After an incredibly busy weekend for the London running scene (check out our report on the Night of the 10,000m PBs at Parliament Hill Track here, our crew met up at the Arsenal Community Hub on a sunny Monday evening. Area Activator Simon was joined by Ralph and Louise for a lovely 1.6 mile run through Highbury Fields, along Petherton Road footpath and to Newington Green, linking to Mildmay Community Centre. Upon our arrival, we met with Dan, Lucy and Caitlin before heading through the a lovely secret garden area at the back of the community hub. The plots, beds and greenhouse are actively used for growing organic produce at discounted rates for local residents and users of the food bank.

Our task for the evening involved removing a large mass of overgrown plants from a forgotten flower bed (neglected from a previous owner). Due to the recent rain fall, the roots were looser than expected, so we could mostly pull the shoots straight from the soil! We collected up the green waste into black bags, that were covered in wildlife and mini-beasts. Loads of snails, slugs, beetles, stink bugs, woodlice and even centipedes!

Since we made excellent progress on shifting the greenery out of the planters, we then moved on to dismantling some rotted wooden decking from the back of the garden. Again, due to the wet weather, we were mostly able to do this by hand (with sturdy protective gloves)- but also had to be very careful not to come in contact with sharp nails protruding from the wood. More time, less haste, more care!

We will be returning to Mildmay Community Centre on the 10th June- watch this space!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-mildmay-community-centre-garden-fix-up-2

We have a special Bank Holiday edition of our group session next Monday. Meeting just by Clissold Park for a series of classic fitness games before flyering around the Highbury Quadrant Estate for London Open Gardens Festival!.

Sign up here to get involved!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-session-bank-holiday-fitness-games-and-flyering

---------‐----‐‐----------------------------

GOODGYM ISLINGTON NEWS

----‐‐---------------------------------------

Achilles International VI Guide Running Sessions

Every Thursday, 6pm, Various London locations

On Thursday evenings, the all abilities sports charity Achilles International holds a group run session at a London location.

Here is a list of our upcoming events and sign up pages. Runners, supporters and guides of all abilities and experiences welcome!

Thursday 23rd May- Emirates Stadium

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-emirates-stadium-80f59abe-2d99-46bb-99a7-8384ceed2811

Thursday 30th May- Stratford Olympic Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-olympic-park-stratford-route-a62f62c2-4983-4404-a9fa-075f3a811719

Thursday 6th June- Green Park

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/come-and-guide-run-with-achilles-international-green-park-summer-session-0a217b1b-9f2c-46fe-9d07-ddaf5d315c4b

-------------------------‐-------------

London Orienteering Klubb- Finsbury Park Go Orienteering Event

Tuesday 21st May, The Twelve Pins, 6pm onwards

Orienteering is really great fun! All abilities running, walking and map reading.

Follow a map offered by London Orienteering Klubb, and find the "controls" (flags and scanning points) across Finsbury Park in order.

2.5km and 5km distances on offer

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/london-orienteering-klubb-finsbury-park

--------------------------------‐---------

Penn Road Gardens Volunteer Open Day

Sunday 26th May, 10am - midday, Penn Road Gardens

Every last Sunday of the month, the residents of Penn Road invite keen volunteers to help with maintaining this lovely community spot just off Holloway Road.

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/penn-road-gardens-open-morning-may-7d3ebe7e-3ab5-42a7-9351-32a2c89b7925

---

The Garden Classroom- Weekly Volunteer Mornings in Islington Parks!

Wednesday mornings, 10am - midday, Newington Green

The Garden Classroom has started multiple weekly open garden mornings in Newington Green, Market Road and Hillside Park (near Caxton House). Set up by trained horticulture specialists and open to all!

