For our first weekend task of 2025 we returned to a chilly Sneinton with the wonderful Kathryn Cooper. We were meant to be helping out in the primary school's allotment, however the recent freezing temperatures meant that we couldn't really do a lot of gardening. So, in true GoodGym spirit, we instead decided to turn our hand to a spot of litter picking around the local area.

Lucy, Hannah, Matthew and Rachel met Kathryn and her children at the allotment gate where we collected our pickers and bin bags. We were also joined by one of the local residents who helps out regularly with various community initiatives and litter picks.

We spent an hour filling several big bags of rubbish covering Windmill Lane, Sneinton Road, Green's Windmill carpark, and the area outside the Salvation Army centre and Johnno's Mini Market. Lucy even managed to get a broom from the mini market so that she could sweep up all the cigaratte butts and smaller bits of rubbish that were hard to pick up. Luckily, Rachel had already collected an old broken dustpan so she dug it out of her purple bag and put it to use one final time to collect the sweepings.

Most of what we collected was the usual bottles, cans, sweet wrappers and the like, but Matthew did manage to find an in tact coffee cup discarded on the floor. Obviously this created the perfect mug shot! And yes, that is his breakfast also in his hand - not wanting to let us down when running a little late, he picked up a snack on the way and continued to eat it whilst picking litter!

On this task we also got to take a look at the beds outside the Salvation Army centre which Kathryn and some of our volunteers had worked on at a task last year - see the report from that task here.

It was great to welcome Lucy back with us after a bit of a break, and in doing so she completed her 5th GoodGym task - woo hoo!! Hannah and Matthew are also both closing in on 10 tasks - who will make it first....?

Well done to Matt and Hannah who spent the morning helping out at Sneinton Primary School's allotment (aided by mini GoodGymer Ava).

Writing this report fell to me so, in a break from the norm, I am writing in the first person as it would be very weird to write the report for my own 100th task as if I wasn't there!! :)

So, I just completed my 100th GoodGym task - hurrah to me! Rather fittingly this took place at Sneinton Primary School allotment which is one of my favourite locations for a GoodGym session in Nottingham. I was joined by Jules and we were hosted by the amazing Kathryn who has fingers in many green/community pies in the Nottingham area (she is also one of the most cheerful people I've ever met!).

On arrival, Kathryn explained that the allotment needed a bit of TLC after the school summer break. The weather and the fact that it couldn't be tended to as regularly during the holidays had caused nature to take over a little and it all needed a bit of clearing and tidying. I was perfectly happy with this as clearing weeds and brambles is one of the most satisfying tasks in my opinion!

We decided to concentrate on the sheltered area and set to work pulling up all the bindweed and ivy that had been winding its way around every shelf, table and tool that was being stored in the area. We also tackled some nettles which had started to take over, gaining a few stings in the process.

The hour passed quickly and not only had we built up a good sweat, but the shelter looked much clearer and weed-free, making it a perfect GoodGym outcome. As is obligatory, we took a few photos at the end and Kathryn very kindly drew me a 100 sign as we don't have any capes or flags in GoodGym Nottingham yet - we'll get onto this for any future milestones.

I am very happy to have finally reached my 100th GoodGym good deed having gained my black t-shirt (50) way back in June 2017! A move from London to Nottingham (where GoodGym did not exist until 2023), the pandemic and a baby later, I have finally hit my century.

I was asked yesterday whether I have any favourite or memorable tasks... This is really difficult as they have all been loads of fun. A few that stick in my mind are:

1. My first session with GoodGym Croydon in May 2016. Firstly it was special as it was the start of my life as a GoodGym-er, but also GoodGym founder Ivo came along to this one. I thought maybe this just happened at every session, but I actually think it was because it was only Croydon's second or third week so he had come along to support. Even though, it was kind of cool to meet him at my first task.

