"Squats sluuuugs got to do with it"

18 runners ran 5k to help shift rubble, pots and mattress for a new community project and delivered flyers for a Sustainable homes event in Camden

This Wednesday Camden GoodGym runners gathered at Somers Town Community Centre and ran 2km up to Rochester Square in Camden. On an old disused square a group of people are creating a new community space. Run as a co-operative, the London Nomad Community Space will offer workshops, cinema nights and healing days to whoever fancies getting involved. It's a grand idea- and there's loads of work to be done to get the area ready.

Squat detritus

We had intended to help clear out an old greenhouse but the combination of glass, rusty nails and a lack of light seemed like a recipe for disaster. Instead we decided to tidy up the perimeter of the park. The square had formerly been a squat so there were big piles of rubbish scattered around the park.

Mattress scavenging, pot sorting, and rubble trolley pushing

We attempted to consolidate these piles- separating anything useful and creating a big pile of stuff ready for the dump. We broke into teams- each tasked with hunting for different objects- pallets, mattress and plant pots were all to be saved, and everything else thrown into a huge pile ready for the dump. In the dark we did a great job- clearing loads of bags of old rubbish and 'sluggy plastic'- nice one Elena!

Flyering Sustainable Homes-starring Project Dirt and Streetbank

After we finished we made a short jog to Camden Square and broke into 4 teams. Each time was handed a pile of leaflets and were assigned a street running of the main square. Their task was to deliver as many flyers as possible in 10mins. The flyers are promoting an upcoming Sustainable Homes event run by Camden Council- which will showcase great projects Project Dirt and Streetbank.

Check out Streetbank here and Project Dirt here

It was a close race...but the team of Kate, Iona, Mark, Charlotte, and Kirsten came out top. Led by Peter we finished with a dash back to the centre- arriving back just after 8.30pm. It's amazing how much stuff you can do in an hour and a half!