Bicester Green Gym secretary and founding member Bea Foster introduces herself and explains the group's goals.

Bicester Green Gym are a voluntary group made up of local people of all ages and backgrounds, who love to work out – keeping fit outdoors in Bicester’s green spaces.

Set up 10 years ago on the request of the town council, the group has a base at Garth Park and also tends a flower bed there.

Tools and equipment then go out to places such as Bure Park nature reserve, Langford Village park and community orchard.

The Green Gyms were originally set up to also help with all aspects of health, and as well as burning calories, the 'extreme gardening' undertaken and mixing with like-minded people helps with mental well-being.

There is nothing like working outdoors in fresh air and seeing a job well done, and enjoying a brew and a laugh in the process.

I have been a founding member of Bicester Green Gym for all of its 10 years along with two or three others, and we have since been joined by many more.

Pam Roberts is one of our loyal members and also campaigns on behalf of Gavray Meadows and Langford Community Orchard.

The current crew turning out each week on Tuesdays between 9.30am to 12.30pm is about 14. Sessions are free and welcoming and start whatever the weather.

Rain has stopped us very few times.

Many people confuse us with Bicester Green, but we had the name first and do not do any work indoors.

However we have collaborated on projects, one of which was using wood from Bicester Green to edge a walkway in Bure Park.

They have been the beneficiaries of abandoned bikes found dumped in the various parks.

We both enjoy the same ethos of working with our hands and improving our local environment with a volunteer workforce.

We have worked closely with BBOWT at Meadow Farm, Blackthorn, and Island Pond Wood, Launton. Local schools have asked us to help with their wildlife gardens.

For all these non-council venues we ask for a donation of £30 per session which goes towards new tools and training courses.

We also have hosted volunteers from companies wanting some conservation experience and team building for the day.

Typical work includes trimming back blackthorn and brambles, laying woodchip paths, weeding out thistles and ragwort, planting bulbs and tree saplings, coppicing, dry-stone walling, and visits to bird reserves.

Litter picking is a job which shouldn’t need to be done, but has revealed some interesting finds. The most rewarding was a purse and phone returned to their relieved owner, plus other items which have been restored and reused.

We have had exhibition stands at various town events, which is where you may have seen us, or whilst walking your dog.

For regular readers, none of this may be news, as we often crop up in the Bicester Advertiser, but I have written this introduction as I thought that others may be curious.

In future columns I hope to go into a bit more detail on a particular area we work in and why we do it, and what we learn from it.

I also hope some of you may feel like joining us for hands-on experience and to help create many more stories to come.