2. An incredibly satisfying mission helping an elderly gentlemen clear his overgrown garden on his return from a stay in hospital. He was so lovely and it really felt like we were making a difference to his life. The report name '(What's the Story) Thorning Glory?' may also be one of my best.

3. Volunteering at Night of the 10k PBs - always an absolute blast. Slightly stressful managing the crowds on the track, but a lot of fun and a truly unique experience.

4. One mission where we helped tidy a lady's back garden in the torrential rain. She didn't think we would even turn up, let alone plough on in the wet, but we kept going, got very wet and had a great time (I think the fact I only lived around the corner made the getting wet bit a little less hassle).

5. The Dino Dash in Crystal Palace park...in a heatwave. This race sticks in my mind as it was HOT. It was a team relay event so we got to run as a GoodGym Croydon team doing laps of the park, avoiding the large inflatable dinosaur. At the end, someone unexpectedly busted out a cool box full of ice pops. It was a simple gesture but totally made my evening!

6. My first GoodGym Nottingham session in July 2023 - after a 6-year gap (aside from a couple of random tourist tasks in Derby and York) I LOVED attending my first session in Nottingham. It was just like old times and was so nice to be once again meeting like-minded people and helping out in the local community. The task was at the Meadows Foodbank which has become one of our regular locations now.

I could go on. Every task is fun and I look forward to my next milestone in 400 tasks' time. Even more though I look forward to celebrating the milestones of all the other GoodGym Nottingham members over the coming weeks and months!!

Our final task of a jam-packed weekend was back at Sneinton Primary's allotment.

Natalie got straight to work mowing the whole area to keep it neat and tidy for the kids to get around. Meanwhile, Robert, Leah and another new GoodGymer, Sophie (thanks for joining us!), cleared a patch of nettles, brambles and grasses to create a herb garden, bordered with some of the bricks we had recovered on a previous task.

Smallest GoodGymers Carys and Milo helped Kathryn and her children water all the plants to help them through the lovely sunny period we've been having. They also got to help plant some of Kathryn's huge variety of mints in the new herb garden (and enjoy a delicious home-baked cookie at the end).

A motley crew of GoodGymers headed over to the Sneinton Primary School allotment for another morning of renovations.

Most of the team headed up to the top of the plot where we've previously cleared bushes and bricks and created a dead hedge by weaving bamboo sticks Kathryn had brought along. We then moved loads of dead branches and brambles over to make the "hedge" itself. Hopefully the frogs we saw hopping around will move in over the next few days. Kathryn explained the benefit of this kind of boundary lies in the fact that you've always got somewhere to put trimmings as it slowly rots away, and that it creates a habitat for wildlife.

While this was going on, Rachel weeded some of the children's flowerbeds and Tom pulled out some very deeply rooted brambles. Oliver did some strimming and Natalie got heartily stuck in to moving bricks around to create some borders around the fruit trees.

Some of the team even decided to stay on a bit past 12 to finish the job!

Thanks again to all who came, as Kathryn said, "you guys are legends"! Apologies that I forgot to grab the group pic from Kathryn, I'll upload it once I get it!

Four Nottingham GoodGymers returned to the Sneinton Primary School Community Allotment on Sunday. On arrival, Kathryn explained that our latest task was to move some bricks that had been piled and dumped at the back of the allotment into a more orderly pile in the middle. Leah, Emma and Rachel L set to work on this. We were helped by Kathryn’s 5-year old daughter, Ava, who did a super job and enjoyed uncovering the hundreds of bugs and insects that had been living under the bricks.

Meanwhile, Rachel W and Kathryn worked on clearing another area at the back of the allotment. They managed to get through so much that at one point we lost them into the neighbouring plot!

Before downing tools, we had time for a quick litter pick of the outside path and a photo by our brick pile to finish off another great hour at the allotment. The sun even made an appearance which made us all feel very spring-like and glad that the early morning rain had not tempted us to cancel.

We were delighted to welcome Emma to her first GoodGym task – hope to see you again soon!