Newington Green Next Wednesday- 10am - midday

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-garden-classroom-newington-green-volunteer-morning-04e5f5f4-1d3c-4449-9706-bb739a01eadc

---------------------------------------‐--‐--

The ARC Centre Riverside Gardens

Friday 24th May, 7pm, The ARC Centre, Angel

Come and help the local volunteer gardening team with some lifting and shifting on Regent's Canal. Followed by a trip to The Hanbury Arms in Packington Square!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/the-arc-centre-riverside-gardens-part-2

-----‐‐-------------------------------------

Highbury Quadrant Greening with Elizabeth House

Every Saturday, 10.30am - 12 midday, Highbury Quadrant Meadow

A fantastic task for post-parkrun runners at Highbury Fields or Finsbury Park!

Elizabeth House Community Centre, in partnership with Islington Council, Highbury Quadrant Tenants and Residents Association, Highbury Councillors and community organisations transformed three unloved and unusable green spaces on Highbury Quadrant estate.

These green spaces have been designed into three distinct spaces, improving bio-diversity and the local environment. There is now a beautiful meadow, an orchard and woodland areas.

Local residents have the opportunity to access these green spaces and take part in gardening and nature based activities, every Saturday mornings 10 am to 12 pm.

Saturday 25th May-

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/highbury-quadrant-greening-with-elizabeth-house-178fe3fd-f1ff-47b1-a90e-5bdf4d2bf63e

Saturday 1st June-

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/highbury-quadrant-greening-with-elizabeth-house-f0843541-48e4-4394-9e05-01a943b17195

-------------------‐------------------------

Compton Terrace Gardens Open Volunteer Morning

Saturday 8th June, 10am - midday, Union Chapel, Islington

A friendly gardening group started to look after the park about 10 years ago. We are always looking for more help - with planting, mulching, pruning, and all the other things a garden needs.

Everyone welcome, no special skills needed! Lots of fresh air and a nice chance to meet local people.

A smashing community mission for those partaking in Highbury Fields or Finsbury parkrun on a Saturday morning!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/compton-terrace-gardens-volunteer-open-morning-june-4d7078cc-979a-4302-9aeb-2ed524886a2d

---

Friends of Canonbury Square- Volunteer Morning (June)

Saturday 15th June, 10am, Canonbury Square Gardens

Lending a hand with this beautiful neighbourhood maintained garden in Islington, a perfect post-parkrun task!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/friends-of-canonbury-square-volunteer-morning-june-7bead29b-6690-41f9-96c0-75410bf98352

---

Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) Volunteering Day

Sunday 16th June, 11am - 1pm, Hanley Tennis Club Car Park, Greenways

Our monthly trip to CREOS this year for a woodland regeneration- loads of smashing forest path building has been planned!

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/crouch-end-open-space-creos-volunteering-day-june-2024

---------------------------‐---------

Polling night in London, and cameras and journalists were stationed outside the lovely Brady Arts and Community Centre.

This special public space was home to votes that day, yet our group of Dan, Lucy, Jackie, John, Steve, and I were there for another social purpose.

Sneaking past the publicly spirited voters and microphones, we clanked up the stairs carrying our tools and smiles.

Our second time visiting, we were there to remove sturdy and reluctant rawlplugs (which Dan did seamlessly!), fill holes and plaster cracks (which Jackie took to wonderfully), and sand walls (courtesy of Lucy, John, and Steve) ready for painting on the weekend!!

Over 45 minutes, we saw the sun set and made a huge difference to this space - thank you, everyone, it was just great to spend this evening working and laughing with you all!!

Barbra Streisand celebrated her birthday on Wednesday - Happy Birthday, Barbra!!

I know this because of the OnThisDay website. And Wikipedia. I double checked on Wikipedia. I trust Wikipedia, but I didn't trust OnThisDay.

But now, of course, I do. And they tell me that Wednesday would also have been William of Orange's 491st birthday - big numbers, Will!

Then there's Lou Thesz - who was a wrestler; and Philippe Pétain - who was a French general; and the list goes on and on. But...

...does it mention GoodGym Camden... why heck, it doesn't! What would Barbra say, OnThisDay, hey?

Because it was big news as our merry group met outside the Francis Crick on Wednesday evening - GoodGym Camden was 11!!

