This evening we returned to the Orchard Triangle. We have a long history with this space, having helped plant and maintain the trees and done lots of weeding and clearing over the past few years.

Over the summer the grass around the fruit trees has got rather long, brambles have started to creep in and some large branches needed chopping and clearing.

Armed with a variety of tools and our usual can-do attitude we cracked on and left the space looking a lot tidier by the end.

A few of us then trotted off into the dusky evening for our post task run, head torches were a must, autumn has certainly arrived.

With grey skies and persistent rain the cycle bit of our duathlon was abandoned BUT we were not to be defeated!!

SKIN IS WATERPROOF

The numbers at Abingdon parkrun were, unsurprisingly, a little lower than usual but that meant that the usually rather congested start flowed nicely.

The conditions were damp and muggy, and by the end we all weren't sure where the sweat ended and the raindrops began.

After a photo with the sign (did the tourism even happen if there isn't a sign photo?!?) we headed off for a very well earned hot drink and breakfast and future tourism planning.

Well done everyone for coming and special back slaps and high fives to Kieran for his 100th parkrun!

Three Goodgymers braved the hot weather to help West Oxford Fun Day pack down tables, chairs and gazebos. I never realised before how many different types of gazebo there are! Once everything was stacked up in one place the real challenge began - we had to pack it all into a limited number of "cages" on wheels. It was a mental and physical test to make everything fit and to lift it all in. The cages could then be wheeled into their storage container ready to do it all again next year.

I forgot to take any "before" photos, but got some of the almost empty field to show what a good job we did!

Welcome to Natasha who joined us for the first time!

A bumper group of Goodgymers gathered at Dinton Pastures parkrun this morning for event number 288.

After the usual SPRINT to the start (one day we will be early.....) we gathered for the all important pre run selfie and listened to the run briefing.

The course is a 2 lapper with a bit of a congested start - next time we'll scooch to the front a bit more. We ran through wood land and skirted a couple of lakes for what was a lovely course and all looked terribly athletic at the finish!

After a photo with some with the sign and accompanying blossom we headed for the all important post run breakfast as an excellent cafe in the grounds of the nature reserve. Becky and Gary sparked an accidental debate about the combination of sweet and savory on one dish with their order of some pretty epic looking pancakes!

We also started planning the events that we needed to complete our parkrun alphabet!

Finally, and most importantly, happy birthday to Poppy Dog! 4 today!

After our December endeavours shifting many bulk bags of sand for Botley Primary School, yesterday we were back to shovel and rake shingle.

The school are rejuvenating their inner courtyard into a more usuable space, both for children and teachers, but as it's surrounded by corridors and classrooms it was a logistical puzzle to work out how to get the gravel/shingle from the delivery point into the courtyard. With a solution found (a pallet truck), we were called in to lend extra hands to the task.

In less than an hour and a half our team of 7 GoodGymers and 4 school volunteers managed to get 9 bulk bags of shingle shifted into the courtyard, shovelled and barrowed around the space, and beautifully raked to an even finish.

Many hands make light work of a big task!