This session we were back at the Bombed Out Church, completing our excellent work painting the final tables, stools and benches, taking on the Host Stand, and litter picking.

We welcomed new Goodgymmer Colin who joined us for his first task - welcome Colin! It was great to meet you.

Task owner Kate gave us a thorough briefing, and we split into groups, some taking on the painting, and some on litter-picking duty. The site initially looked fairly clear, though with some rummaging the team were able to fill several litter bags, including a pair of shoes (yes, the full pair), socks, and a rather lovely bowl. The painting team took it in turns swapping the large and small brushes, and efficiently finished painting the benches, tables and stools, before turning their attention to the larger Host Stand. Everyone got stuck in, whilst I was on the important tasks of project management, team co-ordination, quality control and torch holding.

The BOC team were again delighted with how much we achieved in such a short space of time, and booked another session there and then. Next time we'll be planting bulbs to prepare for a dazzling daffodil display in the spring!

Alas, every silver lining has a cloud, and the cloud hanging over this session was that our beloved Dan is moving on to pastures new, and this was his last session with Goodgym Liverpool - for now. Dan joined Goodgym Liverpool six months ago, and quickly became an integral member of the group. His love of litter picking, skills with the puns, way with wordsmithery and all-round fabulous company endeared him to all he met, and we're very sorry to see him go. But Dan won't be giving up on Goodgym, he'll be moving to Goodgym Hackney, who don't know how lucky they are to have him - yet. Dan leaves us as a taskforce member with a very respectable 26 good deeds under his belt. He's assured us he'll be back to visit, and the door is always open for him to (litter) pick up where he left off. Dan - it's been an absolute pleasure getting to know you, we hope to see you again very soon.

The team presented Dan with a card and a farewell gift of some thorn proof gardening gloves and his very own litter picking hoop (he already owns his own litter picker!), and he very kindly opened his home to us for some post-task refreshments for a proper farewell.

Goodgym is a fantastic way to get to know some very lovely people, the other side of that coin is it's always difficult when people move on. But you know what they say: 'tis better to have loved litter-picked, than never to have volunteered at all...

It was a cool morning of good running weather, damp but with no rain, as Sophie, Dike, Amina, Dan, Leo and I joined the crowd gathered at the start line of Prince's parkrun. We all made good time on our two and a half loops around the park, waving at Lucien on our way past as he fed the ducks and cheered us on. At the beginning of the year Sallyann had the brilliant idea to encourage people to join for our monthly social by giving us all special custom loyalty cards and bribing us to turn up to parkrun and/or breakfast with the promise of adding a star sticker each time. Part of the grand vision of her plan was that each month we would also choose a new cafe to try that we hadn't been to before, and so get to decide the best local breakfast. At September's session, Sallyann upped the stakes even further by handing out GOLD star stickers instead of the already very exciting silver we were used to. This month she was away, thinking that she was safe to pass sticker duty into Lucien's trustworthy hands, but without her we descended into sticker chaos! We are already into month ten of the year in parkrun, and running out of ideas for new cafes. We decided it would be acceptable to return to our previous regular The Third Cafe, since we hadn't been there this year. Sophie and Amina headed home while the rest of us went for breakfast, hoping that this would not jeopardise our star! Luckily Sallyann confirmed that she only needed the group photo as proof of who had made up the group that morning... but this led to subterfuge and deception as a certain member made such a convincing fake version of the group photo including her that we were suddenly certain we remembered a strange stick figure with a big smile jogging in our midst! Given that she missed parkrun because she was doing a different and longer run, I think at least half a star is owed to Bekah for that, and at least another half for creativity and nerve! This is why I'm not allowed to make the rules....

Friday evenings weather was a little overcast when John from Everton Community Garden opened the gates. Cries of "it's due to rain at 7" echoed around as a sudden gust of wind caused one of the gazebos to try and make an escape down Prince Edwin Street! A quick search for ropes and bags of sand, ensured they stayed put for the rest of the evening. Kevin was a dab hand at the barbeque, with hotdogs and burgers at the ready, along with the bar, trays of cakes and some gorgeous freshly pressed apple juice, of which I couldn't get enough of.

