LOOKING back on the past year, Bicester Green Gym enjoyed the help of between six to 20 volunteers week by week , with a steady set of regulars.

Two or three keen members only missed a couple of sessions throughout the past year.

We did less work with the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) but enjoyed new sites at OYAP Studio2 and Bicester North Station, helping other groups get their green spaces growing.

We are blessed that Bicester has so many voluntary and non-profit organisations, and we often bump into each other at networking events such as Healthy Bicester, Bicester Big Lunch, and grant and award ceremonies.

This coming year it looks like we will be continuing in these areas and possibly branching out into Kidlington as their Green Gym has folded, leaving some of their community groups unsupported.

We continue to investigate the mystery of the drying up stream at Bure Park and suspect diversion to fishing lakes further upstream.

Re-homing interesting finds whilst litter picking, campaigning to reduce plastic waste, and making representations at planning meetings, are some of our non-gardening jobs.

As always, we are on the look-out for new members, so instead of going to a conventional gym, why not do something productive and tangible in the great outdoors?

Make friends and get fit at the same time.

Only today we were working in our 'home patch' of Bure Park nature reserve and enjoyed chatting to passers-by who appreciated what we do there.

Next week we are returning to do an early spring clean – litter picking in the undergrowth which has died back, revealing piles of the stuff.

The snowdrops are just peeping out of the soil in the Woodland Walk and the paths have been freshly treated with woodchip.

Why not take a wander, and wonder whether joining this free gym is going to be a resolution for you this new year?

Make a date for Tuesdays from 9:30am in your new diary.

For more information on upcoming Bicester Green Gym events and meet-ups go online to icestergreengym.org

The group works on a voluntary basis to combine exercise and local community conservation work including caring for and the upkeep of trees, planting, paths, pruning, litter picking, fences.

Volunteers also hope it provides a way for more people to get out in the Bicester community and make new friends.