8 Goodgymers spent their evening at one of their more regular haunts dubbed on the website as ‘a Secret Garden’ (in Widcombe). No, it’s not THE Secret Garden, you won’t find Mary Lennox playing there. Rather, it’s an old Baptist Burial Ground looked after by The Bath Preservation Trust, cheery! (It is actually quite lovely).

As a few GoodGymers ran their way to the Garden/Burial Ground, discussions were had around what our tasks today would be, as we had a larger group than normal. Would we or wouldn’t we be removing bind weed and brambles? How do we feel about pulling up bind weed and brambles? Suffice to say, and you won’t be surprised, we did pull up an abundance of bind weed and chopped down many a bramble. Some of us felt sad for said plants, I suppose they’d gone to all that effort to choke the life out of the other plants, and bind weed flowers look pretty. The brambles were even showing off their bounty of blackberries. We mused about uses for bind weed: could we fashion a rope? Did it have medicinal properties? Interestingly the leaves do contain a molecule that can treat hypertension and is also known to be a diuretic, among other things… so not all bad! (Thank you Wikipedia) The flowers are also important for sweat bees! (I’ll let you research those and no it’s not a typo).

But I digress… all GoodGymers assembled we took to the task assigned, with gusto, and as usual we cleared a sizeable space of bind weed and brambles within our allotted hour. Making light work of it if I do say so myself. Richard, Jerr and Ruth even managed to remove a blanket of the stuff; allowing flora and fauna underneath to be free and to grow and prosper, until the bind weed and brambles take hold again, and we will be back in a year clearing the same area! We will be ready!

Another good evening’s work team! Till next month at the not so secret, secret garden.

On the evening of 24th July, GoodGym joined forces with the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields (https://friendsoflyncombehillfields.co.uk/) for a community task focused on raking hay. One GoodGym volunteer, enthusiastic and ready to help, collaborated with five dedicated volunteers from the Friends. The task was scheduled for an hour but we carried on for two, during which we also enjoyed a short tea break accompanied by biscuits. The primary task for the evening was to rake and collect hay. This activity is part of the ongoing efforts to maintain the beautiful green space of Lyncombe Hill Fields, ensuring it remains a welcoming environment for both wildlife and the local community. The Friends needed to remove the grass cover to allow wild flowers to flourish in the area as they are currently outcompeted by grass and nettles. Armed with rakes, pitchforks and huge bags, the team spread out across the designated area and began raking the hay into manageable piles. We followed on behind the mower being operated by one of the Lyncombe Hill Fields team and another of their volunteers, ably wielding a scythe. The weather was cooperative, with just one or two light drops of rain that did not hinder our progress. At the halfway mark, we paused for a well-deserved tea break, enjoying biscuits and chat about the fascinating history of the site and the wildlife and flowers that can be found in the area. Reinvigorated from the break, the team resumed raking with renewed energy. The volunteers worked together efficiently, ensuring all the hay was collected and moved to the designated disposal area.

7 goodymers jogged or walked to the secret garden/cementry looked after by the Bath Preservation Trust in Widcombe. Up a short alley and hidden behind giant gates lies the land that time forgot.

Overgrown with nettles and bind weed, the team began to clear huge sections of the garden to reveal the ancient wall markings indicating where burials lie.

The team did a fantastic job and in no time the area looked so much better!

Fingers crossed for not too much sunshine and showers as the weeds will return with a vengence