Abingdon Green Gym Blog

An interesting article about the history and benefits of the Green Gym has appeared on the local Herald news website - including input from some of our members.  Find it here: http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/10186922.Great_outdoors_offers_gym_and_tonic/

Following the abandonment of last week's activities due to heavy snow, and the last-minute cancellation of our advertised session for this week at Caldecott Primary School, it was good to finally get back to our outdoor activities on Saturday. Owing to aforementioned late cancellation, session leader Eleanor hastily made alternative arrangements for us to return to the Tesco end of the Ock Valley walk to continue with our work there.  As usual, this involved tidying-up the areas around the paths, both by cutting and stacking tree branches (some of which had been left lying around following apparent clearance by local council contractors!) and by litter-picking. Conditions underfoot were soggy to say the least, a situation caused by the melting snow and also by the ground around the paths having been churned-up by working vehicles during the week.   However, the recent floods had washed much litter into the area and so there was plenty to keep us constructively occupie...

Due to circumstances beyond our control, I have been advised by this weekend's session leader, Eleanor, that there is a change to the programme for this Saturday 26th January.  Instead of the advertised session at Caldecott School, we will instead be at the Ock Valley Walk at the Tesco end.  The session will involve cutting and stacking tree branches, some bramble clearance and litter picking. We will be meeting at our usual location for this site - the Davis Langdon car park behind Barclays Bank (just off the road into Tesco) on Saturday at 9:30am. -Andrew

Due to the heavy snow in the Abingdon area, tomorrow's session at Frilford Heath Golf Club has been cancelled. Hopefully, the programme will resume as normal next week, and we have another session at Frilford scheduled for 9th February. -Andrew

Our new Winter-Spring 2013 programme has just been published.   You can find a pdf copy here - http://www.abingdongreengym.org.uk/files/2011/01/GGwinterspringprog13.pdf

Abingdon Green Gym reconvened after the Christmas/New Year break for the Annual General Meeting 2013 at James and Ursula's house.  An impressive turn-out of ar ound 20 members, comprising all of our regular group, attended to discuss a variety of issues including a retrospective on the past twelve months, a discussion on the contents of the forthcoming programme, the purchase of new tools and training requirements. The meeting itself, chaired by James, proved to be very constructive, with many decisions made and some lively debate over its approximately two-hour duration. Following the meeting, a buffet lunch was enjoyed, with delicious food provided by the majority of the attendees.  Eleanor's meringues were once again a particular highlight. The first programme for the new year will be uploaded soon, after the details of all the sessions have been finalised.  However, it is possible to confirm that the first session of the year will be held at Frilford golf course ...

For our final session of 2012  we returned to Cothill Fen.  As has been the case on many occasions this year, the heavy rain of the previous day had made way for bright sunshine as we assembled in the car park opposite the Merry Miller pub.  Here we met BBOWT site manager, Martyn Lane who outlined the morning's tasks.   We heard that earlier in the week, reeds had been cut and required raking, and some of the trees and shrubs encroaching upon the edge of the fen - mostly hazel and silver birch, required cutting back. A short walk along the lane to the site followed, carrying the tools, while negotiating all the mud and many puddles!  Upon arrival, we were shown the area that required raking and the volunteers split into several groups - either raking up and stacking the grass and reeds or cutting back the trees and saplings.  Due to the nature of the fen and because of all the recent rain, conditions underfoot were soggy to say the least.  Despit...