Puns don’t kill people, wrappers do (not really)

What a wrappers delight! Now what you hear is not a test, I'm wrappin' to the beat… (I’ll stop now)

The task this evening at St Werburghs Community Centre was a welcome indoor one, and what a task. Eighty presents to wrap and an hour (ish) to do it in, ready, set, GO!

No spoilers (unless you look at the photos) on what we wrapped in case the wrong person reads this but there were decisions to be made.Tough decisions. Once we got into a rhythm we raced through them and before long we had finished. What a fun task. Ho Ho Ho, I’m off to room 7 for a lecture in my clown suit.

Until next time…

A few GoodGym people came together to do online yoga.. Thanks for coming happy for any feedback or comments..

yoga talk.. Yoga teaches us to find ease in effort, comfort in discomfort, and resilience in every breath. This idea is beautifully mirrored in a concept called hormesis—the practice of facing small, manageable challenges to grow stronger and more adaptable. Whether it’s holding a pose longer than feels easy or stepping onto your mat when it’s cold outside, these moments of deliberate effort cultivate resilience. Let’s use this season to deepen our practice, on and off the mat.

A few GoodGym members came together to do online yoga.

Yoga talk Yoga is great for runners because it improves flexibility, strength, and balance, helping to prevent injuries. The focused breathing and mindfulness in yoga also aid in recovery and reduce stress, supporting better endurance and performance. Plus, it helps strengthen key muscle groups that support running, like the core, glutes, and legs, enhancing overall stability and efficiency.

A bumper night of GoodGymming for regulars and new GoodGymmers alike - six lovely people completing their forat ever task, welcome Rob, Wendie, Charlie, Emma, Kirsten and Marta who's no longer a mystery!

Almost half-and-half walkers and runners, 6 of us made the most of the transit time to walk and talk, the 8 runners making a quicker arrival and getting some introductions done in time for our arrival - thanks Vaguely Northern Darren for run leading and Dave G for backmarking having already helped with document checks. Jason was most excellent as a walking group back marker as we struggled more keeping six of us together walking through the city centre.

The delicate tram-moving proved way too anxiety inducing for me but the excellent TaskForce were much better at it, supported by the not-so-strong yet team whilst those already warmed up somehow shifted an incredibly heavy ex-House of Fraser cosmetic counter out of the way - apparently it felt like solid granite (though so did the blatantly perspex tram cover).

The transport zone was ready for a make-over with fabric being stripped from walls, shelves cleared and a low wall (astro-)turfed as the new location for the "Do not touch this" tram which we all made sure we touched, obviously.

Meanwhile, lots more wood and metal was shifted to clear space to a door which led to another room of wood and metal that all wanted shifting to another mystery room that already contained wood and metal - that's just our sort of job! Some of the wood was from theatre sets - Sparks is a creative space and they've developed contacts all over the city to make use of items which may otherwise be chopped up - this time is was mysterious black shapes and a couple of arrows, plus fluffy white boards just too long to be easily tipped or moved. our speciality.

Before we knew it, our time was up and it was "find somewhere for the final task photo", knowing that we're back to Sparks next week for a planned task - this had been an "eek, can you come along, we really neeeeeed you" request. So Chiristmas decorating it is for next week, what with it being November by then...

All of this was rounded off with a drink and more chat at Club Haus, pots of tea winning hands down again, Caroline, Marianne and Helen playing teapot tetris to get all the tea things back on a single tray whilst Ed supervised wearing a t-shirt that he'd received for completing an event instead of his usual volunteer wardrobe.

A great night, same time, same place next week?

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to say well done on dedicating that hour yesterday purely to yourselves through yoga—connecting to your body through breath and movement. In a world full of distractions, taking this time isn’t just a break; it’s a powerful practice for your health and well-being, both physically and mentally.

Science increasingly backs what yoga has known for centuries: regular, focused time for ourselves enhances mental clarity, reduces stress, and even strengthens our immune response. Studies show that practicing mindfulness through breathwork and poses can lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase the brain’s grey matter, which supports memory, emotional regulation, and resilience against stress.

It’s no small thing to give yourself this gift of presence, and it’s especially meaningful in today’s world. By simply being there, focusing on your breath, and staying connected to each movement, you’re cultivating a healthier mind and body.

Thank you for your energy and dedication! Let’s keep showing up for ourselves in this way.

Warmly, Paul