Dan, Faye, Jackie, John, Lucy, and Steve met in spring light and we started the evening with a gentle warm up game of Get to 33!

Warmed and chatting, we strolled next door to the special King's Cross Story Garden. Housed above the British Library's car park, the space is a cared-for curation of nature and crafts, sat snug and peaceful amidst King's Cross's hub-bub.

Chimen (who was on their first good deed - welcome!!), Emre, and Louise joined us on site, where we were welcomed by the lovely Holly, the Story Garden's Manager.

Our task was simple - get things out of the way - preparing the way for the removal team, who will be taking stock over to the garden's new permanent home a stone's throw away.

We got to it, dismantling gazebos, shifting pallets, lifting portable saunas, and then making things tidy and neat once again.

Over 45 minutes, this team of 10 made such a difference, and we did so whilst sharing our own stories and laughter.

Thanks, everyone, I really appreciate your work, and I hope to see you at another session soon!!!

Eight awesome GoodGymmers got down to Hackney City Farm for some forking, shovelling, digging and shifting as we moved compost across the farm.

The farm is re-building one of its composting areas with some colourful new pallets so we needed to re-site the compost before the next task: building the new composter!

Huge props to Alicia for coming down to her first session and getting properly stuck in!!

Jacqui, Lucy, Alicia and Alice got started on the digging and loading; Sooz and John heading back and forth with the barrows, whilst Emre and Dan got on with re-siting the compost.

Massive team effort, and we’re now more than halfway through the re-siting and the compost is looking gooood!

6 frequent Goodgym Islington attendees joined a slightly broken Area Activator Simon at The Tollington Arms on Benwell Road last week. A hidden gem for delicious homemade Thai food in the borough!

---

The GoodGym Islington AGM 2024

We hosted our first proper open meeting together to talk about how Goodgym Islington is going, and to take feedback for future sessions.

Here were some of the key topics of discussion, directed at group runs and community missions in particular:

Monday Group Runs

We agreed that our usual time and set up for Monday group runs seem to work well for those who attend. And the Arsenal Community Hub start point is well suited for exploring the whole borough together. The bag drop and WC facilities are key to establishing a base for group runs. Tasks without these can pose as a barrier to entry for new attendees.

However, we are open to accommodating occasional changes to the schedule, depending on the task.

For example, our Easter group run to the Rose Bowl Youth Centre will be hosted on Tuesday instead to sideline Easter Monday:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-rose-bowl-youth-club-tuesday-session

and our next trip to Elizabeth House Food Hub will be at 6pm to allow for more varied tasks (more deliveries, less clear up), and to help with the regular volunteers:

https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/group-run-elizabeth-house-food-hub-easter-helpers-6pm-start

Favourite Tasks

Some of our favourite tasks in recent times have been:

• Lifting and shifting tasks!
• Food bank deliveries (requires a bit of additional admin, but alway good!)
• Building and constructing for gardens and community centres
• Youth centres and playgrounds
• Slow Ways route mapping and reviewing

We are also looking at collaborating for more weekend missions - particularly if we can combine a parkrun excusion too!

On the same subject, we are very open to combining nationwide campaigns as part of our Goodgym sessions. Examples include:

Run and Talk Butterfly Day The Big Plastic Count Race Against Time Relay

Fitness Activities

We are open to including fitness games and core training as part of our Group Run warm ups.

Longer fitness elements (e.g. Emirates Stadium Time Trial) will be publicised in advance of the group run, as a "training session". Always optional, but an incentive for anyone who would like to try it!

Definitely preferred to introduce these before a group run, and not after.

Socials and Excursions

Yes to more socials and excursions!

Suggestions included:

• a trip to YHA South Downs for parkrun and hiking
• Visit to Caledonian Park clocktower
• London Zoo
• Summer picnic and slacklining
• Researching for more "Goodgym Islington" specific activities in the borough

---

Thank You for all involved!

If you have anything to add or suggest, you are very welcome to email Simon directly at:

simonfitzmaurice@goodgym.org