By Bea Foster of Bicester Green Gym.

WHAT comes into mind when thinking of Bicester?

Is it defined as Bicester Village, Eco-Town, Garden-Town, Healthy-Town, the fastest growing town in Europe, by a dying high street and nothing to do?

It is none of these things!

We are still getting there on some of them, and despite outward appearances some of them just aren’t true.

Last week I had the privilege of re-uniting with some good people of Bicester as healthy initiatives were celebrated and future plans were discussed.

The 5K blue lines, family cookery initiatives with Foodbank, primary schools engaging with mile runs, outdoor gym equipment installed in two parks are all success stories.

New estates are being built with play areas and allotments.

There are many small business and community groups providing services and activities.

The number of people who give up their time to build community to reduce problems such as loneliness and obesity, is staggering.

There really is something for everyone if you want to get involved and plenty of support for developing new ideas or find out if you would benefit from some of these new ideas.

At the end of this networking gathering we all pledged to do something this coming year to maintain the momentum.

Pledged by Green Gym, is continuing commitment, and I must sing the praises of five members who turned out in Tuesday’s weather when the rain blew in sideways across an open field.

We still had our tea break in the increasing rain, where our mugs were filling up as fast as we drank them.

How many new year’s fitness resolutions have fizzled out by now?

Keeping fit and braving adversity is going strong with us.

Green Gym also pledged to increase participation in outdoor activity.

Already there are several communal green spaces asking for people to drop in and tend them, so if you have no garden yourself, you can still get outside, grow, relax, harvest, get fit, hear the birds sing, meet like-minded people.

You can join in with an organised work session or once experienced, just turn up and do a bit of weeding and watering as and when you have time.

If you want to discover the six places then please get in touch for further details or look out for adverts to come.

Resolve to get out and about, and make a positive difference to yourself and the environment.