🎃 Last night’s Halloween themed GoodGym Wandsworth session was a little different from the usual routine because, for perhaps the first time ever, there was no run at all! However, we did make up for it in other ways....

Firstly, a big welcome to Julian who came for his very first GoodGym session — great to have you with us!

Our task was just across the road at the amazing Wandsworth hub for people experiencing homelessness. This vital project provides support, safety and practical help for rough sleepers, and during the winter months, it can mean the difference between spending a night out on the streets and having somewhere warm and safe to sleep. With winter approaching, our mission was to help transform some of the spaces into emergency bedrooms, so that nobody has to spend a night sleeping rough.

We heard from Nick, the hub’s manager, who gave us a brilliant insight into the work they do and why it matters so much. Adam, one of our very own GoodGymers who also works at the hub, was there to help organise the task and get us all going.

Then it was time for action! Half the group headed downstairs to the basement, while the other half took on the upstairs space.

The first jobs involved setting up beds, moving computers and dismantling tables to clear the areas ready for their new purpose. The upstairs team certainly got a workout, trekking up and down the stairs with equipment and furniture — who needs a fitness session when you’ve got stairs to climb?

Meanwhile, the basement team got busy making beds and building the privacy screens. Easier said than done! Armed with limited instructions and what felt like a million different pieces, each with endless possible combinations, the team had to work out which way everything was supposed to fit together. This involved an impressive mental workout!

But the results were fantastic. It was amazing to watch the spaces transform as the evening went on. By the end of the task, there were beds in place, privacy screens up and spaces turned into safe, warm bedrooms for people who need them most.

And just like that, our evening’s work was done. No time for running or fitness tonight, but it was absolutely worth it to support such an important project. We even had some sweeties to keep our energy levels up while we worked!

🍪 But the treats didn’t stop there…

This was our special Halloween session, so we headed to the pub afterwards, where some of the group had put together an incredible spread of homemade biscuits, cookies and other goodies. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed — what a feast!

The costumes were just as impressive. Beth and Jo teamed up in a shared pumpkin ensemble, Sophie wowed us with her amazing skeleton outfit and bald cap, and Annabel showed true commitment to the carrot with her fantastic headpiece. Halloween spirit: absolutely nailed. 🎃💀🥕

Thank you to Jordan for organising a brilliant social, and to everyone who came along, rolled up their sleeves and helped make a real difference.

🏃 Next week: back to our usual routine! We’ll be back to the classic GoodGym combination of a run, a task and a fitness session — followed by the pub quiz, of course! Come and join us for some good exercise, great company and a chance to do something positive for our community.

And there’s more good to be done before then! This Saturday, we have a mission at the neurodisability hospital, creating a garden for patients. It’s a lovely way to kick off your weekend.❤️

We kicked things off with our usual warm-up before heading out for an evening of community action, great company and a lower body blast!

A big welcome to Sean, and Andrew who joined us for their very first GoodGym session. Hope you will be back for more soon! 👋

🍁 Leaf it to GoodGym!

Our main mission of the evening took us to St Mary's Church, where we got stuck into clearing the churchyard of fallen leaves.

The aim? To get the area ready for the planting of 1,000 daffodil bulbs in a couple of weeks' time 🌼

Clearing the leaves does much more than make the churchyard look tidy. A thick layer can prevent other plants from thriving, create trip hazards and provide valuable material for making mulch to support next year's growing.

The team worked together, raking, gathering and bagging up the leaves, collecting over 20 bags in total! That's a whole lot of leaves - which won't go to waste. They're being transported to a local community garden in Doddington, where volunteers can put them to good use on their growing beds. 🌱

There were plenty of extra treats along the way, too, including mini tours of the church, snacks and sweets to keep everyone fuelled, and a gorgeous view of the river to enjoy while we worked.

🏃 Time to get those legs moving!

With the leaves cleared and the hard work done, we headed just around the corner for a leg-focussed fitness session. It was a proper workout for all those lower-body muscles, and everyone put in a seriously impressive effort.

📅 What's coming up next?

There's lots more GoodGym on the horizon:

This Thursday: We're heading to Roehampton to help create a community growing space

Next week: We're mixing things up with a slightly unusual session. There's no run this time, but we'll be doing a positive task supporting a hub for people experiencing homelessness, followed by a Halloween social. More details here

A big thank you to everyone who came along, for bringing such brilliant energy and making a real difference.

We kicked things off last night with a warm-up and our Quiz Qu of the Week: Which country is wider than the Moon? Russia certainly threw us off the scent, but three of you cracked it! 🌍 Well done! Apologies that I forget to mention at the time, but a huge shout-out goes to Pritesh for running the Royal Parks Half Marathon yesterday – fantastic effort! 🏃‍♂️👏

We also welcomed Molly who joined us for their very first GoodGym session. 👋 Great to have you with us!

Then it was time to head out into the darkness and make our way to Paradise Community Garden, a special green space that provides a haven for wildlife and a green oasis for the local community. Community gardens like this are vital for supporting biodiversity, creating habitats for wildlife and giving people a place to connect with nature.

Unfortunately our original task to shovel manure had to be postponed as access issues meant it hadn't been delivered. Luckily, there were still two tasks to keep us busy – chopping up firewood and painting the shed. But first, we had to navigate our way through the frogs! 🐸 We've never seen so many - they were everywhere, creating, as Joput it,'a carpet of frogs', so careful footwork was essential. We did our best to avoid stepping on our tiny amphibian friends and keep this happy, healthy ecosystem thriving.

Once we'd safely negotiated the frog-filled terrain, we found our way to the firepit and split into two teams.

🎨 Team Shed Painting took on the challenge of finding the right colour for the job. Getting the shade just right was all part of the challenge, as was the dark surroundings. Nevertheless, they persevered and a beautiful newly painted shed was soon underway.

🪵 Team Firewood tackled the sawing, which came with its own challenge: mastering the two-handed saw. With a bit of practice, the team perfected their techniques with various implements around the site, keeping a safe distance from one another. All fingers and toes remained intact – result! Great work, everyone. 💪

As the rain started to set in and we'd already had a good workout, we decided to give the fitness session a miss this time and head back for some well-earned stretches. We took care to avoid the wildlife on the way, although the snails unfortunately didn't all make it through unscathed. 🐌 Let's just say it wasn't a completely casualty-free journey!

A huge well done to everyone for being adaptable, getting stuck into the tasks and helping look after this lovely community space.

Next week: We're heading back to St Mary's to give the outside of Battersea's oldest church a good blitz. 🧹 We hope to see you all there!

Until then, happy running, and thanks for being brilliant, GoodGym Wandsworth! ❤️