Soon enough it was time for the auction. Bids flew all over for the large baskets of fresh produce. Then it was time for the odd shaped piece. The Tromboncino.

Silence as the auctioneer tried to get it going. "£3" whispered SallyAnn, and without further ado, she was the proud owner of a member of the squash family . Another member, Leo, found himself now owning a MacBook case for a whole pound.

One guest asked if I was a volunteer, so I took the chance to big us all up and tell him about Goodgym.

"Oh yes, I've seen you. You're like a gardening flashmob. You come in, do a load of weeding, then disappear into the night"

Soon, another great evening came to an end. As a newish member of goodgym, it was great to be invited to a social event, where we could down tools and get to know each other without being scratched by brambles or asking if there was a spare pair of loppers!

Can't wait for the next one!

In today’s age of dazzling lights and constant motion, the humble glow of a candle may seem too faint, too insignificant to notice. Yet, in many forgotten corners of our cities, such small lights can shine brightest, offering warmth, encouragement, and hope where they are needed most.

In line with the ongoing community efforts of GoodGym, our group received a call for cooperation from such a corner of the city. It was a place that, though overlooked, had long served as a quiet beacon for the surrounding houses. Years ago, the locals had transformed part of their neighborhood into a small green space: a table and several large planters stood there, inviting but worn, needing care and attention. Dust and erosion had left their marks, but not their spirit.

Our group arrived in three stages to restore this space. The table and planters were carefully sanded, with two planters freshly painted. The area was swept clean, giving it back its charm and freshness. While some members worked on sanding, pruning, and tidying, others collected stray items scattered around the neighborhood. The energy was high, the atmosphere warm and lively.

The day became even more special with the arrival of two new members and the long-awaited presence of Ema. Some of us had known Ema only through chats and emails, but meeting her in person added a new spark. Her kind words and cheerful presence doubled the warmth of the gathering.

Yes, in that small corner of the city, we lit a candle once again. The joy was visible not only among us but also in the smiles and gestures of the locals, some waving from their cars as they passed by. Their response was proof that even the smallest light can rekindle a sense of connection and belonging.

After completing the restoration, we shared a short reflection together and then, with a smile, visited what we jokingly named “Ema Lake.” In truth, it was no grand lake at all, just a small pond surrounded by plants, but since Ema had mentioned it a few times, the name stuck and added a lighthearted touch to the day. Standing there, laughing together, it felt like the perfect closing to a day of meaningful work, fun, and renewed friendships.

GoodGym Liverpool meets every Monday for their group runs, followed by a task in the community. Two runners, SallyAnn and Dike, met at The Suitcases (Duke Street) for the run. Only Dike ran, while Sally cycled alongside, providing company and some coaching to the upcoming marathon finisher wannabe (pun intended). They headed to Park Lane, the venue for the day’s task, where they would meet up with Sian, Lucien, Danchito, Clara, Leonardo, and Elaine from the Urban GreenUp Project Liverpool, who would coordinate the task of the day. Previous tasks with Elaine had involved uprooting overgrowth at the Park Lane green corridor, so most GoodGymers who turned up that day expected the same. However, Elaine had a different plan—clearing a pile of green waste from previous weeding sessions. The waste was piled in a corner, some bagged but most left loose. The task was to re-bag the waste and load it into a van. Everyone worked on clearing the waste except Lucien and Elaine, who focused on uprooting more overgrowth. Stem after stem, shrub after shrub, they bagged everything by hand while chatting and laughing. Not even the thorns, the smell of decomposing leaves, or the sight of slugs could dampen their morale. In about an hour, more than three-quarters of the pile was re-bagged. The icing on the cake was an elderly man—probably a local—who, on seeing the GoodGymers clearing the rubbish, pulled out his phone to take photos while praising their efforts. By the end, the walkway, which had been blocked by the pile of green waste, was clear and fit for use again.