I began today feeling a deep sense of connection with the world, inspired by Goodgym's woodland adventures of yesternight. Then, I reflected again.

Our clearance of clumps of young trees was requested, as necessary to open up the space for park users and the nearby Shrewsbury House Youth Club. But tis sometimes a struggle, being cruel, sustained only by the hope that our actions are understood as simple kindness. Thus, for this Goodgym mission of sensible park management, we kept our hearts somewhat hidden, satisfying the remit of the task, however slightly ruthless it might have felt.

As the sun sank, we switched on the stark glare of our night lights, illuminating the forest staring back at us, with its meek foliage fluttering in the evening breeze. We proceeded with the merciless grinding of our saws against hard wood, backed with the sharp bite of our loppers severing through sapling branches. We then neatly piled up the spoils of our lumberjacking, anticipating the season of crackling bonfires ahead.

Nearby skateboarders were said to have heard the occasional roar of destructive pleasure sounding from amongst the falling trees.

To express this conflicted medley of emotion, in a neat, comic pun, I searched and found the title of a dreamy, sentimental love song, so it, too, could be crushed, by simply remembering the brutal efficiency of our seemingly innocent, rustic garden implements. Delivering tough love, for the greater good(gym).

Pun (drawing on the lyrics of a song by Briony Greenhill):

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PeonN3AeWNE&si=LPpFIY0EQY0Qm94B

It always feels humbling to be asked to support an event like Savera's march and celebration of culture day. Savera's dedicated staff members work tirelessly to support people who have experienced Honour Based Abuse and their annual event aims to raise awareness. Last years event had been scaled down due to a huge storm so it was with relief that today's weather was kind staying dry and warm for the end of September.

We met at Williamson Square, Sian and Lucien arriving with overnight bags as they were setting straight off afterwards to catch a train to spend the weekend away. We were tasked to give out information leaflets and flank the drummers to ensure their path along the march was clear, leaving the drummers able to concentrate on their amazing and foot tapping perfornance.

Amina left no person uninvolved as we marched through town and people gathered to watch the drummers and dancers giving out a marathon number of leaflets to just about the entire population. As Lucien Sian and I supported the drummers Liam cleared the way in front doing such an expert job that I looked up at one point and assumed he was part of the events crew.

The march arrived at The Bombed Out Church and we set about with donation buckets, venue and timetable information, feedback forms and of course the ever present litter pickers.

All the feedback forms were completed, queries and directions provided, donation buckets rattled and attendees questions answered. It was an added thrill to see people sat at the tables that Goodgym had helped to paint only a few weeks before when doing a Monday session with The Bombed Out Church CIC.

We had an opportunity to see some of the performamces and listen to the speeches which included our friend and fello Goodgymer Afrah who founded Savera and is their CEO. Always so inspiring to hear what people are doing with such limited resources to support people affected by Honour Based Abuse and raise awareness of the subject.

Thank you Savera for giving us the opportunity to be part of the day.

This year’s sun, brighter and warmer than ever, carried us through spring and summer as though autumn might never arrive. But after weeks of drizzle and chill fighting for entry, the season finally broke through. Last week’s GoodGym session had been cancelled because of the rain, leaving everyone eager to meet again.

From the buzz in the WhatsApp group, you could tell how much we had missed one another. When the week’s location was announced, I checked the website. The name looked familiar, so familiar that a picture formed in my mind. I wondered, could it be that place? After running, I arrived and saw the group gathered. Yes, it was the same spot. Years ago, I had passed by here often when it was nothing but a rubbish dump. I used to hope that one day it would be transformed. And now, here it stood, not a forgotten corner but a jewel. Warm, caring hands had not just lit a candle here, they had hung a chandelier. The little olive bonsai gave the place a spirit of peace.

Placed between a mosque and a church, the corner felt like a symbol of harmony, an oasis where people of different backgrounds could meet. That evening, the warmth of the group outweighed the chill of autumn. Seeing Mishael, a new member, added even more energy. Soon, Khan, our host, came from a nearby house. Friendly and full of life, he explained our task, to pull up the weeds so the plants could breathe and grow. Unlike most hosts who specify what to remove, Khan simply trusted us to decide. At first, the task felt uncertain, but with guidance from experienced members, piles of weeds quickly took shape.

As always, conversations flowed. At one point, I asked Khan if his name began with “KH.” When he confirmed, we spoke about the meaning of names. I told him names are small miracles that can shape personality and destiny. When I shared that my own name means “someone who helps,” he smiled and admitted his middle name means “garden.” With a laugh, he added, “I never thought I’d actually be part of building one.” That is the quiet power of names.

By the end, we had gathered far more weeds than expected, pressing them down to fit into bags. Yet the work felt light, the warmth of the group kept the evening glowing. Even after Khan announced the end of the session, no one was in a hurry to leave. We stayed, talking and enjoying the space we had helped care for.

The GoodGym Liverpool family is truly something special. Once again, empathy and cooperation turned a small act into a meaningful transformation. We showed that community development doesn’t come from big budgets or loud slogans, but from simple things, shared effort, warm hearts, and the desire to make a place better.

Because when hands join with hope, even the coldest corner can become a garden of peace.