam, the reverse rake technique demonstrated by Scott, and some rather acrobatic broom balancing by Tom, the rest of us, Aimee, Max, Jack, David and I managed to clear A LOT of paths! It was surprising how many people walk through the valley despite the dark, so hopefully our efforts will be appreciated.

Somewhat fortuitously, the last path we cleared led directly to the pub - can’t imagine how that happened! Top task owner Dave wowed us with his hi-viz multi-functional kilt and educated us with stories about the houses that were cleared from the valley in order to build the Metro Bridge, and the fact that the bridge is constructed with huge concrete blocks glued together! Think about that next time you’re on the Metro at Byker - or actually, maybe don’t! Dave also insisted on buying the drinks tonight - a truly top guy! Thanks Dave!

As usual, a win for us tonight with the final score Ashley 0 - GoodGym 1!

So proud of our transformation work tonight was I, that I hadn't even made it home before I needed to share the before and after pics from the task with the GG WhatsApp group. A simple task for us with a big difference.

Despite a wet, wet, wet start to the week, four of us showed up with a mix of Monday musings: Scott had spent the day marking, Damu had some new fancy running bottoms to show off, I had a long discussion about Kylie wine to share and poor Aimee had a sprained ankle. It felt like the first grim weather for GoodGym in a good number of weeks so we were thin on the ground but ready to get cracking. Helping the brilliant Ouseburn Trust, we were promised a proper workout as we helped to keep paths clear and safe for the many walkers, runners and cyclists passing through.

Armed with three different types of scraping tools we headed off with task owner Dave to clear the cobbles at the bottom of the bank under The Ship Inn. This was instantly satisfying, scraping up loads of weeds and mud from the cobbles, thankfully loosened off by the rain. The time seemed to fly over tonight as we transformed the area in just 45 minutes. Make sure you scroll along to the before and after photos!

We will be back at Stepney Bank Stables next Monday where Damu is leading a community mission to help at the stables with a number of jobs (and probably patting horses) so come along for that if you can.

I read something last week that said you should never start a story with a description of the weather and I thought maybe it’s my British-ness but I always usually start my reports with that. So I definitely won’t tell you how sunny, or warm, or muggy it was for tonight’s group session. A rare laid-back Monday gave me the chance to cycle to the session tonight which gave me a good sense of smugness on arrival. Joining me tonight was Louise on her 299th good deed, Lucy, Scott and Damu who had run to the session tonight.

Tonight we were helping Ouseburn Trust which is a mere hop and skip from Stepney Bank Stables, and an organisation we always love to help. Task owner Dave greeted us with his usual warm (did I mention it was warm?) welcome and reminded us of tonight’s task: cutting back overgrown hedges. This is a task that really makes a difference as it helps to keep Ouseburn safe along the well-trodden paths.

After collecting tools and gloves we headed down to the hedges and discussed whether dock leaves really do heal nettle stings (turns out lettuce does the trick too!). It was also then we found out Damu actually likes the feeling of nettle stings (??) so it was truly a night of learning interesting facts.

The task itself flew by as we chopped and looped the hedges, Scott in particular really giving it some welly with the high bits tonight. We all got really stuck in and the before and after photos show how much we put in. My arms are already shaking writing this!

For the fitness session tonight it was an old favourite, five minute fitness: five short exercises to get the heart pumping and the arms aching (even more!) I always think passers by must wonder what on earth we are up to when we are doing this workout. This was in place of Damu’s suggestion to simply climb the stairs to the Cumberland Arms for drinks for today’s workout, but maybe he did that after I left anyway.

Another blazing hot (not the weather, exactly) start to the week. Well done! Join us this Saturday if you can for an Urban Green Newcastle gardening session in Leazes Park.

Tonight’s task was initially billed as part two of a two part task, then it became part one of a potential two part task, and it turned out being part one of one. Phew.

The group session tonight was to help our friends at Ouseburn Trust the spread the word about the upcoming Ouseburn Festival which takes place on the 13th and 14th of July. I was delighted that the task organiser brought her dog Bruce along to drop the leaflets off- surely a good omen for a good night ahead. Louise was thankfully fine and back in action after a nasty fall at the weekend and Damu’s legs were also still working after the Round Sheffield Run on Saturday. You can’t keep a GoodGymer down! I was delighted to see a newbie along for the session tonight, big welcome to Scott on his first ever good deed. I just know he’s going to do some good stuff with us so go and give him a cheer.

While we were initially under the impression there were around 100 leaflets to distribute, a quick count revealed there were actually 320 meaning a team decision to ditch a fitness session tonight in favour of getting them all delivered in one go. Challenge accepted!

Martin was in charge of the route tonight and while I wasn’t sure I would ever forgive him for what felt like 3000 steps to get there we appeared in Heaton ready to start in no time. Why are steps so humbling?? Incidentally Martin also inadvertently provided me with the pun for this report after starting a discussion about biceps during the group photo shoot.

There was a back up plan in place in case we didn’t get the whole leaflet drop done in time but we didn’t need it as we flew through the flyer stack in no time and started heading back. Hopefully this brings along loads of locals to enjoy all the great stuff on offer at the festival.

We’ve got a busy week ahead including a midweek race opportunity at The Monthly Mile in South Shields, a big Sunday bike ride and not one but two gardening sessions with Urban Green Newcastle. All are welcome and we’d love to see you.